Work
Work is fundamental to our lives and an important part of American society. It's how we earn a living, it's how we pay for housing, food, clothing, utilities, transportation and other things we need, and it's part of how we socialize. Work also builds self-esteem making us feel good about contributing to society and being a part of the American dream.
Whether we are working, looking for work or just thinking about going to work, here are some practical and helpful resources.
With job hunting and work comes some stress. If you feel like you need a way to relax, the Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTCIL) Fact Sheet on Social Support might help.
988 Mental Health, Substance Use or Suicide Crisis Help Line
The 988 Mental Health, Substance Use or Suicide Crisis Help Line is available should a person need help quickly. This is a national help line that is easy to remember and connects to qualified counselors during a crisis. People can also text to 988 for support.
Accommodations
All employees need the right tools and work environment to effectively perform their jobs. Similarly, individuals with disabilities may need workplace adjustments—or accommodations—to maximize the value they can add to their employer. Accommodations make an employee as independent as possible.
A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to participate in the application process, to perform the essential functions (or fundamental duties) of a job, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment that are available to individuals without disabilities. Accommodations help employers not only hire new workers with disabilities, but also keep workers who may become disabled.
An accommodation can be simple, such as putting blocks under a table’s legs so that a person who uses a wheelchair can roll up to it. It might involve advanced technology, such as installing a screen reader on a computer so that a person who is blind can manage documents. It may be procedural, such as altering a work schedule or job assignments.
When thinking about accommodations, the focus should not be on the person’s disability but rather on essential job tasks and the physical functions necessary to complete them.
- Source: Investing in People: Job Accommodation Situations and Solutions, The Job Accommodation Process: Steps to Collaborative Solutions, Office of Disability Employment Policy
The ADA does not include specific guidelines or forms for requesting reasonable accommodation. However, some employers have developed in-house forms. If so, employees should use the employer's forms for requesting accommodation. Otherwise, individuals with disabilities can use any method that is effective; the ADA does not require specific language or format. The Job Accommodation Network provides ideas for writing an accommodation request letter.
- Source: Fact Sheet Series: Ideas for Writing an Accommodation Request Letter, Job Accommodation Network
Additional Source for Information: Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTCIL) Fact Sheet on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Quick Links
- Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Information
- Form for Writing an Accommodation Request
- Employee's Guide to Requesting an Accommodation
- Assistive Technology for Kansans Project
- Return to Work Resources - ODEP
- sComm provides communication technology for people who with hearing and/or speech impairments
Applicant Rights
Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended (ADA) makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a qualified applicant or employee on the basis of disability. It applies to private employers with 15 or more employees and to state and local government employers. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the employment provisions of the ADA.
Common Questions and Answers for Job Applicants
What is a reasonable accommodation for workers and job applicants?
Generally, an employer is obligated to make a reasonable accommodation under the ADA only for an applicant's known or obvious disability. The ADA places the initial burden on the applicant to inform his potential employer of a need for an accommodation. The applicant should suggest the accommodation.
A reasonable accommodation must be examined on a case-by-case basis to determine whether it will be effective and whether it will constitute an undue hardship on the employer. An employers first step in providing an accommodation should be to discuss the request with the applicant.
Accommodations can range from moving an interview to a more accessible location, providing the position description in an alternate format, or providing a sign language interpreter. The goal is to provide the applicant the same opportunity to apply for and interview for the position as anyone else.
Is an employer required to provide reasonable accommodation when I apply for a job?
Yes. Applicants are entitled to reasonable accommodation. For example, an employer may be required to provide a sign language interpreter during a job interview for an applicant who is deaf or hearing impaired, unless to do so would impose an undue hardship.
Should I tell my employer that I have a disability?
If you think you will need a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application process or to perform essential job functions, you should inform the employer that you have a disability. Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodation only qualified applicants with physical or mental disabilities which they are aware.
Do I have to pay for a reasonable accommodation?
