The Rural Exchange, The Rural Institute: Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research, and Service, Volume 15, Number 1, 2002
Note: Some of the projects and activies described in this docucment are no longer active so contacts and project opportunities may no longer be accurate.
Workforce Investment
Montana’s Diverse Abilities Project:Training for One-Stop Employment Providers
Job Analysis: Key to Job Retention
Considerations for Customers with Disabilities in the WIA System
Benefits & Resources: A Quick Overview
Job Carving: Finding Goodness of Fit
Montana’s Diverse Abilities Project: Training for One-Stop Employment Providers
by Roger Shelley, Rural Institute Organizational Consultant
How does the person with a disability access a system that is comprehensive by definition, and is designed to serve all state citizens in their search for decent employment? What about all of the benefits that the person may receive from the various federal and state agencies? How will these be affected when the person begins to earn income from a job?
Editor’s Note:
With the passage of the Work Force Investment
Act and the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act,
the landscape for employment service providers has changed dramatically.
This newsletter was developed to be a resource for those service
providers who will be serving people with disabilities seeking
employment.
In March of 2000, the U.S. Department of Labor and the President’s Committee on Employment for People with Disabilities released requests for Work Incentive Grants that were meant to address, through training and technical assistance, these and other problems confronting people with disabilities accessing this new One-Stop system. The projects were subsequently awarded to twelve states, among them Montana.
The ultimate goal for the Montana “Diverse Abilities Project” was to “make universality and seamless services a reality so that the same employment and training services are available to individuals with disabilities as to individuals who do not have a disability.”
Various barriers in the state and local Workforce Investment Act (WIA) system were identified, among these were:
- Front-line WIA staff had limited knowledge of federal employment and training programs and resources associated with disability related systems
- Service providers did not have access to appropriate assessment and screening instruments in order to determine whether or not customers have learning or other disabilities that may cause barriers to self-sustaining employment
- Complexity of Social Security Work Incentives, their implementation, and impact upon work
- Accessibility and assistive technology in the Workforce Centers
- Lack of knowledge by local disability services providers concerning resources available under the WIA
Project Activities
In order to address the identified barriers, five activities were to be initiated:
- Training and technical assistance to establish
a Benefits Analysis Certification Program for One-Stop staff
and partner agency staff
- Provide professional development and technical
assistance on topics including:
- the Workforce Investment Act,
- Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA),
- edicaid and health issues,
- Social Security Work Incentives,
- Plans to Achieve Self Support (PASS),
- job development and job carving for people with disabilities,
- supported employment,
- assistive technology, and
- self-employment for people with disabilities
- The marketing of Workforce Investment programs to other state
and local entities such as Vocational Rehabilitation, disability
organizations, educational institutions, School-to-Work and transition
teams, and all other interested agencies
- Creation of an Assessment Task Force charged
with the testing of assessment and diagnostic tools in the One-Stop
Centers; developing guidelines for providing services to people
with learning and other disabilities; and identifying training
opportunities for front-line staff operating in the Workforce
Investment system
- To convene a statewide conference to highlight implementation issues and “best practices” pertaining to the service coordination of the One-Stop partners for job seekers with disabilities
Project Accomplishments
- The first round of benefits analysis training has been completed. These training sessions were two and one-half days in length and covered topics related to the effect of employment and wages on people’s Social Security benefits, Medicaid, housing costs, and food stamps. Information concerning accessing WIA funding for employment goals was made available to participants by representatives of the various Workforce Investment partners, and Social Security Work Incentives were covered. WIA personnel, vocational rehabilitation counselors, provider personnel, and people with disabilities attended the sessions.
- Nearly 2,000 hours of technical assistance and training have been provided to project participants, and almost 3,000 people have received these services from project personnel.
- Dissemination of project materials and information beyond the original scope of the grant has occurred, and will be on-going.
- Some WIA Montana Department of Labor personnel have become involved in funding support services, and writing PASS plans to fund employment goals for people with disabilities.
Eight, one-day training sessions for WIA personnel are being planned for the summer and fall of 2002. These sessions will be held in eight locations around Montana, in order to better serve the WIA partner organizations. Emphasis will be on serving people with disabilities in the state’s One-Stop Centers.
