Employment Services

These are customized services that help a person achieve competitive, integrated employment, become self-employed, or establish their microenterprise in the community.

An individual can receive both employment development services and employment support services should they be searching for competitive integrated employment opportunities while they are currently employed.

When availing of the employment development service, participants can gain job development services and/or self-employment/microenterprise development services.

• Job Development Services

  The following services covered may require direct contact with the participant:

  • Customized, strengths-based assessment, and employment opportunity discovery strategies
  • Assistance during new employee orientation maximum of 30 days after they start a new job position
  • Skills training to search and maintain the job
  • Reviewing progress and reporting meetings

  The following services covered do not require direct contact with the participant:

  • Employment search and guidance
  • Reviewing and analyzing the benefits of the employment opportunity
  • Assistance in negotiating and finalizing the terms of employment
  • Development of application letters for employment
  • Checking community businesses about available job opportunities

• Self-Employment / Microenterprise Development Services

  The following services covered may require direct contact with the participant:

  • Assisting them with identifying the type of business that they want to establish
  • Consulting them about all business development activities and plans
  • Helping them in choosing and registering an available and marketable business name
  • Providing transportation
  • Reviewing progress and reporting meetings

  The following services covered do not require direct contact with the participant:

  • Assisting them in writing a business plan
  • Finding sources of financing the start-up
  • Establishing the legal structure of the business
  • Creating a marketing and sales plan
  • Finding a good location and getting the required certifications, permits, licenses, and variances
  • Developing business forms, financial records, and accounting systems
  • Reviewing and analyzing the benefits of self-employment

The Limitations of the Employment Development Services

These services are time-limited and only last for a maximum of 12 months following the initial authorization of services. In some cases, an individual may be allowed to exceed the time limit of 12 months, but this can only be reauthorized by the lead agency if the person…

• Has a provable change in employment (e.g., lost employment or faces reduced hours)
• Experiences a debilitating health condition or life event that significantly affects service delivery
• Switches service providers

In addition, microenterprise businesses are limited to five or fewer people. Service providers cannot participate as stakeholders in the business. Rather, they are to support and serve. Employment development services do not cover the following:

• Payments for vocational training that is not directly related to the participant’s development program
• Direct compensation to supplement their wage
• Vocational services that are in facilities or sheltered workshop settings
• Incentive payments
• Vocational services that are accessible and funded under Section 110 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Special education services that can be accessed and funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Employment Exploration Services aim to help individuals have a better understanding of the different competitive, integrated employment opportunities available in their community. Competitive, integrated employment is the type of employment that pays a minimum wage or an industry-standard, customary wage with comparable benefits.

By exploring and experiencing these various types of employment, their knowledge and interests increase, they can make informed decisions. Employment exploration will include the following:

• Learning opportunities
• Educational activities catered to the individual
• Work experiences
• Additional related services as provided in their coordinated services and supports plan (CSSP)

The following services covered may require direct contact with the participant:

• Educational visits to community businesses to know more about various companies, products, services, and job opportunities
• Career education activities to discover the specific types of occupations, job positions, and other employment opportunities
• Regular educational information and counseling about jobs that interest the participant
• Mentoring opportunities with people with disabilities who are employed in competitive, community jobs
• Try-out experiences and job shadowing for jobs in various occupations
• Employment education support groups
• Individualized work experiences
• Training on post-secondary educational opportunities that improve employment, community employment resources, and the use of transportation
• In-service transportation
• Reviewing progress and reporting meetings

The following services covered do not require direct contact with the participant:

• Analyzing and reviewing the advantages of the employment
• Planning and coordinating resources needed for their assistive technology
• Planning and coordinating resources needed for their adaptive accommodations

The Limitations of Employment Exploration Services

Know that our employment exploration services are only limited to a maximum of 12 months following the initial authorization of services. In some cases, the participant may need to receive continued employment exploration services after 12 months, but this can only be reauthorized by the lead agency if the person…

• Has a provable change in employment (e.g., lost employment or faces reduced hours)
• Experiences a debilitating health condition or life event that significantly affects service delivery
• Switches service providers

It does not cover the following:

• Payments for vocational training that is not directly related to the participant’s development program
• Direct compensation to supplement their wage
• Vocational services that are in facilities or sheltered workshop settings
• Incentive payments
• Vocational services that are accessible and funded under Section 110 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Special education services that can be accessed and funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

More Information About Our Employment Exploration Services

The group instruction under our employment exploration services only makes up one small part of the full range of possible services. This service aims to help participants make an informed decision about their job of choice. If they have already decided that they would like to work competitively, then availing of the employment development service would be an appropriate option for them.

