Transition for Job Corps Participants with Disabilities

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Transition for Job Corps Participants with
Disabilities

• Jennifer Kemp
• U.S. DOL
• Office of Disability Employment Policy
• October 22, 2004

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U.S. Department of LaborOffice Of Disability
Employment Policy (ODEP)

• Providing leadership to increase employment
  opportunities for adults and youth with
  disabilities.

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Why Employers Get Involved?

• There is the immediate need for the company to
  fill positions.
• Particular industry-specific issues (such as
  worker shortages or specific technical skills
  requirements) cause some employers to embrace
  youth programs.
• Many companies feel particularly compelled to
  bring youth, with and without disabilities, into
  their workplaces to demonstrate corporate good
  citizenship and responsiveness to community
  needs.

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Four factors that contribute to Employers
Willingness and Satisfaction Regarding Inclusion
of Youth with Disabilities in the Work Place

• Competent and convenient assistance in connection
  with youth referrals
• Good matches of youth skills and interests to job
  tasks
• Support in training and monitoring the youth at
  the work site and
• Formal or informal disability awareness and
  training for the youths co-workers (when the
  youth chooses to disclose disability).

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Customer Service Strategies

• Competent and convenient assistance in
  connection with youth referrals

• Treat employers as customers by
• Conducting informational interviews to find out
  about their HR and operational needs
• Using business language to describe what you can
  do for the employer to meet these needs
  recruitment assistance, prescreened
  applicants, reduction in recruiting costs,
  customized responses to human resource needs,
  access to an expanded labor pool, preparing
  the future labor force, help in managing a
  diverse workforce, etc.
• Minimizing red tape, respecting their time, and
  establishing a single point of contact
• Maintaining professional and responsive contact
  be on time, dress professionally, return phone
  calls promptly, thank employers for their time.

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Customer Service Strategies

• Competent and convenient assistance in
  connection with youth referrals

• Help to increase their awareness of recruitment
  resources by
• Connecting with existing business and employer
  networks and job referral and placement
  organizations
• Marketing services through existing community
  forums (e.g., newsletters, job fairs)
• Joining business organizations
• Building and maintaining networks of business and
  employer contacts through continuous dialogue
• Making direct contact with new employers.

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Customer Service Strategies

• Provide effective applicant screening by
• Identifying competencies needed for each job and
  industry
• Visiting companies to identify needs
• Understanding and adhering to typical company
  screening processes as closely as possible
• Knowing each youths skills, interests, and
  aptitudes
• Matching youth to employer needs and
  circumstances.

• Competent and convenient assistance in
  connection with youth referrals

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Customer Service Strategies

• Matching of youth skills and interests to job
  tasks

• You can support employers by
• Identifying tasks that are important to both the
  youth and the employer so they both stay
  interested and engaged.
• Knowing both the youths capabilities and
  interests and the employers circumstances
  thoroughly never try to force the match.
• Customizing assignments as necessary depending
  on employer resources (i.e., co-worker mentor,
  supervisor time, in-house training, etc.) look
  for tasks that can be monitored most effectively.
• Proposing and negotiating task assignments based
  on how it will help the employer.

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Customer Service Strategies

• Matching of youth skills and interests to job
  tasks

• Ensure that youth have the requisite technical
  and soft skills by
• Identifying and addressing barriers to accessing
  training programs
• Ensuring youth are enrolled in updated and
  rigorous skills training programs that are demand
  driven
• Encouraging employers to support job shadowing
  and short-term internships as initial effort to
  expose youth to the workplace culture
• Preparing and supporting youth in soft skills
  development (e.g., appropriate work behavior,
  language, dress, etc.)
• Matching youth with peer and adult mentors.

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Customer Service Strategies

• Work closely with employers to assess the level
  of ongoing post-placement support they need by
• Clarifying employer expectations about job
  training, coaching, and follow-up dont leave it
  to chance.
• Clarifying and agreeing on how follow-up will
  occur how often, when, under what circumstances.
• Following through on agreed upon follow up
  procedures that is, service after the sale.
• Being at the job site as often as the employer
  expects/requests it, more often only when it is
  not an imposition, but never less.
• Soliciting employers feedback on service and
  adjusting accordingly.
• Assisting them in identifying and addressing any
  job accommodations and accessibility issues
  should they arise.

• Support in training and monitoring the youth

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Customer Service Strategies

• Formal and informal disability awareness (only
  when youth choose to disclose disability)

• Ensure that employers have the requisite
  knowledge they need by
• Delivering information about specific
  accommodations required by the youth (only if
  asked to do so by the youth).
• Asking the employer/co-workers about experiences
  they may have had with people with disabilities.
• Asking the employer what further information is
  desired to be comfortable supporting and
  accommodating the youth.
• Providing disability awareness information based
  on what the employer asks for.
• Modeling interaction and support appropriate for
  the youth.
• Being prepared to periodically provide more
  guidance and information as needed.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• NOD/Harris Survey reports that 2/3
• of working age people with disabilities are not
  employed and 2/3 of those would like to be
  working.

• Myth People with disabilities do not want to
  work.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• Myth Corporate litigation cases will increase.

