Employment of Individuals with Disabilities

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a great resource for employees, individuals with disabilities, and leaders. JAN helps employers recognize the valuable contributions that qualified workers with disabilities add to the workforce by providing accommodation solutions, trusted strategies, and practical guidance on the ADA. Job accommodations play a vital role in creating inclusive workplaces, advancing the goals of the ADA, and increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. JAN is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on job accommodations and disability employment issues. JAN provides individualized consultation to assist:

• Employers and their representatives seeking guidance on practical ways to engage in the interactive process, provide job accommodation solutions, and comply with Title I of the ADA;
• Individuals with health conditions and disabilities seeking information about job accommodation solutions, employment rights under the ADA, and self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities; and
• Family members and rehabilitation, medical, educational, and other professionals in their effort to support successful employment outcomes for individuals with health conditions and disabilities.

Should I Self-Identify as a Person with a Disability?

Retaining an Individual with an Intellectual Disability after Supervisor Change

Click here to view a video on People First vs. Identity First. 

Larimer County has intentionally been working toward increasing our hiring of individuals of disabilities for the last 2 years. We've had learning along the way, as well as many successes. We'd like to share a few specific success stories with you, while maintaining the confidentiality of the individual.

The following departments have successfully hired an individual with a disability through this program:

• Assessor
• Community Development
• Clerk and Recorder
• Health and Environment
• Treasurer

There are several ways a team or department could approach hiring an individual with disabilities. Depending on the individual they may be interested in part-time or full-time employment. Some individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) may only be able or interested in working 20 hours or less a week.

One way to hire and create a job is to do Job Carving. Job carving is when functions from other positions that employees rarely have time to do are pulled together into a new, unique job. Or it may be taking several functions that would be helpful and beneficial to have completed, but no one has the time to do them, and put them together into one job. To create positions using job carving, work with the Inclusion Administrator or your HR Generalist to brainstorm what may be possible in your work area. HR will assist you with finding the appropriate job description to use.

Another way to hire is through our partnership with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). DVR and the Inclusion Administrator meet regularly to review job opportunities with the County and DVR clients looking for work. DVR offers several programs to employers that support hiring of individuals with disabilities. And DVR offers services, tools, and resources to their clients so they are successful in employment. Please work with the Inclusion Administrator if you are interested in exploring one of the options below or have any questions.

• Paid Work Experience (PWE): A PWE is for 160 hours of work. Since a PWE is for a set number of hours worked, how long a PWE lasts depends on how many hours a week the individual works. The wages and job functions are set by Larimer County. DVR pays the wages and provides any necessary tools or resources to help the individual be successful in the role, such as offering a job coach. The goal of a PWE is for an individual to learn a job or a new skill that increases the likelihood of long-term, sustained employment. Once the 160 hours are completed, the individual either stops working or is hired on as a regular, limited term, or temporary employee.
• On the Job Training (OJT): This service is available to Larimer County employees or new hires with a disability when an individual needs to learn a new skill or has been promoted to a new job and needs a little extra time to learn their responsibilities. HR sends DVR paystubs every 2 weeks for the first 3 months and then DVR reimburses 50% of the individual's wages via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

Individuals may be hired as a regular, limited term or temporary employee at any time. We’ve seen it work really well for an individual to complete a PWE, be hired as a temporary at the end of the PWE, and then a regular employee at the start of the next budget year.

A Job Coach is someone who is hired and paid by DVR or another service provider (such as Easter Seals) to support an employee or individual with a disability in the workplace. The job coach works side-by-side with the employee. The long term and ultimate goal is for the individual to do as much of their work as independently as possible and to hopefully get to a point where a job coach is no longer needed. The job coach provides tools and resources, so the employee remembers what tasks to do when. They may also provide job coaching to help employees learn new skills and tasks. If a job coach transitions or fades away too quickly or is needed back for a new job skill please contact them directly or work with the Inclusion Administrator.  The job coach is employed by the individual. If your employee has a job coach you should talk directly with the employee when interacting. If you have questions or concerns about a job coach in any way please contact the Inclusion Administrator.

As part of National Disability Awareness Month, we invited Larimer County employees to share their stories and experiences with us, and you can view those by clicking here.