The participant can also acquire employment exploration services when getting group (1:6) employment support services, but they cannot receive employment exploration services if they are getting individual (1:1) employment support services.

With our employment support services, we provide individualized services and support to help individuals with disabilities maintain paid employment in community/business settings. We offer our assistance in integrated community settings.

Our employment services consist of both job support services and support services for self-employment / microenterprise. A microenterprise is a commercial business with 5 or fewer employees, including the owner(s) of the business.

Job Support Services

The following services covered may require direct contact with the participant:

• Job redesign
• Job analysis
• Guiding and supporting the participant in acceptable workplace self-care, proper attire, and personal hygiene
• Job training on honing and maintaining the skills and behavior needed for work and employee relationships
• Job-related counseling
• Coaching the individual on job-related transportation
• In-service transportation
• Reviewing progress and reporting meetings

The following services covered do not require direct contact with the participant:

• Arrangement for assistive equipment
• Arrangement for adaptive accommodations
• Developing and strengthening natural work supports
• Advocacy and liaison between participant and employer
• Research and coordination for job-related transportation
• Partnering with the employer to develop and implement set schedules for ongoing follow-up support, job coach sharing, fading out, and monitoring
• Documentation and progress of the participant’s work performance
• Gathering information, analyzing, and reviewing how a change in circumstance can affect employment

Self-Employment / Microenterprise Business Support Services

The following services covered may require direct contact with the participant:

• Education and support services for effective operations in all aspects of the participant’s business
• Assisting with identifying the other required external business resources and services to develop and support the business
• Analysis and consultation to find the needed supports
• Designing and implementing set schedule for regular follow-up support
• Counseling and assistance with business management

The following services covered do not require direct contact with the participant:

• Gathering information, analyzing, and reviewing how a change in circumstance can affect employment

The Limitations of Self-Employment / Microenterprise Business Support Services

• The participant cannot acquire employment support services in groups of more than 6 people.
• Employment support services cannot be delivered in a facility-based setting. This should involve opportunities and experiences for the participant getting the services to interact with both coworkers and people in the community.
• The wage and benefit compensation should be compliant with the applicable federal laws and regulations, along with the state statute and rules.
• Microenterprises are businesses that are limited to five or fewer people. Service providers cannot participate as stakeholders in the business.
• Employment support services cannot be given in businesses that are owned and operated by the same organization that is responsible for the participant’s day and employment services.

It does not cover the following:

• Payments for vocational training that is not directly related to the participant’s development program
• Direct compensation to supplement their wage
• Vocational services that are in facilities or sheltered workshop settings
• Incentive payments
• Vocational services that are accessible and funded under Section 110 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Special education services that can be accessed and funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

More Information About Our Employment Support Services

• The participant can receive individual and/or group employment support services. Those undergoing individual employment support services receive one-on-one support at a full-time or part-time paid job position in a community business. On the other hand, group employment support services offer assistance to 2-6 people in a group who work together and share the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job position in a community business.
• Service is not considered group support if the provider provides job-coaching support to different people who work at their own distinct job positions at different locations in a community business. In such circumstances, the service would be considered individual support with a shared, job-coaching arrangement.
• The participant can receive employment exploration services when they are receiving group employment services. However, they cannot receive employment exploration services if they are receiving individual employment support services.
• Additionally, a person can get both employment support services and employment development services if he or she is seeking other competitive, integrated employment opportunities while employed. He or she can also return to employment development services if he or she loses his or her job.