Job Analysis: Key to Job Retention
by Cary Griffin and David Hammis
The importance of job analysis for individuals
with significant disabilities cannot be overstated. Job analysis
is a critical element in the overall job match. Job matching
melds personal aspirations, talents, and attributes to specific
jobs or careers. Job loss is closely tied to the absence of or
the improper development of a job match. Job matches are often
viewed as expensive and time consuming, but the savings resulting
from lasting job stability and the cultivation of a quality reputation
with employers, families, and funders substantially offsets the
initial investment of time and effort. Writing down the job analysis
is critical to learning the technique and to improving future
efforts. In our office the saying “where is an idea if
it is not written down?” refers specifically to the commitment
we make when performing a job analysis.
Best employment practice today relies on various person-centered
approaches (e.g., MAPS, Personal Futures Planning) to discovering
the vocational attributes and aspirations of an individual. The
planning process is the first half of a job match. Once these
clues are revealed, finding good employment can begin.
The job analysis process follows consumer and employer approval to develop a specific job. Sometimes the job analysis process is also used to set-up the training regimen for a work tryout or work experience, although we are finding that simply developing some “first” jobs with pay is preferable. After all, most of us did not have work experiences, we simply went to work and our employers paid us and trained us. Most of us discovered our career paths by securing jobs that we liked, and by leaving those we disliked.
Taking our cue from natural supports philosophy, the process should be much the same for individuals with disabilities. Most of us serve individuals who have little or no work experience, so first jobs are an important resume builder; they refine career choices and lead to job satisfaction, which means retention, which means happy customers.
Once a hiring commitment is secured from the employer it is time to perform the Job Analysis. The job analysis is the first step in devising a training plan. One of the best ways to approach job analysis is to spend at least one work-shift observing the targeted job. Make sure that it is a typical day so that the analysis reflects what the employee will experience.
Steps of the job analysis include:
- Observe the job as performed by a typical employee and note any special operations, tools, or techniques.
- Observe environmental factors: noise, temperature, speed requirements, coworker interaction, unwritten rules of the work place.
- Ask for explanations of the steps of the tasks, if necessary.
- Have whoever typically trains new employees train you in the task.
- Perform the task yourself for a shift or until you understand it and the rhythms of the work day.
- Record all the expectations of the tasks on a Job Analysis form.
- Confirm with the employer that these actually are the expectations of the job. Do not rely on the job description.
- Ask about atypical work expectations, such as the frequency of rush orders or if new techniques or production equipment will be introduced (so you can anticipate assisting with re-training).
The Employment Specialist analyzes the job and the work environment and compiles a list of job tasks the worker will need to learn to perform the job. Some of these tasks will occur with repetition and will, therefore, be easier to learn because of the many opportunities to practice during each shift. These tasks are called core routines and are typically the primary task(s) in a job. Other parts of the job may be required on an irregular basis or, maybe just once or twice a day. Such tasks are referred to as episodic routines. The job analysis tells the trainer when these duties are performed and provides the foundation for on-site training design.
The new employee also will need to understand the dress code, times for talking and times for being busy, what clothes to wear, and other corporate culture concerns. Since job loss is almost always caused by problematic personal interactions with others on the job, the understanding of corporate culture is key to job retention and, therefore, must be studied closely. Further, the Employment Specialist and new employee need to understand the supports necessary to get to work on time, to pack a lunch or bring money for the employee cafeteria, how to manage medications, which bus to take, and all the other work related routines that help minimize differences, enhance credibility of the new worker, and that guarantee the employee gets to work and keeps the job.
Examples
- Core Routine: pumping gas at a filling station.
