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Use of Paid Work Options in DVR

(Issued July 2012)
(Reviewed September 2015)

Purpose:

To share information with staff and providers about the use of paid work options with DVR. To outline what types of settings and payment requirements are included when paid work is used as a service.

Rationale:

The Rehabilitation Act requires three primary characteristics of employment: 1.) Competitive, 2.) Integrated setting and 3.) Consistent with an individual’s strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. In many areas “Work Adjustment Training” has been provided as a combination of skills training and paid work. There is no RSA definition or code for this type of combined service and DVR has chosen to provide a separated array of services to allow for individualized approaches to combine Disability or Occupational skill training with paid work. This approach will be more in line with DVR philosophy, RSA characteristics of employment and will allow for service components to be provided together in a flexible way.

It is believed that this separated array of services is an opportunity for DVR to work collaboratively with local service providers to create training curriculum and methods that will meet the employment needs of DVR consumers. This guidance is meant to provide comparative information about those options. There are several points of emphasis intended to provide clarification.

TRAINING OPTIONS

The training options below can be provided simultaneously with other paid work. Training may be provided in small groups or one-on-one as needed. There is an expectation that ongoing reporting will be provided that include progress achieved and skills acquired.

Occupational/Vocational Training Code 063 - Occupational, vocational, or job skill training not leading to an academic degree provided by a community college and/or business, vocational/trade or technical school to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

Examples: Certified Nursing Assistant, fork lift training, truck driver training, stand-alone computer course, continuing education courses, specialized work skill training certificates/competencies, bi-lingual training, etc.

Disability Related Skills Training Code 055 - Training to improve functioning for competitive employment by addressing specific disability related issues.

Examples: Speech reading, sign language, and cognitive training/retraining, job search groups, employment related soft-skills training.

PAID WORK OPTIONS

There are a number of paid work options available in the DVR process.

The Rehabilitation Act requires three primary characteristics of employment:

  1. Competitive
  2. Integrated setting,
  3. Consistent with an individual’s strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. The paid work options below are intended to reflect the requirements of employment as defined by RSA. DVR staff should insure that each consumer is placed meeting the three characteristics provided by RSA as well as the needs of the consumer and the purpose and timing of the placement.

CONSUMER - The individual needs of each consumer should be considered for each placement. Placements should be made in integrated, competitive and community based sites in all paid work situations.

LENGTH - The length of the placements can vary based on need of consumer, employer and purpose of placement. Each timeframe should be considered carefully and individualized. See chart and related technical specifications for described perimeters.

PURPOSES(S) - There are many reasons that paid work options can be utilized in the DVR process. Paid work should NOT be used for income maintenance purposes.

PAYMENT - DVR must insure the individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage and not less than the customary and prevailing wage and benefit level paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not disabled. Verification of customary and prevailing wages must be recorded.

Hours worked must also be reported. This includes ALL DVR authorized paid work placements.