Employment Programs

This issue brief revisits the use of SSA work supports among the nearly three-quarters of Buy-In Participants who also receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). To better understand who might benefit most from program outreach, this report explores variation in use rates by age, education, and disabling health condition. It also examines the relationship between work-support use, employment, and earnings.

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program for students and recent graduates with disabilities, including veterans. The program uses a database to connect federal and private sector employers nationwide with college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are seeking summer or permanent jobs. Private sector employers can also access the WRP through ODEP's national Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN).

This unique Workplace Flexibility Toolkit provides useful valuable information to employees, employers, policymakers, and researchers related to time and place, but also around task, a unique workplace flexibility strategy related to ODEP's Customized Employment research-based data. The Toolkit also provides case studies, fact and tip sheets, issue briefs, reports, articles, websites, other toolkits, and frequently-asked questions. There are currently 172 resources in the toolkit.

GAO has released a report on overlapping disability and unemployment benefits. The Social Security DI and Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs both provide assistance to workers who have lost their income. Existing rules and definitions result in a limited number of individuals being eligible for overlapping DI and UI payments. GAO was asked to determine the extent to which individuals have received DI and UI benefits concurrently.

This guidebook is intended to be a resource for veterans and family members as they navigate the complex interaction between government benefits and employment or self-employment. This guidebook focuses on government benefit programs that veterans access most frequently. The primary focus of the guidebook is on the impact that work income can have on factors such as initial eligibility, ongoing eligibility, and cash benefit amounts.

This report presents a condensed summary of a research study designed to more clearly define post-school employment outcomes, document the post-school outcomes for youth with developmental disabilities, and examine the predictors of successful integrated employment for youth with developmental disabilities, as defined by eligibility for long term funding support from state developmental disabilities agencies.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has released annually updated findings on the costs and benefits of workplace accommodations. JAN interviewed nearly 2,000 employers between 2004 and 2012. The study results have consistently shown that the benefits employers receive from making workplace accommodations outweigh the cost. Providing accommodations resulted in benefits as retaining valuable employees, improving productivity, reducing workers’ compensation, and improving company diversity.

This document identifies promising and emerging practices for advancing the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities identified in 10 selected agency plans submitted under Executive Order 13548. This report addresses all promising and emerging practices used by these Federal agencies that are identified in their plans. This report may be used by Federal agencies to ensure that the Federal government becomes a model for the employment of individuals with disabilities.

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is the largest source of federally-funded employment and training services. WIA allows states to apply for waivers of WIA regulations to provide greater flexibility in serving the needs of local populations. The Department of Labor approved more than 750 state-requested waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements between 2008-2010. This report evaluates selected waivers during the time period to examine the possible effects of waiver implementation.

The goal of Our Ability is to be the online resource for people with disabilities. The site will add Our Community - a social network where people can communicate, add a profile, search for jobs as well as upload their own video stories. Our Ability will be the pathway for people with disabilities to find careers, education and inspiration.