No. The ADA requires that the employer provide the accommodation unless to do so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer's business. If the cost of providing the needed accommodation would cause an undue hardship, the applicant must be given the choice of providing the accommodation himself/herself or paying for the portion that causes the undue hardship.
Quick Links
Apprenticeship
Registered Apprenticeship is a training system that produces highly skilled workers to meet the demands of employers competing in a global economy. A program’s content is defined by the industry. Registered Apprenticeship programs are clearly defined and meet Federal and State laws and regulations. A proven strategy, Registered Apprenticeship ensures quality training by combining on-the-job training with theoretical and practical related instruction.
Learning in the workplace under the supervision of a skilled worker/mentor allows full participation by apprentices in both the process of learning and of working. Through observation and hands-on applications, apprentices build technical skills and experience teamwork. Apprentices learn the "how" on the job and the "why" through Related Technical Instruction. Apprentices can see for themselves how the technical task can be affected by the context in which it is performed and how their own performance must take that context into account. In simple terms, registered apprenticeship is applied education.
All apprenticeship job referrals in Kansas go through the Kansas Workforce Centers. For the Kansas Workforce Center nearest you, visit the Kansas Works website and click on “Contact”.
For more information on Registered Apprenticeship programs in Kansas, visit the Kansas Works Office of Registered Apprenticeship website.
For information on Apprenticeship from the U.S. Department of Labor, visit the Office of Apprenticeship website.
Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program
The Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program (ECAAP) is an innovative certification program that serves individuals working in child care and early education.
ECEAP provides workers with quantifiable skills and portable, industry-recognized credentials that meet Kansas' early care and education requirements. It combines related technical and theoretical instruction with planned on-the-job-training (OJT) under the supervision of a skilled mentor. For more information, read the ECEAP document
Quick Links
Career/Job Skills Training and Assessment
- Career Technical Education (CET) - tuition free while in High School!
- Kansas Works Training Resources
- Kansas Rehabilitation Services (KRS) - KRS is the federal employment and training program for people with disabilities. The KRS Handbook give information on the process and what to expect.
- Skills for Today's Workforce - provides links to important information on the range of skills necessary for career success, such as workplace, personal, life, math and study skills.
- Best Career Planning Tools - a listing of most recommended career planning tools from CareerOneStop
- Military Career Guide - allows you to explore military careers and related topics.
- Interest Assessments - Department of Labor Free Assessments:
Quick Links
Certification Training
Having good computer skills is important in many job opportunities in the 21st century. If you need help learning some of the basics there are some options available online.
- Kansas WorkReady Certificates through Kansas Workforce Centers
- College Career Technical Education - tuition free while in High School!
- GCFLearnFree® is supported by the Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc. (GCF®) whose mission is "to create and provide education, employment, and life enrichment opportunities for people who desire to improve the quality of their lives". It provides free on-line classes on a range of topics.
Computer Training
Having basic computer skills is increasingly a necessity in our technologically driven society and there are many opportunities to learn basic skills and programs. Some are free, while others may have a cost involved.
Those who don’t have access to a computer at home can, check out their local public library and college library to see if they have computers available for public use.
- GCFLearnFree® is supported by the Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc. (GCF®) whose mission is "to create and provide education, employment, and life enrichment opportunities for people who desire to improve the quality of their lives". it provides free on-line classes on a range of topics.
- Vocational Technical schools and colleges have computer training.
Quick Links
Disability Disclosure
Often a person with a disability wonders if or when his or her disability should be shared with an employer. Should it be done during the interview or after you've started a job or been working a few months? Disclosing about a disability is a very personal decision and will vary based on each individual and his or her accommodation needs. Normally the reason for disclosing a disability is when there is a need for an accommodation.
Some people with disabilities do not need accommodations, while others may need them to participate in an interview. Some may not need them at first, but find that the impact of their disability changes over time, necessitating one after a few years on the job.
The resources listed below cover many of these scenarios and provide suggestions on how to approach an employer about the accommodation process.
