Distinguishing Employment Relationships: Competitive and Customized Employment Examining the compatibility and distinctions between two approaches that provide access to employment Michael Callahan Marc Gold & Associates Employment for All August 11, 2011

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 2 Competitive Employment The term Competitive Employment has been used euphemistically in the disability field to indicate regular employment, in the community, at or above the minimum wage, and alongside co-workers who do not experience disability.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 3 Competitive Employment (cont.) Individuals must compete against both the demands of employers for open jobs and the skills of other applicants. However, the “competitive” aspect of competitive employment can create an absolute barrier to employment for some individuals with significant disabilities.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 4 Supported Employment Essentially, SE provides post employment support to employees and employers who are felt to need additional support to achieve employment success. In typical Rehab practice, supported employment is referred to competitive in that open demands of employers are being met.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 5 Supported Employment (cont.) Often focuses on open jobs Provides job coaches to assist both employees and employers Most funded supports occur post employment Pre-employment supports and services are not stipulated in statute

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 6 Customized Employment Essentially, CE provides a set of services prior to employment that are designed to tailor the employment relationship in ways that meet both job seeker and employer needs/benefits. CE attempts to avoid the barriers created by job descriptions by unbundling demands through voluntary negotiations with employers.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 7 Unbundling demand Employers have typically met needs by bundling demands into job descriptions. Job seekers with significant disabilities often don’t have the “whole package” to offer. Customized Employment allows employers to “unbundle” demand and to take advantage of discrete competencies.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 8 Employer Needs Analysis Unmet Workplace Needs: This area focuses on tasks that need to get done but are not getting done in the way the employer would like. It also can include tasks that have not been performed but need to be. Tasks better performed by others: This area focuses on aspects of jobs that might better be performed by others at a lower pay grade. This option can directly save money for employers. Specific benefit to enhance business: This area focuses on workplace needs for additional productivity in specific tasks. It must be matched with job seeker’s specific competencies.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 9 Competitive: A Term of Confusion Since the 1986 amendments to the Rehab Act, employment has been referred to as competitive. Competitive Employment in the disability field has referred to employment in the community, that belongs to the individual, for pay at or above minimum wages, alongside typical co-workers and often within open jobs available to any job seeker.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 10 Competitive: A Term of Confusion (cont.) However, from an employer’s perspective, competitive employment is demand employment that implies that the employer has decided to post a job opening and that job seekers compete against each other as well as against the demands of the job description. This definition of competitive has created an absolute barrier for some job seekers.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 11 Competitive: An absolute barrier for some job seekers Customized employment provides an avenue for job seekers with significant disabilities and complex lives to meet the VR definition of competitive without requiring the individual to perform competitively in regards to the demands of employers and the skills of other job seekers.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 12 The Employment Matrix There are job seekers who will not need either SE or CE to become employed and to stay employed There are job seekers who will need CE to become employed but will not need SE to stay employed There are job seekers who will not need CE to become employed but who will need SE to stay employed There are job seekers who will need both CE to become employed and SE to stay employed Natural Supports and Reasonable Accommodation only Supported Employment and Natural Supports Competitive/Demand Employment Customized Employment

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 13 The Employment Matrix (cont.) Typically Title I of VR services are delivered in this quadrant USDOL/ODEP and the Workforce System are interested in this quadrant Typically Title VI of VR Act services are delivered in this quadrant This quadrant is necessary for those individuals not typically successful using other strategies Natural Supports and Reasonable Accommodation only Supported Employment and Natural Supports Competitive/Demand Employment Customized Employment

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 14 When to consider CE? When an individual does poorly on an evaluation When an individual has had numerous unsuccessful jobs When an individual consistently does not get hired by employers When an individual has a very complex life situation

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 15 When to consider CE? (cont.) When an individual has had an open case for over a year When an individual has significant, multiple disabilities When an individual has very specific passions/interests When an individual is very different from your experience

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 16 Consider employment services for Kim, a young woman on the cusp of adulthood?

