Job Development

Assess: Look at your partnerships and which ones need to be added to your program. Assess how you want to use various partners (partners in obtaining paid employment, funding partners, other labor, services, or financial resource partners) to enhance paid employment opportunities. Research: Discover what partnerships other programs in your state or across the country have built that have benefited paid employment opportunities. Reach out to Think College, experts in the field, and other program directors for advice. Research local, state, and federal policies and practices supporting system engagement with IPSE programs that could increase paid employment opportunities. Build Relationships and Collaboration: Start networking and building relationships with campus partners. Get involved. Make your program well-known. Bring multiple systems to the table for cross-collaboration. Have Outcome and Related Data Ready: Whether you are working with an employer to hire a student or working with your state legislature to provide funding, have data available to show the effectiveness of your program and how the system change or how the partnership is beneficial to college students with ID and the collaborative partner. For example, you must show strong employment outcomes and activities to get Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) on board with your program. Visit Think College’s Research Products page, which features easy access to outcome data, such as research and evaluation publications and related products, including annual data reports from the Transition and Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability (TPSID) model demonstration programs, research briefs, fast facts, and peer-reviewed publications. Also featured are presentations that highlight research and data findings.

College Campus Partners: Employers (e.g., business offices, recreation/gyms, technology supports, childcare services) Career Services Offices Student and family networks Community Partners: Vocational rehabilitation agency (e.g., Pre-Employment Transition Services [pre-ETS], job coaches) - visit our Vocational Rehabilitation resource by topic page to learn more. Developmental disability (DD) agency Employers Local and state workforce development organizations Student and family networks

When partnering with employers: Ask for paid integrated opportunities. Often when students are not paid, or when they are paid by an entity that is not the business, or when they find themselves grouped with other employees with disabilities, it is because that was what IPSE program staff presented as an option. Say no to opportunities that are not paid, paid below their peers, or not integrated. Research typical pay rates for that department or business. Take a tour of the business and potential space the employee will work in to ensure it is integrated. Use business-friendly language and highlight how hiring students with disabilities will benefit the company/department. There are 3 categories of reasonable accommodations:

• Modifications to the job application process.
• Modifications to the work environment, or the manner under which a job is typically performed, to perform the essential functions of that job.
• Modifications enabling an employee with disabilities to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment (health benefits, union membership, etc.).

If an employee requests a reasonable accommodation to apply to a job, or to complete the essential tasks of a job, the employer should comply or risk potential legal penalties.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) defines competitive integrated employment as employment that: pays an employee a comparable rate at or above minimum wage provides the same level of benefits as employees without disabilities performing similar duties is located in an area where the employee interacts with other individuals without disabilities presents opportunities to advance that are like other employees without disabilities in similar positions

Special rules allow people receiving Social Security benefits to work and still receive monthly payments. These work incentives include: - Continued cash benefits for a time while you work - Continued Medicare or Medicaid while you work - Help with education, training, and rehabilitation to start a new line of work Learn more about Social Security benefits and work incentives [PDF].

Not necessarily. This can be a very individually-based situation, depending upon the support level a job candidate may need to perform the job. This is when the role of a trained employment specialist becomes important. The employment specialist can work with employers individually to assist with developing accommodations, offer knowledge about a job candidate’s skills and needs, and provide training and technical assistance to supervisors and co-workers to make the hiring process smooth.

Yes. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that employers, schools, and other public buildings and properties are accessible. Title 1 of the ADA requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment (which includes interviews and any period prior to hiring) unless the accommodation causes undue hardship to the employer. There are three categories of reasonable accommodations: Modifications to the job application process. Modifications to the work environment, or the manner under which a job is typically performed, to perform the essential functions of that job. Modifications enabling an employee with disabilities to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment (health benefits, union membership, etc.). If an employee requests a reasonable accommodation to apply to a job or to complete the essential tasks of a job, the employer should comply or risk potential legal penalties.

This is a personal choice for the interviewee. The only reason anyone needs to disclose at any point of the application, hiring, or employment phases is to request an accommodation. If an accommodation is unnecessary, it is up to the individual to decide whether or not to disclose it. An individual with a disability should think about the who, what, where, when, and how of disclosure and go in with a plan. An employment specialist can help with this process.

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