- Disability Disclosure and Interview Techniques (Job Accommodation Network)Disability Disclosure
- Finding the Right way to disclose a Disability (Wall Street Journal)
Disability Employment Programs
There are several federal programs that incentivize or assist in employing people with disabilities, for example, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Workforce Recruitment Program, and Schedule A program. One of the requirements for participation in these programs is disclosing your disability, which may require documentation.
Quick Links
Emergency Preparedness in the Workplace
All employees we have a responsibility to be prepared for an emergency and know what action needs to be taken for their own safety. Do you know the evacuation plan for your employer in case of different types of emergencies (i.e. fire, tornado, earthquake, bomb, etc.)? If you are a person with a disability, do you know what special assistance you may need? Have you made arrangements for that assistance and practiced it when your employer practices its emergency drills? It is very important to take emergency preparedness seriously and plan now, rather than assume someone else will do so.
For more information about individual workplace preparedness see the website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Workplace Plans.
Additional resources include:
Quick Links
Employee Rights
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), As Amended makes it unlawful to discriminate in employment against a qualified individual with a disability. The ADA also prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in state and local government services, public accommodations, transportation and telecommunications. The law's employment provision is enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state and local civil rights enforcement agencies that work with EEOC.
- The ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual With a Disability (booklet published by the EEOC for employees)
- Employment Rights: Who Has Them and Who Enforces Them - (ODEP)
- Disability Rights Center of Kansas
- Employment Laws & Discrimination
Quick Links
Employment Assistance
Some people, including people with disabilities, may need assistance finding and/or preparing for employment. Such assistance may include resume writing, job coaching, and help with job searching, and interview preparation.
Choose Work - Information on the Ticket to Work program. An employment program for people ages 16-64 who receive Social Security benefits find employment.
Associated with the Ticket to Work program are employment networks that help Ticket holders find work and benefits specialists who can review your Social Security benefits to determine when and how work will affect you benefits. Many employment networks that provide help for people with disabilities to find employment have benefits specialists or counselor on staff.
A benefits specialist can assist beneficiaries in making informed decisions about work and to support working beneficiaries in making successful transitions to economic self-support. This includes information about work, Social Security work incentive programs and rules, and other types of benefits and assistance available locally. They can also:
- Provide in-depth counseling about benefits and the effect of work and/or earned income on those benefits;
- Conduct outreach to beneficiaries who are potentially eligible to take part in federal and/or state work incentive programs;
- Connect beneficiaries’ to resources and services to achieve their employment goals.
If Kansas Works is your employment network, you can contact them at their website.
Adult Education - A listing of programs at Kansas Community Colleges and local agencies.
Kansas Workforce Centers - Information about where you can obtain employment assistance in your community.
Quick Links
Employment Incentives
There are some tax credits and other incentives for employers to take if they hire a person with a disability. If you are a person with a disability and want to show an employer what he or she could for hiring you, check our Employment Incentives Brochure.
Health Insurance
Often people can get health insurance coverage through their employer and this is a good, usually inexpensive way to get coverage. But what to do if your employer does not provide health insurance?
Because you have a disability, you might qualify for the Medicaid Buy-In program. In Kansas this is called Working Healthy. You can find out more about how to apply on their website. You do not have to be on Medicaid in order to be eligible for Working Healthy. A Benefits Specialist can talk to you about eligibility. There is a link on the Working Healthy website near the top you can click on to find the information about how to contact the Benefits Specialist for your area.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the national health care that makes health insurance available to those who need it. The KU Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTCIL) has a fact sheet on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that will give you more information.
How do I prepare for a job hunt?
What do you want to do?
The first thing to do when looking for a job is to determine what type of work or area of work you would like to do. If you aren't sure there are work and personality assessments that can help.
- Kansas Rehabilitation Services (Vocational Rehabilitation) - also provides career assessment for qualified applicants.
- Finding a Job that's Right for You - is a publication from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
What are Soft Skills and why do I need them?
