A Schedule A letter can be written by any licensed medical professional, any licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any federal, state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory agency that issues or provides disability benefits. The regulation at 5 CFR 213.3102(u) sets that list deliberately wide, so most people already have someone in their life who can sign the letter.1USAJOBS. Individuals with Disabilities
The Three Categories of Certifiers
The rule authorizes three groups, and any one of them is enough on its own.2eCFR. 5 CFR 213.3102 – Entire Executive Civil Service
Licensed medical professionals. The regulation defines this as “a physician or other medical professional duly certified by a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory, to practice medicine.” That plainly covers MDs and DOs, psychiatrists, and psychologists. It also reaches other state-licensed medical professionals such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, because they hold state certification to practice medicine.3U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Who May Certify a Disability
Licensed vocational rehabilitation specialists. This includes state vocational rehabilitation counselors and private rehabilitation professionals who hold a license. If you already work with a counselor at your state VR agency, that counselor can write the letter.
Government agencies that issue or provide disability benefits. Any federal, state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory agency qualifies. Common examples are the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs, but any agency that provides disability benefits can furnish the documentation.4U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The ABCs of Schedule A Tips for Applicants with Disabilities on Getting Federal Jobs
Which Option Fits Your Situation
If you already receive disability benefits from a government agency, that agency’s documentation may serve as your proof of disability, and you do not need a separate letter from a doctor. Veterans with a VA disability rating and people receiving SSDI or SSI are the most common examples.
If you have a qualifying disability but do not receive government benefits, a letter from your treating physician, psychiatrist, therapist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant works just as well. Your existing provider is usually the simplest choice, because they can certify your disability from records they already have, without a fresh evaluation.
If you are already connected to your state vocational rehabilitation office, your counselor there is a third route and often the fastest one, since VR counselors write these letters regularly and know the format.
What the Certifier Needs to Put in the Letter
Once you have identified who will sign, it helps to know what they actually need to write. The letter is short. Based on OPM’s samples, it needs only a few pieces:5U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Sample Schedule A Letters
- A sentence certifying that you are a person with an intellectual disability, a severe physical disability, or a psychiatric disability, and are eligible for appointment under Schedule A, 5 CFR 213.3102(u).
- The certifying professional’s signature. Without it, the letter is invalid.
- Official letterhead from the professional or agency.
- A phone number or email where the certifier can be reached for verification.
- The date the letter was issued.
The Department of Labor publishes sample templates in this exact format, and giving one to your provider is the single easiest way to prevent a formatting problem.6U.S. Department of Labor. Sample Schedule A Letter Documentation for Licensed Medical Practitioners
What the Certifier Should Leave Out
The letter does not need to name your specific diagnosis, describe your medical history, or say anything about reasonable accommodations. The EEOC is explicit that the documentation “does NOT need to detail your specific disability, medical history or need for accommodation.”4U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The ABCs of Schedule A Tips for Applicants with Disabilities on Getting Federal Jobs All the certifier has to do is place your condition within one of the three categories the regulation names.
Keeping the letter narrow protects your privacy and keeps unnecessary medical detail out of the hiring file. Reasonable accommodation requests are a separate conversation you can have with the agency directly, at any point in the process.
Asking Your Provider for the Letter
When you contact whoever will sign, explain that you need a brief certification letter for federal employment under the Schedule A hiring authority. Most providers have never written one, so sending a sample template along with your request saves time and back-and-forth. A provider who already has your records can usually produce the letter quickly, since it runs only a few sentences.
Ask about fees up front. Some providers fold this into an office visit; others charge a separate documentation fee. If you receive disability benefits from a federal or state agency, ask that agency first, since its documentation may be acceptable at no cost.
Letters Do Not Expire, but Contact Information Can Go Stale
Schedule A letters have no expiration date, and the Department of Labor confirms the documentation remains valid indefinitely.7U.S. Department of Labor. How to Obtain a Schedule A Letter The practical catch is verification. If the person who signed your letter has retired, changed practices, or is otherwise unreachable, an agency trying to confirm the letter may hit a dead end. If your certifier’s contact information is no longer good, getting an updated letter from a current provider avoids that snag.