Customized Employment
Overview
The United States Department of Labor, Office of Disability and Employment Policy
(ODEP) defines customized employment as follows:
Customized employment is a flexible process designed to personalize the employment
relationship between a job candidate and an employer in a way that meets the needs of
both. It is based on an individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and
interests of the person with a disability, and is also designed to meet the specific needs
of the employer. It may include employment developed through job carving, selfemployment or entrepreneurial initiatives, or other job development or restructuring
strategies that result in job responsibilities being customized and individually negotiated
to fit the needs of individuals with a disability. Customized employment assumes the
provision of reasonable accommodations and supports necessary for the individual to
perform the functions of a job that is individually negotiated and developed. (Federal
Register, June 26, 2002, Vol. 67. No. 123, pp. 43154 -43149)
Customized employment is a "negotiation" between the job seeker, his/her
representative, and the employer. Negotiation differs from the traditional approach of
applying, interviewing, orientation, and working. The negotiation is the very process
itself, often beginning with only the potential of employment without a position opening.
It can also include self-employment or a microenterprise that meets the unique interests
of an individual and the market for a product or service. Customized employment is not
a program, but a set of principles and strategies that seek positive community
employment outcomes for people with complex challenges.
Pre-Assessment
Pre-Assessment
Customized employment (CE) is designed to address the barriers associated with
traditional methods of getting a job. To do this, CE includes which of these elements:
Select an answer for question 690
Discovery is a method of vocational assessment that:
Select an answer for question 691
Some examples of customized employment outcomes are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Self-employment or microenterprise
Job carving
Resource ownership
Business-within-a-business
Enclave
Select an answer for question 692
Customized job development typically involves:
Select an answer for question 693
Introduction to Customized Employment
The traditional labor market approach, which matches people to existing job openings,
doesn't usually result in jobs for people with more significant disabilities. When people
with significant disabilities compete with applicants without disabilities for available jobs,
people with the most significant or complex challenges simply do not measure up
(Callahan, 2002). Job developers may have 15 or 20 people for whom they are
responsible to help locate employment. With this responsibility, the job developer looks
to the business community at large to identify job openings to meet the demand for jobs.
When an employer has a position to fill, the job developer looks to the pool of job
seekers for whom he/she is responsible to locate a suitable applicant for the employer.
The most skilled and qualified applicant from the pool is chosen for the job. Those
individuals with the most significant disabilities and support needs are most often
overlooked in favor or the more capable and qualified applicant. The individuals with
significant disabilities must wait their turn to meet the demands of an employer. More
often than not, they wait a long time and in many cases are deemed as difficult to place
or unemployable.
Traditional Vocational Practices
Ineffective
Many vocational services and programs designed to assist people with disabilities
continue to rely on traditional models and methods that do not result in community
employment outcomes for people with complex disabilities and support needs. These
include programs that are based on preparation for work (work skills training, grooming
and hygiene improvement), the traditional labor market approach to job development
(searching want ads, completing applications for job openings, development of resumes
and interview skills, "placement" programs), or separate congregate work for people
with disabilities (sheltered work, enclaves, mobile crews). Some people caught in the
"readiness trap" of work preparation programs are required to prove their vocational
skills in make-work settings before help with a real job in the community begins. Other
employment seekers have their particular interests, skills, and conditions of employment
overlooked by job developers. Often individuals are "placed" into an existing job
opening based on the employer's need for a hire and the job developer's need for a
"placement," rather than job development efforts occurring based on an individual's
considerations. Programs often do not take into consideration that there are an
unlimited number of ways to make a living and look only to job openings that are readily
available.
These practices are changing. The myth that one must be close to perfect before
entering the work world is crumbling with the realization that employers accept a broad
range of employees, train them to their standards, offer varying degrees of support
along the way, and create options for employees who generate profits thereby creating
money for wages.
Customization of Employment
Customized employment is an individualized approach to vocational supports and
services: one person at a time. The goal of customized employment is to tailor jobs and
careers to fit the skills, interests, strengths, and support needs -- the conditions of
employment of a job seeker -- and at the same time meet the needs of business, or in
the case of self-employment, the market for a service or product. When one person is
represented to an employer who needs that person's contributions, skills, and abilities,
the opportunity for a rewarding employment experience is more likely to occur for both
the person with a disability and the business.