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 17 The demands of competitive supported employment job almost cost her a chance to work

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 18 By using customized, supported employment, Kim worked for nearly 20 years

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 19 Michael found a way around a negative evaluation But he had long term employment using customized strategies Michael was unemployable from a demand perspective

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 20 Andrew was able to get a start on a meaningful career A demand job might have led to a job in a cinema for Andrew Customized employment led to a high paying sophisticated job

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 21 Value Added to all parties: The Customized Process Discovery Capturing discovery through profiles Customized employment planning Portfolio/visual resume development Job development representation Here, CE dovetails with Supported Employment Workplace analysis, accommodations, job site support

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 22 Benefits of CE to job seekers Allows a way around the barrier of demand Avoids comparative evaluation by using discovery Allows individual/family to drive the job search rather than local demand Utilizes personal interests to provide the primary direction to employment Maximizes “best skills” in job expectations Minimizes the competitive aspect of employment

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 23 Benefits of CE for VR Targets individuals who are “hardest to place” and who linger on case loads Provides a clear process for paying for pre-employment services Allows counselors to truly embrace “employment for all” perspectives Opens new doors for employer relations Creates a bridge to DD community

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 24 Benefits of Customized Employment for Employers The discovery process reduces recruitment costs by getting to know job seeker’s “strengths, needs and interests The customized plan helps assure job seekers are connected with potential employers of their interest Employers can target specific areas of workplace need and know the tasks will get done

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 25 Marc Gold & Associates©25 Benefits of Customized Employment for Employers (2) The customized relationship is completely voluntary on the employer’s part Job seekers are encouraged to allow “positive disclosure” of the work impact of their complexity and challenges Pay can be negotiated from minimum/entry to that typically paid for similar jobs

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 26 Benefits of Customized Employment for Employers (3) Applicable to all users of the workforce system and can be offered to an array of potential and current employees Includes on-going supports and other services, as needed Allows employers to meet goals of increasing diversity and hiring individuals with complexities in a way that benefits their business

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 27 For additional information: One Stops – ( One Stops ODEP – ( ODEP Marc Gold and Associates – ( Marc Gold and Associates Southeast TACE – ( Southeast TACE

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 28 Comments & Questions

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 29 Contact Information Michael Callahan Marc Gold & Associates - Employment for All 4101 Gautier-Vancleave Rd. Ste. 102, Gautier, MS (228)

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 30 THANK YOU!

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 31 Job Development Exchange Webinar Series An Overview of Employment Approaches and Strategies to Serve all PersonsAn Overview of Employment Approaches and Strategies to Serve all Persons (Archive available) Introducing the Online Toolkit for Job Placement and Employment ProfessionalsIntroducing the Online Toolkit for Job Placement and Employment Professionals (Archive available) Distinguishing Employment Relationships: Competitive and Customized EmploymentDistinguishing Employment Relationships: Competitive and Customized Employment (August 11) Job Development in Rural Areas (September 9) Developing Sales Tools for Customizing Employment: The Portfolio and Visual resume (October – TBA) Preparing for Negotiations with Employers (November – TBA) Employer Networks: An Overview of Various Types of Employer Networks (December 8) Employer Networks (December 16)

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 32 TACE Talks Transition (TTT) Monthly concise information on best practices to transition counselors available for their own pace learning; – sign-up and start your subscription via the Transition -List ail_list.php Transition -List

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 33 Education Credits CRCC Credit - (2.0) Approved by Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) By Monday August 22, 2011, participants must score 80% or better on a online Post Test and submit an online CRCC Request Form via the MyTACE Portal. My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportalTACEsoutheast.org/myportal **For CRCC credit, you must reside in the 8 U.S. Southeast states served by the TACE Region IV [AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN]. If beyond TACE Region IV, you may apply for CEU credit.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 34 Southeast TACE (Region IV) Toll-free: (866) [voice/tty] Fax: (404) WebWeb: TACEsoutheast.org My TACE PortalMy TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 35 Disclaimer This presentation was developed by the TACE Center: Region IV ©2010 with funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the priority of Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Projects (TACE) – Grant #H264A However, the contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of the RSA and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government [34 CFR (b)].

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute. Funded by RSA Grant # H264A © Marc Gold & Associates 36 Copyright Information This work is the property of the Marc Gold & Associates Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the authors.