• Since ADA was implemented only 530 suits filed
  by the EEOC and of those 469 were resolved--most
  in favor of the businesses.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• Myth Workers with disabilities pose greater
  safety risks to themselves and others.

• A Dupont study demonstrated that people with
  disabilities did not contribute to an increase in
  compensation cost of lost-time due to employee
  injuries.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• Myth Employees with disabilities can not be
  fired like other employees.

• ADA does not protect those unable to perform the
  essential functions of their job.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• Myth Company insurance rates will increase.

• Insurance rates are not based on the number of
  employees with disabilities but based on
  history of accidents.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• Myth Co-workers will not accept people with
  disabilities.

• Employers report that having an employee with a
  disability tends to have a positive impact on the
  work environment increasing the coworker's
  productivity and general satisfaction.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• Myth People with disabilities are too slow and
  unproductive.

• A Dupont study indicates people with
  disabilities equal or surpass other workers in
  performance, attendance and safety. VCUs RRTCs
  research shows that supervisors rate their
  employees as just as productive.

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VCU Rehabilitation Research Training Center On
Workplace Supports

• JAN reports
• Half of all accommodations are less than 500
• Tax credits are available to defray costs
• If it would impose undue hardship not required

• Myth Accommodations are too expensive.

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Business Case Information

• Building the business case
• Presenting industry specific labor market
  information
• Addressing assumptions, preconceptions, and
  concerns
• Evaluating actual benefits and costs
• Showcasing effective practices and model policies

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Business Case Messages (DRAFT)

• Studies by DuPont and Virginia Commonwealth
  University over the last 10 years indicate
  employees with disabilities perform above or
  comparable to supervisors requirements.
• Job retention for people with disabilities is
  currently 50 percent longer than for their
  non-disabled colleagues.
• Attendance records are the same or better for
  people with disabilities compared to their
  non-disabled colleagues.

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Business Case Messages (DRAFT)

• Technology in all environments from the office to
  the manufacturing floor has changed the way we
  all perform our jobs. This opens new
  opportunities for employers to utilize the
  talents of people with disabilities and levels
  the playing field.

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Tips for Maximizing SuccessfulEmployment Outcomes

• Focus on the individual's abilities as opposed to
  disabilities
• A good match between the needs of the employer
  and the client's skill sets and abilities is a
  challenge that must be met in order for the
  results to be successful

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Tips for Maximizing SuccessfulEmployment Outcomes

• Educate employers/debunk the myths
• Ensure that the on-going support is adequate to
  meet the needs of both the youth, the employer,
  and the coworkers (On site job coaches/facilitator
  s)

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Tips for Maximizing SuccessfulEmployment Outcomes

• Remember that recruitment costs money
• Make employers aware of tax credits
• Make sure that youth with disabilities in your
  program develop the soft skills and leadership
  skills they need to advocate on their own behalf
  regarding accommodations
• Partnering with other organizations will reduce
  your burden while improving your outcomes.
  Resource US Business Leadership Network
  http//www.usbln.com

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Intermediaries
An entity that convenes leadership and brokers
relationships with multiple partners across
multiple funding streams brings together
workforce development systems, vocational
rehabilitation providers, businesses, labor
unions, educational institutions, social service
organizations, faith based organizations,
transportation entities, health providers, and
other Federal, State, and community resources
which youth with disabilities need to transition
to employment successfully.
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What do Intermediaries do?

• Four strategic intermediary functions
• Convening local leadership
• Brokering and/or providing services to workplace
  partners, educational institutions, young people,
  and the youth-serving system
• Ensuring the quality and impact of local efforts
  
• Promoting policies to sustain effective
  practices.

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Customized Employment

• Customized employment means individualizing the
  employment relationship between employees and
  employers in ways that meet the needs of both
• May include employment developed through job
  carving, self-employment, or other job
  restructuring activities that result in job
  responsibilities being customized and
  individually negotiated to fit the needs of an
  individual.

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Customized Job Development
The Applicants Conditions, Preferences and
Contributions are identified through a Customized
Planning Process as well as a Task List.
The Job Developer then meets with specific
employers in an effort to negotiate a customized
job description.
From a list of potential employers identified
during the Customized Plan.
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Disability Mentoring Day

• Each year the third Wednesday in October
• Over 80 Local sites in the U.S.
• DMD Website
• http//www.dmd-aapd.org/

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Resources

• JAN (Job Accommodation Network)
• www.jan.wvu.edu
• WRP (Workforce Recruitment Program
• www.wrpjobs.org
• Washington Internship Program
• www.twc.edu/diversityingovernment.HTM
• Career Voyages
• www.careervoyages.gov

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Resources

• NCWD/Youth
• http//www.ncwd-youth.info/
• NCWD/Adult
• www.onestops.info
• Disability Info
• www.disabilityinfo.gov
• EARN (Employer Assistance Referral Program)
• www.earnworks.com

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Resource Documents

• High School/ High Tech Program Manual
• http//www.ncwd-youth.info/resources__Publication
  s/hsht_manual.html
• Assessment Guide
• http//www.ncwd-youth.info/resources__Publication
  s/assessment.html
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Paper
• http//www.ncwd-youth.info/resources__Publication
  s/background.php

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Resource Documents

• Disclosure Toolkit
• Product coming from NCWD/Y