Customized employment is a negotiation that meets the needs and interests of both the
job seeker and the employer. Negotiated jobs can be carved and created, and can also
include a business-within-a-business. Customized outcomes include not only negotiated
jobs, but also self-employment and resource ownership that open up unlimited
employment opportunity. Customized employment begins with discovery, a process that
looks positively at the skills and contributions that an individual has right now.
Discovery
The first step in customized employment, before ever discussing potential jobs,
employers, or possible job tasks is discovery. Discovery is a process of getting to know
an individual that enables a picture of the person to emerge. Discovery relies on
experiential situations in real environments to reveal clues about vocational interests.
The team performing discovery is not asking, "What career, business, or job would be
best?" or "What is the best job for this person?" but answers the question, "Who is this
person?" Discovery is the foundation upon which all customization of employment rests.
Traditional assessment practices such as psychometric testing, interest inventories, and
other forms of vocational assessment are largely discarded as irrelevant for people with
complex support needs and lives because the traditional avenues these assessments
assert often keep the person trapped in a system of comparison and competition for
employment. In most comparative situations with employers, people with significant
disabilities lose. And, these assessments typically account for only a small number of
vocational options.
In discovery, information is gathered about an individual's interests, strengths, the types
of supports that are most effective, the skills the individual has, and the types of
environments and activities where this person is at his/her best. This information is
gathered in a series or interviews, observations, and activities that occur in natural
environments and that are typical to the individual. Individuals are not "assessed" in
artificial work settings to determine employability, and no psychometric testing or IQ
score is needed or used. Rather, discovery is used to focus on getting individuals into
the work arena, be that wage or self-employment, as quickly as possible where they can
begin the more long-term tasks of sculpting a career.
Discovery is a person-centered approach that relates first and foremost to gaining
successful employment. It is not used to determine and acquire a dream job or the
career of a lifetime. People with disabilities are complex and have the same desires and
goals to grow in their careers as we all do. To limit the opportunity to one dream job is to
limit employment potential and opportunity for growth. Just like all of us, there are many
ways in which a person with a disability can be successfully employed. Discovery allows
multiple employment opportunities to emerge that are satisfying and meaningful to the
individual, not just one ideal job.
It Takes a Team
Griffin and Hammis
Discovery is a process that works when everyone who knows the individual best is
involved. The support team is made up of the individual (job seeker), parents/family
members, friends, school or transition staff, a vocational rehabilitation counselor,
employment consultant (a vocational staff person responsible for customized
employment services), and anyone who know the individual well, sees the individual's
strengths and potential contributions, and can add context to the process. Typically, the
employment specialist who works with the individual is responsible for leading a
customized employment support team and should not complete discovery alone.
Discovering Personal Genius
Discovering Personal Genius (DPG) is one of several emerging iterations of the process
more broadly known as discovery. DPG is a time-limited rapid, outcome-oriented
process. It is focused on skills and interests that an individual possesses and that can
be built upon. However, interests are not enough. Many of us have interests but lack
skills. Matching the preferred work to existing and teachable skills is crucial. DPG
activities may be identified through recognized interests, but the DPG activities
themselves are used to identify existing skills, or those that can be improved upon
through systematic training, workplace or business supports, and technology.
Steps to Discovering Personal Genius
Discovery answers both basic and in-depth questions about the job seeker. The
process typically begins where the individual lives, with listening sessions with friends
and family with professionals maintaining silence except when prompting conversation.
We recommend a simple, "Tell me about your son," when doing the initial home visit
with a family. This discussion is not an interview or interrogation; there's no checklist or
script. The conversation goes where it needs to go and is not interrupted until all that
needs to be said has been spoken. Time should be made for follow up and clarification.
The Discovering Personal Genius Staging Record is used to record the stages of the
DPG process and to keep track of the activities that the various members of the team
are completing with the job seeker. The document is used as a guide to move the
process forward and to complete the stages of Discovery in a timely manner.
A sample DPG Staging Record is available here.
The steps for DPG include:
1. Gathering a team of people. This includes the person assigned to do job development
and additional people who can help with the process. Some team members may only be
involved in one or two steps. One person should act as team leader, ensuring that the
process is thorough and well documented.
2. Explain customized employment, the DPG process, and the vocational profile to the
individual, family, and other significant support people. Be clear about what you will be
doing and what is expected of others. Make certain the information you have about the
employment seeker is current and complete.
3. Schedule your first meeting with the individual and family at the person's home.If
meeting at home is not an option, or the employment seeker does not wish to meet
there, find an alternative location.