- Episodic Routine: refilling the toner in a Xerox machine
- Work Related Routine: packing a lunch before work
- Culture of the Company: bringing donuts for co-workers
Understanding and identifying work routines is critical because it determines the training plan design. Routines that occur repeatedly throughout the day give the worker many opportunities to learn the task. Routines that occur only once or twice a day (or week) may require significant instructional assistance to gain mastery and this impacts the training and support design. Knowing the most difficult lessons to be taught going into the job makes the employment specialist’s task easier and more predictable. Depending on the worker, the employment specialist may need to teach these routines differently. Sometimes to assist an employee in performing an episodic, or job related routine, the employment specialist will adapt the task or the method in which the task is performed. For example, a worker may need a checklist that he follows to remember to punch in and out for his shift. Before creating an adaptation or changing a piece of the job, have the employee attempt to perform it just as any other employee does. Adaptations can make the employee appear different and thus be a barrier to “fitting in.” When in doubt, ask a co-worker or supervisor how they mastered the routines and if they use any special adaptations to remember tasks. Most workers carry checklists like Day Timers, have computer prompts when entering data, use various gauges or specialized tools, or have supervisors who remind them of their duties. Always, however, start with the most typical performance approach and add support from co-workers and typical supervisors before increasing employment specialist assistance.
One other suggestion: when working with someone who is particularly challenging due to severity of disability, get help with a job analysis. Team meetings are a terrific resource; employment specialists can swap ideas and ask for assistance. Another favorite technique is video taping a typical employee performing tasks and then viewing the tape with the consumer, other employment specialists, family members, and friends who know the person and who can offer ideas on training techniques or job modifications that will minimize errors and increase job retention. Always remember to use natural supervision and instruction first. Reposition the role of employment specialist as the supporter of the co-worker and supervisor. Business is used to training their employees; help them do that.
There are a variety of Job Analysis forms available. The best, in our opinion, is located in the book Keys to the Workplace by Callahan and Garner (www.amazon.com), which is highly recommended reading for all employment staff. Similar forms and information can be found in the manual, Supported Employment & Systematic Instruction: A Guide for Employment Consultants, by Condon, Hammis, and Griffin and is available for $6.00 (including shipping and handling) by sending a check to The Rural Institute, c/o Nancy Maxson, 52 Corbin Hall, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812.
Considerations for Customers with Disabilities in the WIA System
by Marsha Katz, Rural Institute Organizational Consultant
Since the enactment of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), every worker in America seeking employment has the freedom to enter a WIA One-Stop Center and expect to be equitably and respectfully served. One-Stops can also help workers get connected with other services and assistance for which they may be eligible. In order for this seamless service to become a reality, workers with disabilities need to know:
- that the One-Stops are there waiting to welcome and serve them;
- who the WIA partners are; and
- what services are available.
At the same time, the One-Stop professionals need to know about the resources and considerations that come with workers with disabilities. Many WIA professionals have years of experience serving people with disabilities, some have served an occasional worker with a disability, and still others have virtually no experience with people with disabilities. Many may have served people with disabilities without even realizing it because those disabilities were not visible and/or people chose not to disclose their disabilities. This article provides professionals serving people with disabilities an overview of some of the considerations for customers with disabilities
Access
Serving the disability community means—first and foremost—that your building, offices, bathrooms, and communications need to be accessible. Access means being responsive to disability-related needs, whether the disability is physical, cognitive, emotional/psychiatric, sensory, or the result of a chronic health condition. Examples of access include:
- Physical considerations
- widened doorways
- grab bars in bathrooms
- enough room for wheelchairs to navigate and turn
- lowered counters or raised table
- clear paths of travel
- Sensory considerations
- having information available in alternative formats (e.g. braille, large print, on disk, or audio tape)
- having furniture and pathways laid out to make navigation using a cane easier
- having a TDD/TTY available for deaf callers or using a state Relay system
- using sign language interpreters and real-time reporting to assure accurate and reliable communication
- Cognitive/other communication considerations
- giving information and instructions in clear, concrete, uncomplicated language
- being willing to go over things several times
- supplementing written and oral communication with pictorial representations of concepts or audio tapes
- accommodating the use of letter boards or other assistive/augmentive communication devices and tools
- Time considerations
- allowing more time for appointments to accommodate someone with difficult to understand speech, slower comprehension, slower physical movement, difficulty writing and filling out forms
- need for gradual movement toward employment rather than sudden change
- flexibility in scheduling to accommodate health and other disability related needs.