According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy, soft skills offer a competitive edge and many job seekers currently lack them. Furthermore, a report from Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) finds that younger workers in particular frequently lack soft skills, which include:
- Professionalism or work ethic
- Oral and written communication
- Teamwork and collaboration skills
- Critical thinking or problem-solving skills
For more information on Soft Skills, please see the following resources:
- Skills to Pay the Bills - The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) released a series of video vignettes that illustrate, in a lighthearted way, six key characteristics of effective employees: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.
Contact your local Workforce Center and/or your local Community Based Service Organizations that may provide employment services (Community Mental Health Centers, Centers for Independent Living, and Community Developmental Disability Organizations) to see if they provide training or resources for soft skills preparation.
Another Resource
Other types of job searching preparation include resume writing and cover letter writing and interviewing skills. For more information about these and other resources, see the Campaign Campaign for Disability Employment website.
Quick Links
How do I find a job?
The most common ways to find jobs are:
- through a person you may know
- through a job listing
- through an employment agency
Job Listings
- Federal Government Jobs - Database of job openings with the federal government. Federal agencies fill jobs two ways, competitively and non-competitively. Persons with disabilities may apply for jobs filled either way. People who are selected for jobs must meet the qualification requirements and be able to perform the essential duties of the jobs with or without reasonable accommodation. More information on Federal Jobs.
- Kansas Civil Service Jobs - Listing of State of Kansas civil service jobs and other important employment information.
- KansasWorks - State of Kansas Workforce website.
- GettingHired - Exclusively for job seekers with disabilities, this site provides job search, job match, and job alerts for free.
- One More Way Collaborative - One More Way™ is an ‘open source’ employment initiative that makes information regarding Job Seekers with disabilities, and the programs that support them, available for use by hiring managers in virtually any industry across the country.
Other Programs
Workforce Recruitment Program - A recruitment and referral program that connects federal sector employers nationwide with highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
Veterans
- VetJobs - Job board and resources for veterans and military personnel
- VeteranEmployment - In partnership with Monster.com, veterans, active duty, guard and reserve can search for thousands of jobs for veterans from employers who value military experience; includes a special section for security clearance jobs.
- Feds Hire Vets - U.S. Office of Personnel Managements' Government-wide veterans employment website.
Quick Links
Medical Insurance
Many people with disabilities want to work but worry that doing so could jeopardize their vital health and long term care coverage. Working Healthy offers people with disabilities who are working or interested in working the opportunity to get or keep Medicaid coverage while on the job. Through Working Healthy people can earn more, save more, achieve their career goals, and still maintain their health coverage.
If you are interested in learning more about Working Healthy, contact a specialist and make an appointment.
If you need health coverage as a person with a disability but were denied Social Security because your income is too high, you may be eligible for health insurance through Working Healthy.
Other Resources
Return-to-Work Healthcare - Office of Disability Employment Policy
Mentoring/Internships
Mentoring
Mentoring and job shadowing allows job seekers and students to gain insight into career goals and see the relevance of their curriculum in the "real world." The most common job shadow program used in Kansas is the Disability Mentoring Day program, although some local committees choose to do group tours and career fairs rather than one-on-one job shadowing.
- Disability Mentoring Day - Students and job seekers with disabilities (mentees) are matched with workplace mentors according to expressed career interests. Mentees experience a typical day on the job and learn how to prepare to enter the world of work.
- Kansas Mentors - is a statewide mentoring partnership that connects existing mentoring programs with each other and serves as a resource center for communities wishing to start a program.
- Mentoring Youth with Disabilities - ODEP Resources
Internships
The Kansas Governor’s Intern Program is a select internship experience designed to give high-quality college students (juniors and senior undergraduates, graduate and law students) the opportunity to see the inner workings of state government and contribute to growing and improving the State of Kansas. Governor Brownback, Lt. Governor Colyer, and the Cabinet Secretaries understand that the best was to recruit Kansas’ best and brightest into public service is to get them immersed in the daily operation of state government and give them the responsibility and opportunity to make a difference. For more information go to the Kansas State Internship Program website.