4. Tour the neighborhood around the person's home, observing surroundings, safety
concerns, businesses, culture, transportation, and services nearby. This step may be
completed after Step 5.
5. Meet with the individual and family for 1 to 2 hours in their home.Discuss:
o
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o
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Daily routines
Chores and other household responsibilities
Activities the individual enjoys and engages in
History of the family/individual, especially as it relates to employment
If the person is willing, have him show you his bedroom. Look at how it is organized,
what's in it, and what it says about the person. Have him demonstrate how he performs
chores, engages in activities etc.
Throughout the visit, observe interactions, living context, interests, and skills. Ask
yourself if any themes are beginning to suggest themselves and make note of them.
Ask for names and contact information of people who know the person well. Ask
permission to interview those individuals.
6. Interview other people who know the employment seeker well. This may include
parents, siblings, teachers (if a student or recent student), neighbors, and support
providers. Ask especially about the individual's interests, support needs, successful
support strategies, and skills and performance in various activities. Look again for
themes.
7. From information gathered so far, identify several activities the employment seeker
participates in successfully. Engage in those activities with the person and observe
interests, performance, demonstrated skills, connections, etc.
8. Identify activities outside the home that are familiar to the person. Accompany the
person to these places and activities and observe skills, relationships, supports, etc.
9. Based on the individual's interests and the themes you have identified so far, identify
unfamiliar places and activities that may be in line with his interests. Go with him to
these places and activities. Observe to gain additional information about support needs,
reactions, attention to natural cues, interests, etc. Continue to identify specific skills and
refine the themes.
10. Go to some places of employment with the person related to the identified themes.
Make an appointment with a manager and conduct an informational interview. In
addition to conducting the interview, ask for a tour and observe the kinds of jobs people
do at the business. Look for the jobs that are out of view and/or are unexpected. Look
for clues about the culture of the workplace and try to see whether the job seeker might
fit into it. Do several of these interviews. (Note: When using informational interviews
during DPG, it is made clear to the employer that no job is being sought, simply career
planning information. During job development, the focus of the interviews changes to
acquiring employment.)
11. Return to the individual's home, if needed, to collect any additional information, hold
informal conversations, and make more observations.
12. Review files, memorabilia, and records of past and current activities and services.
13. Develop a list of places, specifically 20 places of business, where people do jobs
related to each of the three themes identified, for a total of 60.
14. Review the notes taken throughout DPG and add to them as needed to ensure they
are thorough and descriptive.
15. Write the draft vocational profile using the information gathered during DPG. Identify
the person's ideal conditions for employment, including skills, interests, culture,
environmental considerations, preferred or required days and hours for work, supports
needed, equipment or adaptations that may be needed, and any other important
considerations. Reference the three themes and the list of 60 jobs where people with
similar interests work.
16. Review the draft vocational profile to the employment seeker, family, and others
involved on the DPG team.
17. Meet with the individual and/or family and others, as needed, to discuss the profile to
get their comments and approval. Develop a customized employment plan to be used
for job development.
18. Distribute final copies of the DPG Staging Record, vocational profile, or other form of
customized employment plan to everyone involved in the job development process.
19. If needed, develop a representational portfolio for the employment seeker using visual
and narrative information developed during DPG. This may be a photo album with
captions, PowerPoint, narrative description, or other media that can be easily utilized by
the individual to demonstrate his skills and interests to prospective employers.
20. Following the vocational profile/CE plan, begin job development.
Griffin and Hammis
The Discovering Personal Genius (Discovery) process is an active and robust series of
activities, observations, and clarifications in getting to know a job seeker. The steps
cited previously guide a support team through essential customized employment
practices.
To access the Discovering Personal Genius: Team Process Chart, click here.
Discovery Activities and Observations
As interests are uncovered and explored, the team begins to plan for activities that
reveal the individual's skills and talents. A good customized employment plan cannot be
based simply on interests. A job developer must be able to identify specific skills that
the job seeker has to effectively negotiate job tasks with an employer or to help with
establishing a microenterprise. Scheduling activities where the job seeker can be
observed performing specific tasks is crucial. Begin by spending time with the job
seeker while she is performing familiar tasks, such as household chores, caring for a
pet, or current work tasks. Look for the complexity of the skills, and what supports or
cues are necessary for the individual to complete the tasks.