Etiquette and Language
If you have never worked with a persons who have disabilities, you may feel awkward the first time. The key to having a good relationship with that individual is simply treating that person with respect. Remember the Golden Rule we all learned as children. It taught us to treat everyone the way we want to be treated. Speak directly to the person, not his/her aide or interpreter. Ask if you aren’t sure if a person needs help, or if you aren’t sure what to do next. Courtesy counts and will earn you satisfied customers.
One of the best ways to demonstrate courtesy and respect is through your language. When working with people with disabilities, the bottom line is “Person First” language, which as it says, puts the person first, before the disability. By using “person first” language, you avoid outdated, stereotypical, and pejorative labels. Some examples are listed below.
There are several excellent resources on disability language and/or etiquette. Our favorite is a small booklet published the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association (EPVA) called “Disability Etiquette: Tips on Interacting with People with Disabilities,” by Judy Cohen of Access Resources. It is available by calling EPVA at (800) 444-0120 (toll free) or order on line at www.unitedspinal.org.
In addition to “Disability Etiquette,” there are also:
- “Person First: A Language Guide to Help you Put the Person First when Communicating about People with Disabilities” from the Axis Center for Public Awareness of People with Disabilities (800) 231-2947 (toll free)
- “Guidelines to Reporting and Writing about People with Disabilities” from the Research and Training Center at the University of Kansas, www.rtciil.org/public.htm
- “Beyond the AP Stylebook” by Advocato Press © 1992, www.ragged-edge-mag.com/mediacircus/styleguide.htm.
Examples of People First Language
| Say . . . | Instead of . . . |
|---|---|
| people with disabilities | the handicapped or disabled |
| he has a cognitive disability | he’s mentally retarded or he’s slow |
| she has autism | she’s autistic |
| he has Down syndrome | he’s Downs |
| she has a learning disability | she’s learning disabled |
| he has a spinal cord injury or CP | he’s crippled or spastic |
| she’s of short stature | she’s a dwarf (or midget) |
| he has mental illness/psychiatric disability | he’s crazy |
| she uses a wheelchair | she’s wheelchair bound or she’s confined to a wheelchair |
| brain injury | brain damage |
| accessible parking | handicapped parking |
| she is deaf or hearing impaired | She is a deaf- mute |
From: Kathie Snow, People First Language, a commentary by Kathie Snow; www.disabilityisnatural.com and Beyond the AP Stylebook, The Advocado Press
What do I do if…?
Many WIA staff have asked a number of “What do I do if/when…?”questions about serving people with various disabilities.
For instance, “What do I do when I don’t understand what someone is saying? Should I just smile and nod like I do understand?” The answer is no, don’t pretend to understand. How you respond may vary, based on the person and the disability. If the person has had a stroke or has cerebral palsy, for example, don’t hesitate to say, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t understand what you were saying. Can you please repeat that for me?” On occasion, you may need to ask the person to repeat several times before you understand. That’s okay, because if you don’t understand, you can’t respond appropriately. And, you’ll be glad to know that as you have continuing contact with the person and get to know her/him better, you will grow accustomed to the sounds and rhythms of her/his speech and find yourself understanding nearly everything the first time.
“What do I do if I get a call through a Relay system?” If you’ve never been on the receiving end of a Relay call before, don’t hesitate to let the operator know, and feel free to ask for help. The operator will be happy to talk you through the call and help you learn the shorthand words to indicate when you are done with your question or response (“go ahead”), or when you’re done with the call altogether (“S-K”).
“What do I do when someone comes in with a service/guide dog?” The first thing to know is that you shouldn’t pet the dog; it’s working and needs to focus on its owner’s needs. The dog and owner have been through intensive training together and know how to work as a team to get the owner’s needs met. Beyond that, don’t be shy about asking the person if there is anything you should or should not do.
“What do I do if I’m not sure someone can fill out the paperwork I need?” It’s always okay to say to someone, “I need these papers filled out, will you need any help?” Some people have cognitive disabilities and can’t read and write, while others with typical IQs might have severe learning disabilities. Still others use English as a second language and feel unsure about their ability to communicate in a foreign language. The bottom line is, if a person accepts your offer of help, or asks you for help, provide the assistance and assume it’s really needed.
A safe rule when you’re not sure what to do, or how to do it, is simply to ask the person.
