Chapter 14: Employment Assistance

14.1 Overview

Since the creation of vocational rehabilitation in 1920 and up through the current Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, employment assistance and follow-up of division consumers have been integral parts of the rehabilitation process. The responsibilities responsibility for establishing an employment goal and providing the services related to it, including satisfactory employment, are is expressed contained in regulations. The regulations also require that vocational rehabilitation programs implement these functions.

14.1.1 Definition

Employment assistance includes two basic components:

  • a qualified applicant, and
  • a business with an identified job opportunity.

Employment assistance from the consumer’s point of view includes

  • is the planning and provision providing of services to prepare a consumer for work,
  • assist helping a consumer in securing secure suitable employment, and/or
  • assisting a consumer in retaining or regaining employment.

The goal is to help the consumer become a qualified applicant for his or her chosen career. Success depends on selectively matching the qualifications of an applicant with the requirements of the business. Such efforts increase the chances that a person who is blind or visually impaired will function successfully on the job. This is a step-by-step approach to employment assistance that addresses the following:

  • the business,
  • the job applicant, and
  • a merging of business and the job applicant

Note: For more information, see 14.11 Exhibit F—Summary of Employment Assistance Services.

14.1.2 Philosophy

The Division for Blind Services (DBS) maintains the philosophy that the rehabilitation process is not complete until the individuala consumer has achieved an employment goal commensurate with the individual's his or her abilities, aptitudes, interests, aspirations, and limitations. An employment goal is rarely achieved without a close working relationship with business. The VR staff works with both consumers and businesses (the dual customer) to identify their needs, and then matches the abilities of a consumer with the needs of a business.

All VR staff members are encouraged to read about thedual customer and “one company” approach in working with business as outlined in the 32nd Institute of Rehabilitation Issues (IRI) publication titled “The VR-Business Network: Charting Your Course”.

14.1.3 Employment

The Division for Blind ServicesDBS strives to provide vocational rehabilitation services and assistance which that enables consumers to realize full, independent, and meaningful lives. For most people, eEmployment provides for most individuals a means of social acceptance, self-realization, and attainment ofthe ability to meet the materialistic needs and desires dictated by each person's values.

Employment, then, becomes not an end in itself, but a means through which a broader goal is achieved. Work that holds no promise, provides no personal satisfaction, creates frustration, or demands too much or too little of the worker obstructs the attainment of these broader goals. Work of this nature and will likely will prevent the individual person from successfully maintaining and progressing in employment.

14.1.4 Strategy

A successful employment assistance program stresses the importance of the delivery of effective employment assistance services and the development of employment resources.

Building and maintaining strong, mutually beneficial relationships with business partners is an important part of this strategy.

Employment assistance begins with the consumer's application for VR services and continues through each step of the rehabilitation process.

14.1.5 Purpose of Employment Assistance

The Division for Blind Services asserts that all people in the State state of Texas who are blind or visually impaired that and are in need of employment assistance may apply for VR services.

Through thisDBS is commitment, ted to helping find employment of individuals who are blind will be in keeping withconsistent withtheir consumers’ aptitudes and interests and developing new areas of employment will be developed..

14.2 Responsibilities of the Counselor

14.2.1 Introduction

The unique characteristic which that distinguishes the vocational rehabilitation process from all other types of counseling is its insistence upon thefocus on the realistic achievement of a person’s suitable employment by the individual. . The vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC) supervises and coordinates services for all consumers on their his or her caseload from referral through employment and follow-up.

14.2.2 Specific Responsibilities

The following summarizes the variousemployment assistance responsibilities of the counselor.with respect to employment assistance. The degree of consumer participation is dependentsupon the consumer's needs, capabilities, and financial resources. The consumer's IPE reflects the mutually agreed- upon delegation of these responsibilities. , wWhich include: the following.

  • Occupational or / vVocational and tTechnical Information—–determining the capacity of consumers to locate their own employment, keeping abreast of local job opportunities in the area, maintaining awareness of rehabilitation engineering (job restructuring, modification, and technology), analyzing jobs analysis, being knowledgeable of the consumer's capabilities, providing specific and timely occupational and rehabilitation engineering information, and maintaining an information library composed of occupational/, vocational, and /technical materials acquired from DBS and other sources.
  • Evaluation and tTraining—–developing and maintaining resources in the community that provide evaluation, work adjustment training, and vocational training, ; using the programs at personal adjustment training facilities, ; and using rehabilitation teachers and orientation and mobility specialists.
  • Building business contacts and relationships that support employment —meeting face-to-face and making other contact with businesses that are relevant to the consumer’s employment goals and the identified need of the business. All contact should be documented using DBS protocols for sharing with regional and statewide staff. For more information, see 14.10 Exhibit A—Business Contact Summary. Business contacts serve to
  • expand the counselor's knowledge of employment opportunities and occupational information,
  • enable the counselor to provide more effective vocational guidance,
  • establish a network of business relationships that will enhance future consumer employment, and
  • increase the business community’s awareness of the capabilities of people who are blind or visually impairedand the services available from the Division for Blind Services in support of employment.
  • Community rResources—–developing and maintaining effective working relationships with agencies and organizations within the community which oftenthat offer support services to consumers seeking employment. Examples include:
  • Department of Aging and Disability Services,
  • Texas Workforce Commission,
  • Texas Department of State Health Services,
  • Division for Rehabilitation Services,
  • Lighthouses for the Blind,
  • iIndependent lLiving cCenters,
  • Goodwill Industries,
  • College college and university placement offices,
  • Organizations organizations serving the aged,
  • Veterans Administration,s
  • Unions unions, and
  • Civic civic clubs, etc..

