1. Increasing Employment of Individuals who have a Disability through VR and Abilities Work

2. Learning Objectives For State Agency Affirmative Action Programs:
How VR and Abilities Work can help you
Abilities Work Help Desk
Abilities Work Portal
VR’s Business Relations Team
How to use these resources 2

3. Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a federal-state program that helps people who have physical or mental disabilities get or keep a job.
VR is a division in DOE
Provides services with goal of employment
Largest single source of candidates with disabilities 3

4. Abilities Work Portal
Together with the Help Desk, a single-point of contact for employers seeking qualified candidates with disabilities
Powered by Employ Florida
Statewide recruitment services
Information and resources 4

5. 5

6. 6

7. Abilities Work Help Desk
Connect employers to qualified job-seekers with disabilities
Information and resources
Improve employment outcomes
Increase work experiences, including internships
Collaborative with VR, DBS, APD, CareerSource 7

8. VR Business Relations Customize services to meet employer needs
Strategic partnerships to support workforce needs
Paradigm shift for counselor staff
Careers not jobs
Training and certification aligned with careers and employer needs
Skills shortage
Strengthen the workforce to meet the needs of employers and connect workers with good jobs 8

9. What are your needs? Outreach Recruiting Hiring Retention
Advancement (Succession Planning)
Technical assistance
Other affirmative action goals 9

10. General Needs, Specific, or Both
Abilities Work Portal
Help Desk
Business Relations 10

11. Outreach
In Abilities Work Portal, Unique Abilities Partners designation
The more jobs posted, more opportunities to be seen
With Business Relations and Help Desk, shared with partners, providers, job-seekers and front-line staff
Employer recognition events and success stories 11

12. Recruiting Portal – includes around 50,000 people with disabilities
Business Relations – Talent pool around 40,000
Help Desk – portal, business relations plus additional 13,000
Technical Assistance re: application, plain language, requirements and qualifying questions
Voluntary self-identification from candidates 12

13. Hiring More candidates
More opportunities for voluntary self-identification
Direct hires
On-the-job training
Talent pipelines
Interview accessibility – reasonable accommodations 13

14. Retaining Reasonable Accommodations Training services
Services to employees and employers 14

15. Advancement Career Pathways Training to employees
Technical Assistance by subject matter experts 15

16. How can I get started? Your Agency VR APD DBS Abilities Work Portal
Business Relations
Help Desk
Abilities Work Portal
DBS
APD
Career Source
Community
Provider
How can I get started? 16

17. Frequently Asked Questions
At any time, call or the Help Desk – (844) ,
Register in Abilities Work Portal – “Disability-Friendly”
What if already registered in Employ Florida?
Post job orders in Abilities Work – “Disability hiring”
What if the job was already posted in Employ Florida? 17

18. Frequently Asked Questions
What if more than filling open positions is needed?
Contact your Business Rep for:
trainings
technical assistance
supports
consultation
employee retention
What if a Business Relationship has not been established?
Contact the Help Desk to get connected or Business Relations at 18

19. Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of information does the Help Desk need to recruit candidates?
Employer info, contact person, location info, job description and requirements, how to apply
What if the last year affirmative action results need to be improved?
Contact the Help Desk and/or Business Relations to discuss and implement strategy changes, results, and goals 19

20. Recommended Steps
Register/Log in to Abilities Work Portal and post job orders
Use Recruitment Services to find candidates with disabilities who have required skills
Refer jobs that are hard to fill, a critical need, or “underutilized” to Abilities Work Help Desk
Discuss job info and details with Help Desk staff/Business Rep
Help Desk recruits from partner agencies and refers candidates 20

21. Business Relations Case Study
Initial meeting with agency team
Intro to VR, background, disability definition and statistics
Recruitment
Agency needs and expectations
On-the-Job Training, customized employment, supported employment
Hiring
Questions 21

22. Business Relations Case Study
After meeting with agency team
Answer questions and follow-up
Advertise position with Abilities Work Help Desk
Close job posting
Obtain recruiting results (number of applicants) 22

23. Additional Questions and Discussion23

24. Abilities Work Portal – http://abilitieswork.employflorida.com
Contact Information
Abilities Work Help Desk – (844) ,
Abilities Work Portal –
Business Relations Team –
Jeffrey Michels Abilities Work Help Desk Supervisor 4070 Esplanade Way, Room 215A Tallahassee, FL (850) Office Kathy Davis Business Relations Administrator Division of Vocational Rehabilitation 1049 Eber Blvd., Suite 101 Melbourne, FL (321) Office Diane Vacca Department of Economic Opportunity 107 East Madison Street, Caldwell Building (850) Office Nicole Lamar Business Relations Representative 1311 Executive Center Drive, Suite 100A Tallahassee, FL (850) Office 24