- How can I help?”
- “ Do you need any help with the door?”
- “Can you find your way to Ray’s office or would you like me to walk down with you?”
- “ Do you need a clipboard to write on, or will the desk work?”
- "Do you need any assistance getting out to the bus?”
- “ Here are your copies of the papers we filled out. Would you like me to put them in the back pack on your wheelchair? Which pocket?”
- “Does this room layout work for you, or should we move/raise/lower anything?”
- “ Do you want paper copies of these brochures, or do want me to put them on disk for you, or email them to you?”
Legal Considerations and Resources
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws, persons with disabilities are a “protected class” when it comes to discrimination on the basis of their disability. In other words, employers can’t choose to NOT hire or promote an otherwise qualified worker, just because he or she has a disability. Employers also are required by the ADA to make “reasonable accommodations” that will assist a worker with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job.
For instance, if a qualified candidate for a front office accounting job uses a wheelchair, the employer can’t say “I’m sorry, you are very qualified, but I can’t hire you because a wheelchair in my front office might offend my customers.” That’s discrimination, and it’s illegal. If the accountant needs her desk raised a bit to accommodate her wheelchair so she can do her job, the employer needs to raise the desk, and can’t fire her to avoid raising the desk
The above example is simple and clear. But what if the worker has seizures and needs to work in an environment with natural or full spectrum lighting, not flickering artificial lighting that triggers seizures? Theoretically, the protections are the same. The lighting accommodation should be made, if it is doable. However, it is not uncommon for persons with epilepsy (and psychiatric disabilities, too) to hide their disability because they fear discrimination. Therefore, they may have been hired under the assumption they didn’t have any disability because they didn’t “disclose” that disability at hiring, or at any time after that. If a worker hasn’t disclosed his or her disability to the employer, he/she can’t insist on an accommodation and is not afforded protection under the ADA.
In the case of the accountant with a seizure disorder, if she
stays home too often because she fears that she will have seizures
from the flickering artificial lights, she will likely jeopardize
her job because of missed work. She can’t ask for, and
expect to be provided with, a reasonable accommodation unless
she discloses her disability to her employer. If her poor attendance
causes her employer to give her a two week notice, she can’t
use the ADA to help keep her job unless she discloses the epilepsy
to her employer and asks for the reasonable accommodation of
an office with full spectrum or natural lighting.
On the other hand, if her employer hired her knowing about her
seizure disorder, and then tried to fire her rather than give
her the office with full spectrum lighting, she is protected
by the ADA and can file a complaint or take other legal action.
When Workforce Investment partners serve persons with disabilities, they need to know that no one is required to disclose a disability in order to receive services or get hired. But it makes sense to advise all persons seeking Workforce Investment assistance that if they have a disability, they will only have protection under the ADA if they disclose their disability.
For workers who do disclose, they, their WIA partners, and their employers have free resources available to assist with appropriate job accommodations. One of these resources is the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), which can be reached at (800) 526-7234 (toll free), or jan@jan.icdi.wvu.edu, or www.jan.wvu.edu.
Summary
In the beginning of any new relationship, things can be awkward
and tentative. And having Congress as your matchmaker in an arranged
marriage can cause foot dragging all by itself. Progress may
be halting as the parties learn about one another and get used
to each other. But with a little time and effort, and a common
goal, there’s every reason to expect a full, rich, fruitful
life together.
Benefits & Resources: A Quick Overview
By Marsha Katz, Rural Institute Organizational Consultant
While not a guarantee, many people with disabilities receive, or could be eligible for, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Both are Social Security Administration benefits. They include monthly payments based on disability (typically at poverty level or below) and health insurance (Medicare with SSDI, and Medicaid with SSI). When SSI/SSDI recipients contemplate or engage in work, there are usually well-founded concerns about the impact of work on their benefits, particularly the risk of losing Medicaid and/or Medicare.
Along with routine health care coverage, Medicaid pays for mental health and developmental disability services, prescriptions, glasses, and personal assistance services; it an essential component of a successful work plan.