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Internship Program
Workforce Recruitment Program - A recruitment and referral program that connects federal sector employers nationwide with highly motivated post-secondary students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
Federal Internships - Internships and other student work opportunities are among the best-kept secrets when it comes to getting a leg up on landing a full-time job with the federal government when you graduate.
White House Internship Program - The White House Internship Program provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and build leadership skills. This hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office and prepare them for future public service opportunities.
Entry Point! is a program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) offering outstanding internship opportunities for students with apparent and non-apparent disabilities in science, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and some fields of business.
The Washington Center Internship Program - The core of The Washington Center’s offering is a substantive internship where you’ll spend most of your time on valuable, non-clerical projects. Opportunities exist in more than 1,000 internships sites including private companies in all sectors, government agencies, and nonprofit and international organizations.
Quick Links
Military/Veteran Information
There are some additional or special resources for military personnel or veterans in regard to employment. Some of the pages in the WORK section also have information listed specifically for veterans and military personnel.
Job Hunt
- Hero to Hired (H2H) - a free powerful tool for job seekers, with a multitude of innovative resources to help you find your next job. The site offers easy-to-use search features, a military skills translator, a resume builder, a career assessment survey, tips and advice, and professional networking opportunities. H2H jobs help guide you every step of the way in finding your next job.
- Vet Jobs - Job Board and other resources for job hunting
- Veteran Employment - In partnership with Monster.com, veterans, active duty, guard and reserve can search for thousands of jobs for veterans from employers who value military experience. Plus a special section for security clearance jobs.
- Feds Hire Vets - U.S. Office of Personnel Management's government-wide veterans employment website.
- My Next Move for Veterans - a partner of the American Job Center Network
- What is Veterans Preference? - Information from the U.S. Department of Labor
Employment Resources
- VetSuccess program assists Veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find and keep suitable jobs. Also, through Vocational Rehabilitation and Education (VR&E) chapter 31, Veterans with service-connected disabilities so severe that they cannot immediately consider work, can access services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible.
- Office of Disability Employment Policy – Offers a variety of resources to help Veterans with disabilities understand training and employment services that may be available to them.
- Veterans' Employment & Training Service – Helps Veterans obtain meaningful careers, maximize their employment opportunities and protect their employment rights.
Other Resources
- Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs - Provides information and resources for veterans and their families.
- eBenefits - Provides online access to benefits, resources and programs for wounded, ill, and injured service members, their families and those who support them; includes information on employment.
- National Resource Directory - The website for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families and those who support them. Sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs.
- Benefits.gov – Comprehensive information about benefits programs available to Veterans and their families
- Disability Benefits for Wounded Warriors – Military Service Members can receive expedited processing of disability claims from the Social Security Administration. Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.
- Veterans Benefits and Ratings - Describes the benefits and ratings for veterans disability compensation.
- Surviving Spouse and Dependents benefits - Overview of veterans' surviving spouses and dependents compensation eligibility.
- Veterans Solutions - Help with information on accessing income tax free pensions for veterans and surviving spouses for in home care, assisted living and nursing home care.
- HUD-VASH – National, state and local housing information for Veterans from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
- Housing and Mortgages for Veterans
- Veterans Administration – Information about benefits for Veterans, including health care, job assistance, education support through the GI Bill and home loans
- Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration – Provides for the mental heath and behavioral health needs of Veterans and their families.
- VAntage Point – The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Guide for Addicted Veterans - The problem of addiction is one that plagues some veterans, but a number of resources and treatment options exists to help men and women in uniform rebuild their lives
Self-Employment/Entrepreneurship
First it is important to understand the difference between self-employment and entrepreneurship. There are a few articles that explain this well:
Many of the understandings you need for self-employment, you also need for entrepreneurship. Three pillars for being self-employed are:
- Personal readiness
- Business readiness
- Financial access to capital
The Abilities Fund is the first nationwide nonprofit community developer and financial institution focused exclusively on expanding entrepreneurial opportunities, including access to capital, for people with disabilities. They do this by providing a unique combination of financial products, training, technical assistance services and advisory supports to individuals with disabilities. Below is a listing of resources for individuals with disabilities that are considering self-employment as an employment option.
