Individuals with
disabilities face unique challenges and circumstance as they seek to find
integrated community employment. Many of
the challenges they face however, are similar to those that any job seeker
faces. Everyone wants to find a job that matches their skill set and personality;
provides a supportive environment; and an income that makes independence and family
stability possible. To accomplish this
they may need training to update their skills or have to overcome
transportation barriers. Finally, they will need to work through the job search
process to find an opportunity that meets their needs. Once employed, they will need to adjust to
the unique challenges of that job, get comfortable with coworkers and
supervisors, etc.
Jeb McFarlin came to
OOD last year, on a referral from the Erie County Board of Developmental
Disabilities, with many of these challenges in front of him. He wanted a job where he was appreciated and
respected for the work that he did. He
wanted to be able to support his family and be independent.
So he began working
with his team to update his skills as needed and create a career plan. With this accomplished, he started applying
for jobs through OhioMeansJobs. He also needed to solve his transportation
challenges, so he met with a driving instructor and participated in driver’s
education. Soon he was able to pass the
driver’s training course and obtain his license. With that success, Jeb and his wife were able
to purchase a vehicle and thus meet their own transportation needs.
All this planning
and work paid off when Jeb was hired at Menards in a part-time janitorial
position. From the first day, Jeb felt
that this was the right job for him. In
just a few weeks he was offered a full time position. Menards provided their own training but Jeb
worked with his job coach before and after work to enhance his abilities and
performance.
Ultimately, both
employer and employee are pleased with the outcome. Menards has a dependable and hardworking
employee. Jeb has a job that he enjoys
and an income that allows him to provide for his family and live independently.
Helping individuals
achieve quality employment and increased independence is the mission of
OOD. Jeb’s success highlights the
importance of giving Ohioans this opportunity and the benefit it brings to our
communities.
left to right, Todd Heitkamp, BE Consultant, Leonard Johnson, Operator, Christy Hauck, BE Program Manager, Adam Kieffer, BE Area Manager, and Mindy Duncan, Deputy Director, BSVI.
The Business
Enterprise Program within the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired
(BSVI), provides people who are legally blind with employment opportunities. It is an opportunity to be a manager and
operator of food service facilities, often in government buildings and at
roadside rest stops. As part of the
ongoing support and partnership between the program and those food service
managers and operators, a conference is held each year to foster continued personal
and professional development, information sharing, and problem solving.
This year’s
conference was April 29-30, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel here in
Columbus. Attendance at this year’s
conference maintained last year’s record participation which included the
attendance of five new trainees.
Presenters at this year’s conference covered topics such as: Social Security, Food and Drug Administration
labeling requirements, credit card vendor services, healthy vending, marketing,
assistive technology, and finding employees within OOD consumer caseloads (presented
by our own Nate Fernandes). The entire
agenda was chosen by the operators attending last year’s conference.
Additionally, 12
operators were recognized for their length of service to the program; including
Richard Bird with 30 years; Lenny Johnson and Yvette Shackleford who both have
25 years of service. Feedback received from
participants indicates the conference was well-received and beneficial for
their business.
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program, designed to
encourage employers to hire and retain individuals referred from vocational
rehabilitation programs, and other people from groups with employment barriers
was reauthorized through December 31, 2019. President Obama signed WOTC into law on December 18, 2015, as an omnibus spending and tax package. Employers claim about $1 billion in tax
credits each year under the program.
“For the first time in several years WOTC has been
authorized for more than a one year period,” said OOD’s Business Relations
Manager Jon Hackathorn. “We are going to
use this extended time period to engage with employers and let them know of
this additional benefit of hiring a qualified worker referred to them by OOD.”
Our partner agency, the Ohio Department of Job and Family
Services (ODJFS), who administers WOTC in Ohio, will be providing us marketing
material to share with employers so they know how to enroll in WOTC to access
the credit. All available procedures and
forms to apply for WOTC can be found at http://jfs.ohio.gov/wotc/index.stm.
May is Older Americans Month, a time when we celebrate the
contributions and the lives of our Golden Buckeyes. Older Americans Month is also a time when we
recognize the many Ohioans who care for and serve our elders and ensure that
they have opportunities to grow, thrive and contribute.
Ohio has 2.5 million residents over the age of 60 and our
60-plus population is growing more than 20 times faster than our overall
population. Together, older adults and
baby boomers represent more than 40 percent of Ohio's population today. More information is available from The Ohio Department
of Aging.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Current
FFY2016
Individuals in Job Ready
Status: 3,377 4,138
(For county level
information
& map visit our website)
Individuals Employed: 1,955 3,924
(Employed, not yet
successfully closed)
Successful Closures: 4,027
(Employed for over 90 days,
case closed successfully)
Disability Determination
(FFY2016 as of 04/29/2016 – Week 31)
Applications
Received:
118,117
Determinations:
120,165
Productivity
Per Work Year (PPWY) 376.7
(Total number of cases
processed divided
by the number of work
years funded)
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