For recipients of SSDI, once they consistently earn over a particular amount per month, (Substantial Gainful Activity, or SGA), they face loss of their benefits altogether. The loss is compounded if a spouse and/or children are also receiving benefits on the worker’s record. Unless earnings from work can replace both the lost benefit amount and the attached health benefits, working does not improve a person’s situation, no matter how much the person wants to work.
The more that Workforce Investment Act (WIA) partners learn about the potential impact of earnings on benefits, the more effectively they can partner with workers with disabilities. Together they can employ strategies that will achieve successful employment outcomes without resulting in workers losing more than they gain by working.
Yes, there are some real pitfalls that can come with work for SSI and SSDI recipients, but there are also some great bonuses. For instance, by using a Social Security work incentive called a Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS plan), a worker with a disability can create an “extra pot of money” to blend with Workforce Investment and Vocational Rehabilitation funds to achieve a vocational goal. Workers on SSDI can protect their benefits by using other work related provisions called “subsidy,” “Impairment Related Work Expenses,” and “Blind Work Expenses,” even when they earn over the SGA amount.
Benefits Analysis Sources of Income and Resources to Consider
Unearned Income
SSDI-Social Security Disability
VA (Veterans) Benefits
Railroad Retirement Benefits
Black Lung Benefits
Section 8/HUD Subsidy
TANF Benefits
Food Stamps
Unemployment Benefits
Workers’ Comp Benefits
Child Support
IIM (Individual Indian Money)
Interest and/or Dividends
Lease/Rental Income
Alimony
Adoption Subsidies
Food/Shelter in lieu of wages
(e.g. Religious Orders, Military)
Personal Assistance Payments
Scholarships
Long Term Disability Payments
Cash/In kind Support from others
Civil Service Retirement
Military Retirement
Military Disability Retirement
Military Allotment
Free Housing on Military Base
Pension/Retirement Payments
Earned Income
Wages
Net Income from Self Employment
Food/Shelter in lieu of wages
Indian PerCapita Payments(Casino)
Work Study
Honoraria
Royalties
Bonuses
Resources
U.S. Savings Bonds
IIM Accounts
Safe Deposit Box Contents
Bank Accounts
Insurance Policies
Retirement/Pension Plan
IDA-Individual Dev. Acct.
Non-home Real Property
Coin/Stamp Collections
PASS plan Accounts
Trusts
Bonds
Stocks
Home
Valuable Antiques
Vehicles-cars, trucks, boats,
snowmobiles
Art Collection
Livestock
IRA, 401K
Property Essential for Self Support
Funeral/Burial Agreement
Cremation Agreement
Cemetery Plot
Head/Foot Stones, Markers
Job Carving: Finding Goodness of Fit
By Cary Griffin and David Hammis
reprinted with permission from the Job Training Placement Report
(http://imact-publication.com/JTPR/)
Job carving involves melding job seeker and employer needs through systematic workplace analysis and person-centered career planning. Contrary to popular belief, job carving does not begin with the employer or the worksite. Instead, carving is based on the concept of using a person’s unique contributions and matching those to an employment setting.
Contribution is a concept firmly established in person-centered career planning (Griffin & Hammis, 1996; Griffin & Hammis, 2002, in preparation; Callahan & Garner, 1997). Contribution relates to the specific sets of skills (present and potential), personality traits, and potential assets an applicant offers as “exploitable resources” for the employer. Exploitable resources can be skills, tools, personality, or other valued attributes that create profit, increase efficiency, and/or offer psychological or cultural enrichment in the workplace environment. For instance, consider someone with a welding certificate from a local vocational school. For many employers, this person’s contribution includes potential sales to customers based on having qualified staff. Assume also that this welder has a good personality and fits in well with the other workers. Further, this welder publicly displays her commitment to the employer by personally calling each customer after a job is completed to check satisfaction with the end product. This welder contributes traditional welding skills, help builds a strong corporate culture by blending well with other workers, and shows dedication and commitment by following up with customers. This applicant is rich in contributions, beyond just the welding skill set.
