Emma Colton, Fox News, January 14, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is actively recruiting workers who suffer \u201csevere intellectual\u201d disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion<\/a> hiring initiative spelled out on the agency\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTargeted disabilities are those disabilities that the Federal government, as a matter of policy, has identified for special emphasis in recruitment and hiring,\u201d the FAA\u2019s website states. \u201cThey include hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability and dwarfism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The initiative is part of the FAA\u2019s \u201cDiversity and Inclusion\u201d<\/a> hiring plan, which says \u201cdiversity is integral to achieving FAA\u2019s mission of ensuring safe and efficient travel across our nation and beyond.\u201d The FAA\u2019s website shows the agency\u2019s guidelines on diversity hiring were last updated on March 23, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The FAA, which is overseen by Secretary Pete Buttigieg\u2019s Department of Transportation, is a government agency charged with regulating civil aviation and employs roughly 45,000 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All eyes have been on the FAA and airline industry in recent days after a plug door on a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5<\/a>. The FAA grounded all 737 MAX 9 planes after the incident and is carrying out \u201cextensive inspection\u201d and maintenance work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The FAA added it would increase its oversight of Boeing in the wake of the incident, including auditing Boeing\u2019s 737 Max 9 jetliner production line and companies that supply parts to the airline manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the incident, social media commenters and public figures have said that airlines and airline manufacturers\u2019 emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives has made flying less safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you want to fly in an airplane where they prioritized DEI hiring over your safety?<\/a>\u201d tech billionaire Elon Musk wrote on X last week. {snip}<\/p>\n\n\n\n {snip}<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the FAA\u2019s website, the agency states that people with \u201csevere\u201d mental and physical disabilities are the most underrepresented segment of the federal workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause diversity is so critical, FAA actively supports and engages in a variety of associations, programs, coalitions and initiatives to support and accommodate employees from diverse communities and backgrounds. Our people are our strength, and we take great care in investing in and valuing them as such,\u201d the FAA reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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