Employer Contacts–a sufficient number of contacts to meet the needs of the caseload, and completion of an Employer Contact Summary for each contact. (See exhibit A at the end of this chapter.)

Note: Employer contacts serve to (1) expand counselor's knowledge of employment opportunities and occupations information, (2) enable the counselor to provide more effective vocational guidance, (3) establish an account for possible future consumer employment and (4) increase employer awareness of the capabilities of individuals who are blind in all levels of employment.

  • Use of eEmployment aAssistance sSpecialists (EAS)—–contacting EAS when there is a need for assistance or information regarding employment, rehabilitation engineering, job restructuring, modification, and/or technology issues.
  • Use of VR tTeacher sServices—–referral of ing consumers who need teacher services, joint planning, and information sharing information related to case progress and employment goal.

Note: See Chapter 37: Vocational Rehabilitation Teacher for additional information.

14.3 Role of the Employment Assistance Specialists in the Rehabilitation Process

14.3.1 Introduction

The employment of people who are blind or visually impaired is directly related to the level of employers' awareness in the business community of the skills and abilities of persons people who are blind in general, the ability of a person who is blind to function in a specific job, and the capabilities selection of adaptive assistive technology to provide access to essential job tasks.

14.3.2 Goals

The principal objective goal of the EAS is to enhance the quantity of and, more importantly, the quality of, employment for consumers of DBS.

14.3.3 Activities

In order to achieve that objectivegoal, the EAS staff provides the following services.:

Employer Business Contacts

The EAS staff will contacts corporate and administrative level personnel for the purposetoof increasing increase awareness, and support communication linkages between potential employers and rehabilitation counselors.

Adaptive Assistive Technology

EAS staff members will consult with the employer business, consumer, and counselor regarding theaboutmodification modifying or restructuring of a job, so that an individual person who is blind or visually impaired can perform successfully, . EAS staff members refer situations regarding more sophisticated rehabilitation engineering situations to the appropriate resources, and make a special efforttry to identify the appropriate technology to meet the job requirements.These devices will primarily impact on professional levels and, in so doing,and enhance the quality of employment for individuals people who are blind.

Note:Individuals who are blindConsumers can adapt in to many situations without the use of using a sophisticated device.

Information Sharing

EAS staff will members share current occupational or /vocational information with the division staff, consumers, and employers businesses as appropriate.

Training

EAS staff members will make presentations at in-service training programs for staff and employers businesses in the areas ofthat cover

  • the employment assistance process,
  • applications and implementation of rehabilitation engineering,
  • the use of vocational information, and
  • additional other information regarding theabout employment of people who are blind or visually impaired.

Temporary Loan Equipment

EAS staff will loan available equipment to VR counselors for temporary use by consumers who are working, actively seeking employment, or in vocational training.

Note: EAS staff determines priority, retains the right to recall equipment, and works with VR counselors on the loan deadline. Loaned equipment can bridge the gap between the employment start date and receipt of purchased equipment.

14.3.4 Procedures for Borrowing Loaner Equipment

Temporary Loan Equipment

The field director, field director’s designee, or EAS staff member will loans available equipment to VR counselors for temporary use by consumers who are working, actively seeking employment, or in vocational training. The following steps apply to the lending of equipment.

Note: EAS staff determines priority, retains the right to recall equipment, and works with VR counselors on the loan deadline. Loaned equipment can bridge the gap between the employment start date and receipt of purchased equipment.

  1. The VR counselor contacts the person who is responsible for equipment in the region. regional Employment Assistance Specialist.
  2. If available, the equipment is sent to the VR counselor.
  3. Loaner form DARS2164, Temporary Loan and Receipt of Equipment is completed by the person who is designated by the field director, EAS administrative technician and signed by VR counselor and or EAS Specialist.
  4. The Original DARS2164 MUST must be returned to EAS in Austin upon delivery of equipment to consumer retained by the designated person in the field office (one copy retained is put in the case folder and one copy is given to the consumer).
  5. By the due date noted on the DARS2164, All equipment MUST must be returned to EAS in Austin the field office by the due date on the DARS2164 (unless EAS the field director or designee approves an extension of due date). If extended, the extended new date is entered on the DARS2164 and initialed by the counselor (on the case folder copy) and by the field director or designee on the original form.. EAS (on EAS copy).
  6. EAS The field director or designee will completes the release portion of the DARS2164.

Note: As loaner item(s) are returned to EAS in Austin, EAS will forward a copy of the DARS2164, noting what item(s) have been returned to the counselor.

14.4 Referral to an Employment Assistance Specialist (EAS)

EAS services may be requested by all counselors for any consumer, including individuals people who are have multiply multiple disabledilities by:.