- Financial Education
- Choosing a Business Idea
- Feasibility of Your Business Idea
- Business Planning
- Home Based Business
- Social Security and Self Employment
- Legal Business Structure
- Pricing Strategies
- Networking
- Employee Issues
- Micro Enterprise & Micro Lending
- Micro Mentoring - online mentoring for small business owners
- K-Loans - provides flexible financing for self-employed, and those individuals with disabilities seeking to become employed and need equipment to help produce and deliver their products and services”.
- Glossary of Self Employment Terms
Start-Up USA is a resource for self-employment by people with disabilities that was produced by the Office of Disability Employment Policy through a grant. There have lots of resources that will help you learn about where to find assistance, resources that may be available to you in funding your business, how to develop a business plan and much more.
FastTrac courses - a practical, hands-on, entrepreneur-learning program designed to help entrepreneurs hone the skills needed to create, manage, and grow a successful business. FastTrac participants don't just learn about business, they live it. They work on their own business ideas or existing ventures throughout the program – moving their ventures to reality.
Additional Resources
Starting a Business in Kansas - Kansas Business Center
If you are receiving Social Security, check into the PASS Plan (Plan to Achieve Self Support). Kansas City Regional Office (800) 551-9289
Rehabilitation Services – If you are eligible for Kansas Rehabilitation Services, they can help you plan for self-employment. Find the location nearest you or call the Department for Children and Families (DCF) Statewide Access Line at (888) 369-4777 (voice) and (800) 766-3777 (TTY)
KSBDCs (Kansas Small Business Development Centers) - Help with developing a business plan. A strong business plan is important when submitting a request for support from PASS, Rehabilitation Services, and/or K-Loans. For more information go to the Small Business Development Center website.
NetWork Kansas - A central portal with more than 270 resource partners who provide business building services to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Call (877) 521-8600 for more information.
K-Loans – manages the Kansas Employment Technology Finance Program, providing flexible financing for those working for an employer or self-employed, and those individuals with disabilities seeking to become employed and need equipment to help produce and deliver their products and services. Call (620) 341-9002 (voice/TTY) or (866) 465-2826 (toll-free) for more information.
Center for Entrepreneurship (Wichita State University) Practical Entrepreneur Training Tools are designed to better leverage your business strengths in today's dynamic economic times. You want the answers. The Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU has the resources to take you further. This program can provide you with the tools to lead you through the process of innovation and entrepreneurship. Whether a start-up or established business, these programs will provide you with the skills and knowledge to succeed. 316-978-3000
Online Courses for Financing Your Business - Several free online courses are offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to help prospective and existing entrepreneurs understand basic finance and accounting principles.
Book and DVD Resources:
- Making Self-Employment Work for People with Disabilities by Cary Griffin and David Hammis, 2008. Offers practical support needed to help individuals with significant disabilities start and maintain a small business. Includes step-by-step guidance on every aspect of the planning process.
- No More Job Interviews, by Alice Weiss Doyel, 2000. Explores in detail the essential employment option of self-employment. It teaches, step-by-step, how to optimize prospects for success and self-sufficiency. It gives human service agencies tools to play a powerful role in the process.
The ABC Small Business Administration (SBA) Guide describes the loan programs available from the SBA. Don't count this one off because of the word "loan". Check out the page and see what money is available.
Disabled Veterans
- Article on getting self employment - Help through Vocation Rehabilitation Services in the Federal Government; change in policy in January 2010. Disabled Veterans; April 2010.
Business Opportunities
Disability Supplier Diversity Program - The USBLN® Disability Supplier Diversity Program (DSDP) offers businesses that are owned by an individual(s) with a disability, including service disabled veterans, an exciting opportunity to increase their access to potential contracting opportunities with major corporations, government agencies, and one another. Through the USBLN® DSDP, your business can obtain Disability-Owned Business Enterprise Certification and get connected to a nationwide network of corporate and government procurement professionals, disability advocates, and other certified disability-owned businesses.
