You can work and keep your benefits.
There are resources and options available for people with disabilities who want to work. Benefits counseling services, ABLE Accounts, and Ticket to Work programs, and more may all be options depending on your circumstances.
People with disabilities are safe at jobs in integrated settings.
Jobs in the community - otherwise known as integrated settings - are safe for people with disabilities. Natural supports, assistive technology, job coaches, and other resources can all help someone with a disability get to and from work and safely navigate the work site throughout the day.
A job coach can help someone with a disability, including a significant disability, find a job that matches their skills and interests.
There are many employment options for people with disabilities. Working with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), the Workforce Center, or a job coach can help someone with a disability find a job they will enjoy and find fulfilling. People with significant disabilities may qualify for intensive ongoing supports to help them find a job and sustain employment after they have started working.
Everyone with a disability - no matter how significant - can work with the appropriate supports.
An individual with a significant disability will qualify for additional resources, including intensive on-going supports, to help them find a job and sustain the job. This may be an ongoing job coach, supports starting their own business, and more. Assistive technology can also help someone with a disability be more independent at work as well. Job coaches, assistive technology, and other supports are typically paid for by DVR or Medicaid, depending on the circumstances.
Employees with disabilities contribute and are valuable employees.
Businesses benefit from hiring people with disabilities, and people with disabilities have economic and social benefits as well. A job coach or job developer can help someone with a significant disability find a job that matches their skills and interests. This process also helps ensure that the job is a benefit for the employer as well.
People with disabilities are ready to work.
In situations where needed, additional supports can help a person with a disability navigate social expectations at work. This includes "soft skills," which frequently refer to dress codes, how to handle inter-office social situations, and performance expectations. These supports may be provided by a job coach, assistive technology, or a natural support, such as a co-worker.
Most accommodations needed cost nothing
According to the Job Accommodation Network, 57% of employers in a recent study reported that the accommodations needed by employees with disabilities cost absolutely nothing. They go on to report, "Of those accommodations that did have a cost, the typical one-time expenditure by employers was $500."
Employing People with Disabilities Does Not Cause a Safety Risk
A DuPont Study conducted in 1990 ("Equal to the Task II"), found that 97% of employees with disabilities were rated as average or above average for safety when compared to employees without disabilities.
People with Disabilities Have Great Attendance
According to the same DuPont study, 86% of employees with disabilities were rated as average or above average for their attendance. This means that employers who hire employees with disabilities are statistically likely to find a dependable and reliable employee.
Career Consultants Support People with Disabilities
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have Career Consultants paid for by the Colorado Division of Rehabilitation Services or Medicaid Waivers. Sometimes referred to as Job Coaches, a Career Consultant will create or suggest accommodations to help the employee with a disability perform essential duties. The supports offered by a Career Consultant are reduced over time to promote independence, but can be reinstated if job duties or responsibilities change.
