Information Avenue Archives Picture Information Avenue
Archives

Employment for Young Adults with Disabilities

If your child has reached the stage of becoming a young adult, you may be interested in learning of the types of job opportunities available to him or her. Some youth will be able to search for a job themselves, however, for those with cognitive difficulties, assistance will likely be necessary.

There are three types of employment available to individuals with severe disabilities, such as mental retardation or autism. The first is known as competitive employment. In this type of environment, long-term support is not usually necessary for the individual to perform his job and he receives competitive wages and responsibilities. Jobs in the competitive employment category include waiting on tables, fixing cars, being a secretary, working in a factory, or being a file clerk.

Supported employment is the second type of employment, where individuals with disabilities work along side individuals without disabilities. In this form of employment, the individual receives ongoing support throughout the term of employment, however, the amount of support may be reduced as the individual becomes more able to perform the job duties on his own.

The third type of employment is known as segregated employment where individuals with disabilities do not work along side those without disabilities. Instead, they are in a self-contained unit. This type of employment is usually provided with state or federal funding and is an option most considered for those with severe cognitive limitations. Jobs may include sewing, packaging, or collating.

When assisting your child in finding a job, it is important that his interests are taken into consideration and that he is involved in making the employment choice. As parents, your support is often the most important, providing ideas as to what type of work your child may be interested in or capable of doing, suggesting where to look for a job, and providing transportation for him.

The first step to finding potential employment opportunities for your child is to make sure that while he is still in high school he: learns more about the many different careers that exist, meets with the school counselor to talk about interests and capabilities, takes part in vocational assessments, participates in early work experiences (volunteering, having an internship or summer job), identifies training needs and options, picks a few careers of interest, finds out more about those particular careers, and then learns interviewing techniques. Once he has completed these tasks, the job search can begin.

To find employment for your child, the Job Accommodation Network suggests that parents, transition specialists, and other individuals involved in assisting your child need to:

As a parent, it is for the benefit of your child that you also learn his employment rights. The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 makes it unlawful to discriminate in employment against a qualified individual with a disability. Therefore, if your child has a disability and is qualified to do a job, the ADA protects him. The ADA recognizes a disability as physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, learning, or working. The ADA protects individuals who satisfy the employer’s requirements for the job (i.e., education or experience), and are able to perform the job with or without reasonable accommodations.

Reasonable accommodations are changes or adjustments to a job or working environment that permits a qualified person with a disability to participate in the job application process, perform functions of the job, and enjoy the benefits and privileges that employees without disabilities receive. Examples of job accommodations include: providing or modifying equipment or devices, job restructuring, modified work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position, modifying training materials, providing readers and interpreters, and making the workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities. An employer is required to provide job accommodations to a qualified applicant unless it would prove to be a financial hardship on the employer.

It is very important to encourage your child to become involved in the workforce. It is equally important that your child be more aware of his disability and understand any accommodations that he may require. When applying for a job, you and your child should be aware of the following:

If you believe your child has been discriminated against, the best thing to do is to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in your area.

Having a job can be a very rewarding experience for the individual with disabilities as well as the employer. The skills that young adults with disabilities are learning in school are proving to be very useful to employers. To learn more about finding employment for your child or learning your child’s legal rights, please visit the following web sites:

 

Welcome | Editor's Note | Success Stories | Horror Stories | Family Issues | Legal Files | Information Avenue | Disorder Zone | Archives | Diagnosis Search | Tips | Bulletin Board | Marketplace | Parent-Matching Program | Suggestion Box | Guestbook | Sponsors | Donations | Featured Special Child | Home

Copyright © 1997-2000, The Resource Foundation for Children with Challenges. All rights reserved.
By using Special Child and related services, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions.