1. Customized Employment
Employment For All
Partners in Policymaking 2017
Sponsored By:
Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities
Disability Rights Connecticut
UCEDD – University Center for excellence in developmental Disabilities

2. What is Customized Employment?
A strategy that provides persons with life complexities and significant barriers to employment, with an alternative to traditional competitive jobs.
Relies on negotiated rather than competitive approach to employers, job developers available to assist applicants to develop personalized proposals for employers.
Is the outcome that results from an individualized, person-centered process.

3. Choice in Employment
True choice in employment depends on having preferences, information, options and control.
It requires willing supporters or providers to accept the challenge of meeting someone’s choices.
Having an employment preference depends on having considered at least several possibilities in order to develop a preference for one kind of work over another.
It is also possible for others to look closely at a person’s life for indicators of possible work preferences.

4. Indicators of Individualized Choice in Employment Services
Acceptance of the individual as the starting point and driving force in all services and supports
Traditionally, employment for persons with disabilities has been more about the arbitrary services available from a provider or the perceived needs of the labor market than the needs, conditions, preferences and contributions of the applicant.
A commitment to choice requires that funders and providers alike embrace the commitment to choice.
The individual should be the focal point of the planning, job matching, job development and task restructuring activities which are used in the process of employment.

5. Choice in Employment Control of Money
A sub-set of choice, as well as an indicator that it is available, occurs when the individual controls the money which has been set aside for employment services.
This status places the applicant in the same position as all of us in society who experience difficulty in dealing with the interaction between a seller and a buyer.

6. Choice in Employment Consumer Empowerment
Empowerment requires systems and professionals to embrace a fundamental power shift rather than simply adopting an attractive new value.
Empowered consumers can say “no”, “when”, “how”, “where”, and “yes” when they choose.
For this reason, a new relationship between providers and consumers must be defined, new roles must be identified and new rules must be accepted.

7. Choice in Employment Role of Advice
The ownership of the process, the essence of choice, empowerment, and self determination, relies on people with disabilities making informed decisions about their goals and service needs.
Good advice is an individualized blend of information, opinion and workable options offered to a customer in a manner which can be understood and utilized. Information and advice have been fundamental aspects of the provider/consumer relationship.

8. Unbundling to Open Up Employment Opportunities
Employers have typically met needs by bundling demands into job descriptions.
Job seekers with complex lives often don’t have the “whole package” to offer.
Customized Employment allows employers to “unbundle” demand and to take advantage of discrete competencies.
Unbundling means breaking job descriptions up to allow for roles to be created instead of matching a potential employee to a job description.

9. Supported Employment vs Customized Employment – What’s the difference?
Supported - Often focuses on open jobs
Provides job coaches to assist both employees and employers
Most funded supports occur post employment
Pre-employment supports and services are not stipulated in statute

10. Job Coaching vs Workplace performance assistance:
Distinction is important:
Job coaching involves training and instruction with the intent that persons will perform job tasks independently (or with available natural supports).
Job coaching is intended to be time-limited and faded out over time.
When people need support on an on-going basis, they are in need of workplace personal performance assistance, not long-term job coaching.
Workplace personal performance assistance involves partial assistance with the completion of specific job tasks in which there is not an expectation that the person will be able to perform all aspects of specific job tasks independently, with available natural supports or technology.

11. Customized Employment
Customized Employment provides a set of services prior to employment that are designed to tailor the employment relationship in ways that meet both job seeker and employer needs/benefits.
CE attempts to avoid the barriers created by job descriptions by unbundling demands through voluntary negotiations with employers.

12. Happens in stages Discovery, Narrative/Visual Profile
Customized Planning Meeting/Job Search Planning
Job Development/Negotiation
Post Placement Support

13. Discovery
Discovery provides, in a non-traditional, common-sense form, the information needed to determine the strengths, needs, and interests of any person with complex life issues.
Gathering information from the job seeker and the CE support team to determine the job seeker's interests, skills, and preferences related to potential employment that guide the development of a customized job.
Conditions for Success
Interests toward an aspect of the Labor Market
Potential Contributions to Employers

14. Discovery
The discovery strategy uses discovery as a substitute to comparison-based testing procedures in that it utilizes already–existing information rather than information developed through formal assessment methods.
Discovery is used as a guide for creating a customized employment relationship for an applicant with an employer.
This process looks at the applicant’s entire life experiences rather than single instances of performance.

15. Discovery
In order to assure that the best dimensions of a person’s performance are recognized, it is critical to get to know people in settings and in activities where they are most who they are – in other words, where they are at their best.
(Marc Gold and Associates – marcgold.com)

16. Discovery is a process that is:
Optimistic, looking for the best that people have to offer
Descriptive, focusing on who the person is rather than on our opinions
Respectful, always proceeding with the permission and direction of the individual
Humble, appreciating the intimate access given into a person’s life
Comprehensive, examining all areas of life performance
Relevant, making sure the process makes sense to the person
Connected, taking advantage of relationships and associations
Bold, translating life skills to employment possibilities

17. Narrative/Visual Profile
This process uses a format that describes the individual in a narrative manner.
For adults, the descriptive document provides information vital to planning and can substitute for traditional, comparative vocational assessment procedures..
The customized process uses a “presentation portfolio” as a tool for job developers to use to introduce the applicant in the most positive and useful manner possible.

18. Narrative/Visual Profile
A visual resume is a tool for introducing a job seeker to a prospective employer that shows off who the job seeker is at their best.
It is made up of photographs and narrative information about the person including their skills, abilities, experiences, contributions, and tasks they can do for an employer.
The visual resume can be used to make a first impression on an employer instead of a more traditional path of a job application or an initial interview.

19. Narrative/Visual Profile
How is the Visual Resume Presented?
Typically a stand up, presentation binder or Microsoft Power Point Presentation
Includes:
Work Experience
Tasks performed
Skills demonstrating competence

20. Narrative/Visual Profile
It will be objective and information driven
Wording that is used in the visual resume is critical.
This is a marketing tool for the potential employee to educate you about themselves and their skills

21. Customized Employment Planning Meeting /Job Search Planning
The meeting describes a customized job development plan in the form of a blueprint that includes:
“what works and what doesn’t work” for the applicant
The applicant's preferences, contributions, and conditions for employment
The types of job tasks the applicant feels should comprise the job,
Specific employment sites where work could be developed for the applicant
Employment leads & relationships with possible employers.
Information learned about an individual job seeker in Discovery will be used to create this plan.

22. Job Development/Negotiation
Job finding efforts are initiated based on the “blueprint” developed during the Customized Planning Meeting.
This helps to make initial contacts with prospective employers. In most cases, conventional job descriptions will not be appropriate for an applicant with significant life complexities.
It is important for the provider and potential employers to look beyond job openings, to identifying the unmet needs of an employer.
The “blueprint” match and the negotiation paired with the employer’s unmet need, is a win, win for everyone

23. How is this Different Than Other Employment Methods?
Differs from the typical employment practices used by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) personnel and Supported Employment (SE) Job Developers, which aim first to successfully place job seekers within the context of competitive hiring processes and then to provide supports as needed to maintain employment
Instead of starting with a discussion about what jobs are available in the community and who is hiring, the discussion centers on the person first.
The goal is to develop a blue print for the job you want for the person or need to create for the person.

24. Different – Cont.
Working collaboratively with the individual and the employer to negotiate a customized job, including the provision of supports, and the terms of employment that will match the individual's interests and skills, conditions necessary for success, specific contributions and will fill the unmet needs of an employer.
As an employer you can look at the unmet tasks that exist within your business. We often shift the roles and duties of employees to match their demonstrated skills as we work alongside them, this brings that method to the beginning of employment.

25. Factors to Consider Ideal Conditions
The first area to gain clarity in is the ideal conditions of employment for the job seeker.
These are the features of the job, supports on and around the job that the person will need to be successful.
Examples: Wages- how much the person needs to make or wants to earn; # of hours they work, which hours they work, which days of the week the work or don’t work; Predictability of the work routine and tasks. Some people are more independent when the flow of their routine is the same or they have the predictability of a list of their requirements for the day;

26. Factors to Consider Interests toward Aspects of the Job Market –
A person’s interests provide a “direction beacon” toward various areas of the broader job market. Rather than identifying specific job titles, as is typical in traditional employment planning, this approach seeks to follow a job seeker’s personal interests that are likely to tap into intrinsic motivation for working.
These interests are identified during Discovery and relate to activities and performance the person does without being expected or required to do so

27. Barrier to Employment
It is generally accepted that the job seeker who is most prepared to meet the demands of an employer with the least stipulations for changing those demands is the most likely to be selected, all things being equal.
This is not offer the best opportunities for everyone.
By looking at the employment process from a different perspective you allow for more potential employees to meet your needs

28. What is Negotiation?
many people undoubtedly relate negotiation to haggling - for many people, negotiation is a negative concept.
In its simplest form, negotiation can be defined as the act of changing what is to what needs to be.
Within Customized Employment negotiation refers to a set of strategies that result in employers receiving specific benefit to their workplaces from an employee who is granted specific consideration to successfully provide those benefits.
negotiation is used to accomplish the changes needed to make a job offer possible.
Negotiation starts with job matching, as all good employment services should, but it goes beyond finding a fit to negotiating a fit when current job factors create a possible barrier.

29. Negotiation
The customized job description makes business sense to the employer
Employer needs are identified and met prior to the negotiation of employee needs
Job developers act as representatives or agents to the job seeker, directed by the job seekers conditions, interests and specific contributions
Job developers strategically offer a set of “essential selling points” as a starting point for negotiation that reflects both systemic and personal features (of the job seeker) to be offered to potential employers
Each party, the employer and the job seeker has to give – to compromise – in order to get a successful outcome
The willingness of each party to negotiate, to compromise, is seen as a voluntary act, not required by legal obligations
The result of negotiation creates a “win-win” for both the employer and the job seeker

30. Reasonable Accomodations
It is strongly recommended that job developers avoid using reasonable accommodation as a feature of negotiation as its use signals to potential employers a shift from a voluntary relationship to a legal obligation
Job Developers are not looking to “twist the arm” of a potential employer
The goal is to form a partnership not force accommodations and allow for the most positive work environment possible

31. Negotiables
Negotiables refer to aspects of the concept that make the deal more enhancing, more desirable to potential employers.
4 Categories:
Essential Selling Points
Sweeteners
Hole Cards
Non-negotiables

32. Essential selling points
Negotiables
Essential selling points
are inherent features of the deal offered to the employer by both the provider organization and the job seeker.
These features are offered to any and all employers who are contacted
Examples:
Assuring there is a match with the workplace culture and environment and the job seeker
The provision of job site supports, initially/as necessary
Provision of a job analysis to help assure sensitivity to employer’s culture
Negotiation of a customized job description

33. Negotiables
Sweeteners are additional features offered by the provider and/or the job seeker to enhance the attractiveness of the deal for the employer.
Sweeteners go beyond the essential selling points, but do not create an undue burden on either the provider or applicant. characterized by two factors: a) the provision of a sweetener is not too costly in time or money and b) the job developer has the authority to put the sweetener on the table without permission of supervisors, funders or the job seeker.
Examples: • Transportation coordination for the job seeker • Problem solving technology, accommodations and accessibility for the employer • WOTC eligibility status of the job seeker • Assistance with WOTC completing paperwork

34. Negotiables
Hole Cards are features of an employment negotiation that will likely create undue hardship, expense or complexity for the provider and/or the individual in relation to a desired job.
On the other hand the provision of hole cards are often” deal makers,” serving to convince an employer that the deal is worth trying. These will often seem like difficult tasks but often will benefit everyone in the long run.
They are typically offered as a last-ditch effort, or at least later in negotiation, to secure an otherwise ideal job for an applicant. Hole cards might also include tasks that the job seeker can perform but might prefer not to, if possible.
Examples: • Providing in-depth researching on employer concerns such as liability or insurance costs • Bonding and insuring the employee • Training to a credential standard • Providing on-the-job wage reimbursement (OJT funds) to the employer or employee • Payment of less than the company’s typical entry wage (but more than minimum)

35. Negotiables
Non-negotiables refer to those aspects of a negotiation that the agency and/or the job seeker are not willing to bend on.
It is critical that you plan for these in advance and find gentle ways to explain to the employer why you’re not able to negotiate on those items.
Simply stated, non-negotiables comprise the deal breakers of negotiation.
All potential employees have some form of non-negotiable in their job search. In traditional job searching these factors are often not discussed with potential employers but will help in the decision making process as to what jobs to apply for or accept.
Examples: Paying sub-minimum wages • Assuring production of any sort • Providing a substitute worker for the employee • Assuring on-going transportation • Agreeing to anything illegal • Guaranteeing success of any sort • Accepting an offer based on a charity relationship rather than a business deal

36. What to expect during negotiation
Negotiating the benefit to employer and job seeker period might span or more meetings over a period of two weeks to two months.
Each subsequent meeting allows the job developer to provide more and more in-depth information about the concept and benefits of Customized Employment and the value added by hiring the job seeker.
This process will allow ample time for all parties to present thorough information and make informed decisions.

37. What to Expect
During this period the following activities should occur for any successful negotiation:
Taking a tour of the business
Conducting a Needs Analysis
Introducing the job seeker in person (not to be a formal interview but a “getting to know” meeting)
Answering all questions and concerns of the employer
Targeting tasks that benefit the employer and fit the job seeker
Negotiating/matching the conditions of the job seeker
Agreeing on a customized job description including tasks, pay, hours etc. with the employer
Getting approval from the job seeker

38. Post-Placement Support
Setting up on-going post-placement supports and monitoring the employment relationship to ensure satisfaction of both the individual and the employer.
This support can come in many forms and will allow both the employee and employers to continue to make improvements and foster a stronger commitment to success.

39. So what do you as an employer get out of a negotiated relationship?
The first answer to this difficult question came in relation to the concept of unmet workplace needs.
During the 1990’s employment professionals in competitive supported employment noticed that employers often targeted unmet needs as a way to save a demand job on which the employee was struggling.
By assigning the employee to meeting an array of unmet needs, it was discovered that individuals with the most significant impact of disability could make contributions worth regular pay if both the support agency and employer joined to utilize the best dimensions of the employee’s performance.

40. An unmet workplace need is described as something that needs to be done and, for whatever reason, is not getting done in a workplace.
The use of this conceptualization is particularly important for job seekers who are likely to perform with low productivity as an aspect of the impact of their disability.
When a workplace task is that needs to be performed is not getting done is assigned to an employee, the speed with which that unmet need is performed is less important than the fact that it is getting done correctly.
This is a significant benefit to tens of thousands of individuals who experience an impact of disability related to productivity.

41. The three current areas of employer benefit for negotiated jobs are:
• Tasks that relate to unmet workplace needs
• Tasks better performed by others at a lower pay grade
• Tasks that comprise specific benefit to the employer

42. What can you do as an employer?
Keep an open mind
Allow for opportunities in customized employment open up in your place of business
Be willing to work with job developers to look at how you can find employment opportunities within your business.

43. References
For more information on Customized Employment please visit Marc Gold and Associates at marcgold.com