The Office of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses - This office administers the Kansas Statewide Certification Program, through which women and minority businesses can be certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and/or Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Certification may increase opportunities for women and minority businesses to gain contracts and subcontracts from governmental and private entities committed to the inclusion of minority- and women-owned businesses in the contracting and procurement process. Program services are free.
School to Work Transition
The goal of transitioning students out of high school is to prepare them for being on their own. But this process begins much earlier. Parents are responsible for helping children make choices and understand the consequences of those choices in an age appropriate manner.
Allowing students to make mistakes is a key part of the process of growing up. This is part of the maturity and growth process whether a student has a disability or not. The time frame, the parameters, and other things may change depending on the disability, but students still need to be able to make choices, make mistakes, learn from their mistakes and gradually become more independent. This is part of the transition process.
For a student with a disability, there may be more things that need to be discussed, figured out and possibly managed. That's probably why there is more discussion about transition with students with disabilities than students without disabilities.
All students, including those with disabilities, should be expected to work. Work defines us, provides self sufficiency, and is part of socialization.
To try and ignore or not address that a student has a disability is a disservice to the student and will hinder them as an adult.
- In post-secondary education, if a student needs classroom or living accommodations, a student has to identify him/her self as someone with a disability and clearly identify what his or her needs are in school in order to get help from student support services.
- In the working world, if an adult needs an accommodation in order to perform the essential parts of his/her job, then they need to be able to identify that they have a disability, what it is, how it impacts their work, and what kind of accommodation they need (if they know).
If someone with a disabilities grows up with people not being willing to talk about disability openly, then it will put him/her at a disadvantage in the school and work world. Open discussion about disability and understanding their disability is part of the transition process as well.
Transportation
Local Transportation
Accessible local transportation is critical for people with disabilities to have the freedom to travel where, when, and how they choose. If you do not own your own transportation and there is no bus or taxi service in your town or city, the Kansas United We Ride website has an interactive map that helps you find public transportation near you. Also, check with your local center for independent living (CIL) for help with finding transportation. See our disability service map for the CIL closest to you.
If you are interested in finding an wheelchair accessible vehicle for your use, contact United Access. They modify vehicles to make them wheelchair accessible.
Work and Social Security Disability
If you are receiving Social Security Disability payments and you want to try going to work, you need to first contact a benefits specialist to find out what will happen to your benefits when you start working. The State of Kansas has benefits specialists with the Working Healthy program across the state. Find a benefits specialist using this map or go to the Working Healthy website.
What is Supported Employment?
Supported employment provides a job coach (assistant) to employee with a severe disability during training and early employment. Technically, supported employment facilitates competitive work in integrated work settings for individuals with the most severe disabilities (i.e. psychiatric, mental retardation, learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury) for whom competitive employment has not traditionally occurred, and who, because of the nature and severity of their disability, need ongoing support services in order to perform their job. Supported employment provides assistance such as job coaches, transportation, assistive technology, specialized job training, and individually tailored supervision.
Supported employment is a way to move people from dependence on a service delivery system to independence by way of competitive employment. Recent studies indicate that the provision of on-going support services for people with severe disabilities significantly increases their rates for employment retention. Supported employment encourages people to work within their communities and encourages work, social interaction, and integration.
Source: Office of Disability and Employment Policy
Where do I go to get Supported Employment help?
There are specific qualifications for supported employment. To learn whether you qualify, contact Kansas Rehabilitation Services (also known as Vocation Rehabilitation Services). They will talk with you and see if you qualify, and if you do, work with you on the next steps.
If you are on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you can use your Ticket to Work and if you qualify for supported employment, you can receive it.
If you do not qualify for supported employment you may still qualify for other help from Kansas Rehabilitation Services. You can also contact your Local Workforce Center, and some local community based organizations provide employment services as well (Mental Health Centers, Independent Living Centers, Community Developmental Disability Organizations). Contact one in your area to see if they provide employment services or supports for integrated community employment.
Quick Links
See Quick Links for Employment Assistance
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