Note: Referral to EAS is done by creating a service record and delegating the service to EAS.

14.4.1 When Counselors Should Contact Employment Assistance Specialist

The counselor should contact the EAS when for assistance is needed with the following.:

  • Vocational or academic consumer issues: . Ccontact EAS regarding training or adaptive assistive technology that might assist in reachingan employment goals.
  • Employer Business contacts. : Ccontact EAS Specialist regarding scheduling of employer business contacts, plant site tours, assistance with a job analysis, job adaptation accommodations, technical information or /updates, job retention and /restructuring, or environmental assessments., or adaptive technology issues.
  • Adaptive Assistive Ttechnology. : Ccontact EAS regarding any issue relating to adaptive assistive technology and/oror applications of technology.

14.4.2 When the Consumer Is Attending CCRC and Needs Employment Assistance Specialist Services

EAS services are available to consumers when they are participating in CCRC programs under the same circumstances as noted above. However, since the CCRC counselor is also involved, guidelines for referral and service provision are somewhat different. The basic procedure sequence is as follows:

CCRC counselor identifies need for EAS services.

CCRC counselor notifies case manager (VRC/TC in the consumer's home region).

Referral to EAS Specialist proceeds in standard manner.

Counselor, CCRC counselor, and EA Specialist discuss results of consultation/evaluation.

Service provision proceeds as usual.

Note: The key to successful service provision in this situation is COMMUNICATION between the counselor (case manager), CCRC counselor, and the EAS Specialist.

14.5 Job Readiness Criteria

14.5.1 Introduction

The assessment of job readiness behavior involves both counselor and consumer. The Jjob Rreadiness Ccriteria on thethat following pages are intended to assist help the counselor in develop ment of the two fundamental characteristics necessary for the successful employment, which are of any individual:

  • Marketable marketable skills based on the current job market’s needs, and
  • An acceptable pattern of behavior Ppatterns of work behavior that are appropriate to support a person’s vocational goal and the needs of a business.

14.5.2 What Does Job Readiness Involve?

The job readiness assessment includes examines the medical, psychological, educational, and socio-economic makeup aspects of the consumer and the their impact of each on job readiness, and includes counselor observations..

14.5.3 Components of Assessment

Throughout each phase of the VR process, the counselor helps the consumer understand the implications of assessments, focuses on the strengths noted in the assessment while minimizing any weaknesses, and helps the consumer understand the relationship between assessment findings and the employment goal.

14.5.4 Purpose

Job readiness assessments measure the employability of an individual, help define the assets and limitations of the consumer, and are used throughout the entire rehabilitation process. ; assess, Aat any point in the rehabilitation process, the criteria can be used to effect of services andassess whether services are meeting the consumer's needs.; assist in defining the assets and limitations of the consumer; and are to be re-addressed throughout the entire rehabilitation process.

14.5.5 Job Readiness Criteria

Job readiness criteria include, but is are not limited to:

  • Age—Consumer must be of employable age (this may include consumers who are their early teens or of advanced age). The consumer’s age must meet Department of Labor laws and regulations.Age alone should never be used to determine employability.
  • Adjustment to disability—The Cconsumermust be adjusted to their his or her disability, insofar as it is possible, having and have achieved acquired skills to compensate for his or her limitations. Note: The consumer's Aadjustment should include an understanding of the wide range of job opportunities available to people who are blind or visually impaired.
  • MobilityTravel Sskills—The consumer must be mobile to the extentenoughthat he or she can travelto travel to and from work as independently as possible and move about around the work site safely.
  • Communication—The consumer must be able to communicate in a work environment with co-workers and others and the supervisors. Consumers who can not communicate because they do not havewithlimited English as a primary or secondary languageproficiency should be informed of the negative impact this factthat a lack of English-language skills may have in a negative impact on obtaining employment consistent with their skills, interests, abilities, and informed choice. They should be encouraged to and receive assistanceed and encouragedin to obtain ing the necessary language skills in orderneeded to enhance their employability. (For more information on providing language services to consumers with limited English proficiency, see Business Procedures Manual, Chapter 21: Common DARS Consumer Service Policies, 21.3 Language Services for DARS Consumers.)
  • PersonalitySocial Sskills—The consumer must be able to get along with others, especially in a work environment , and be able adjust to the job pressures and responsibilities of the job. . These characteristics may be determined through the following:
  • work adjustment,
  • simulated work setting,
  • psychological testing,
  • observation by the vocational rehabilitation teacher,
  • vocational evaluation,
  • observation of the consumer’s behavior throughout the employment process. , and
  • soft skills training.
  • Supervision—The consumer must be able to recognize and respond appropriately to supervision.
  • Motivation—The consumer must be motivated to accept the responsibilities of a chosen vocation such as relocation, ( if necessary; ), transportation issues; , availability of jobsjob availability; , and varying work conditions.

Note: Other forms of income,e.g.such as , SSI, SSDI, VA, , etc., may affect the consumer's motivation. The VRC should refer the consumer to the benefits planner for information about Medicaid Buy- in, PASS plans, etc.