Sometimes it is difficult to discover and demonstrate the contributions of individuals with significant disabilities. Getting to know the person well enough you can use their gifts and talents (contributions) to guide a job search is the first step to employment. For many individuals, person-centered planning techniques create a list of likes and dislikes, talents and desires that guide the Employment Specialist in developing an overall vocational profile of the job seeker. The inventory of desirable jobs or situations from the person-centered career plan provides a foundation for transition aged students that leads to in-school, after-school, and summer jobs that help to build a complete resume. Adults too benefit from multiple paid jobs, which refine the career focus and lead to lasting job retention and personal satisfaction.
Only after the employment specialist has a good “picture” of the job seeker, should job carving proceed. Remember, job carving is generally reserved for individuals who are not likely to succeed, even with support, when going through a typical competitive employment application and interview process. In other words, if the hiring process is likely to focus attention on the individual’s shortcomings, then job carving is used to accentuate their unique assets or contributions. Job carving should not be used to pull undesirable tasks from other workers’ duties. This simply creates a job description fashioned from the refuse of others, and devalues the worker with a disability. Job carving should always highlight an employee’s gifts, not the tedious tasks of others (Griffin, 1996).
The process of job carving will be unique for each individual and each employer. But, the process generally involves these steps:
- Reveal the contributions, potential, and dreams of the individual.
- Seek out employment opportunities that utilize, exploit, or highlight the contributions.
- Perform a formal (i.e. written) job analysis in order to determine task sequencing, natural supports, operations that may require additional instruction, modification, alternative production methods, or that may need to be performed in partnership with or by another worker
- Engage in interest-based negotiation that highlights the individual’s contribution to the workplace and offers a reasonable and understandable re-arrangement of work tasks in order to employ the individual. Interest-based negotiation, in this instance, assumes that the applicant and the employer both have common desires: one person wants to work and the other needs someone to work.
- Provide quality consultation to the employer and co-workers so that they can teach the individual the job.
- Provide on-going support to the employer and the worker.
While employers may not recognize the term “job carving,” they constantly create new job descriptions or rearrange duties based on new customer orders, new equipment purchases, or changes in product or service specifications (Bissonnette, 1994). Examples of job carving are numerous. In one instance, a young man really enjoyed visiting a local department store. Even with support, because of his health and limits on the hours he could work, he was unable to fulfill the duties of the typical warehousing job description. A four hour-a-day, six days-a-week, job was carved for him unloading trucks using a dolly. No such position had existed before, but his loyalty to the company and his hard work while he was there were obvious to the store manager and the co-workers. He loved his job and this seemed to mean more to the manager and co-workers than his actual job performance, which was just fine, by the way.
In another scenario, a young lady with a significant disability revealed a deep passion for the medical field. The local clinic needed a medical records clerk and a job was negotiated and adapted that centered on filing patient charts. Unfortunately, the young woman really wanted to be close to the action, working alongside doctors and nurses. A new job was carved from the nurses’s duties. This involved sprucing up each exam room following use; refilling the tongue depressors, band-aids, and other supply containers in each room; and changing the paper cover on the exam table. This re-engineering relieved the nurses of a duty they felt detracted from their real purpose of assisting patients and increased efficiency. It increased staff morale, and probably increased patient satisfaction as well, which possibly decreased turnover. And it highlighted the new employee’s contribution, while taking attention away from her disability.
Of course, job carving can sometimes go wrong. The lead author, for instance once created a job in an auto parts store for a full-time delivery person. The job was a perfect match for the new worker, but the corporate culture had not been sufficiently analyzed before negotiating the job. Typically, the men and women working the customer counter took turns throughout the day driving the company truck and delivering parts across town. Driving the truck was an unofficial break, a chance to get off one’s feet, and an opportunity to visit with other friends in the automotive industry. By focusing solely on the job duties and the efficiency of the workplace, this job developer misread the corporate culture and put an unsuspecting individual into what became a hostile work environment.
In conclusion, always begin with the person. Find their talents, contributions, and desires; perform an analysis of the work routines and corporate culture; and negotiate employment that is mutually satisfying to the employer and the worker.
References
Bissonnette, D. (1994). Beyond Traditional Job Development. Chatsworth, CA: Milt Wright Associates.
Callahan, M.J. & Garner, J.B. (1997). Keys to the Workplace: Skills and Supports for People with Disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
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This article is used courtesy of The
Job Training and Placement Report.