As vocational themes begin to emerge, assist the individual in exploring activities in
areas where the tasks may be unfamiliar, yet in typical community settings. Go "where
the work makes sense," where people with similar interests work. This can be a
volunteer activity, a simple job tryout, or a created opportunity for the job seeker to
demonstrate skills her/she has. This allows the job seeker to explore an interest area in
a real situation, and at the same time, the team member can observe the job seeker
taking on new and unfamiliar tasks and learn more about his/her learning style, support
needs, and possible interest in an area related to en emerging theme. New themes are
often identified or broadened by these types of activities.
Review Emerging Vocational Theme Section of the DPG Staging Record Sample
which can be accessed here.
Identifying Vocational Themes
Interests and specific skills are identified through interviews, observations, and planned
activities to further refine information about the job seeker. The team compiles notes,
being thorough and descriptive about what was done and what was discovered. The
team identifies overarching vocational themes in the person's life and determines at
least three of them by the end of DPG.
Themes are not job descriptions or generic interests that almost everyone has (e.g.,
eating ice cream, drinking coffee, playing with kittens). Themes include more general
topics such as "sports," "aviation," "organization/fastidiousness," "agriculture,"
"transportation." The themes must be further supported by the individual's existing skills
or proof from DPG activities that these skills can be learned or accomplished through
the use of technology, tools, or other supports.
Narrowing the Vocational Focus
Using emerging themes, the team develops at least three different places for each
theme where people are employed. With the job seeker, they then complete
informational interviews with businesses to learn about work and industry issues, to get
a tour, to identify work that the job seeker could perform, and to gain any information
that will lead to further refine this theme. These emerging themes are discussed with all
members of the Customized employment support team and verified by observation of
the both the job seekers interest and skills in these theme areas. This melding of
interests and demonstrable skills into vocational themes begins to narrow the focus of
possibilities into potentially successful areas that deserve further research for potential
employment.
Review Emerging Vocational Theme Section of the DPG Staging Record Sample which can
be accessed here.
Transition from Discovery to Job
Development
The List of 20
The customized support team ultimately identifies three vocational themes that
represent the melding of the job seeker's interest, skills, talents, and necessary
supports. The team develops a list of 20 places "where the work makes sense" for each
of the three themes. This begins the process of job development and provides the
employment specialist or person responsible with clear direction about places where
further investigation is warranted. Prepared with a list and clear understanding of the job
seeker's skills, talents, and conditions of employment, the employment specialist has
the tools necessary to represent the job seeker in the development and negotiation of
customized employment.
Review Lists of 20 Section from DPG Staging Record Sample available here.
Informational Interviews
Conducting informational interviews is a critical component of both the discovery
process and job development. Visiting others who have the same interests as the job
seeker is often a valuable step in collecting possible career information. These
informational interviews help in the development and refinement of the emerging
themes, as they add information about work in a job seeker's interest area and depth to
knowledge of possible work.
Getting an appointment for an informational interview is usually much easier than
setting up a job development meeting. Most folks love to talk about their business, and
making an appointment to talk is considered low risk. Generally a request for 15-30
minutes works well because it signals respect for the person's time and indicates that
you are busy as well. In our experience, 15 minutes always becomes 30-60 minutes
once the discussion and tour begins.
To Identify and Refine Vocational
Themes
Setting up visits with businesses to explore where a job seeker's interest or skill may be
used helps the job seeker learn more about ways in which his/her interest leads to
employment possibilities. It also helps the employment specialist learn more about
industry and work tasks beyond his/her current knowledge. Informational interviews,
without the pressure to develop a job for someone, allows the employment specialist to
learn about business and employment beyond what are typical to placing people into
entry level jobs or current job openings. The appointment is not about developing a job,
but to learn about the particular business, possible careers, types of work tasks that are
part of the business, skills necessary, and pertinent issues related to the industry.
Throughout the process, opportunities to ask questions conversationally exist. Since
this is not a job development visit, do not press someone for a job. That comes later in
the relationship. For now, the tour is answering questions about the varying tasks and
duties people perform, the values and culture of the company, and needs the business
has that a job seeker can address.
Review Informational Interview Section of Sample DPG Staging Record available here.
To 'Inform' Job Development
The job developer or employment specialist is seeking information about the company,
its hiring practices, opportunities to create or carve jobs, and getting insights into the
company culture. Typically, a brief discussion is prompted by the employment specialist
asking something to the effect of, "Can you tell me a bit about the history of the
business, the products and services, and how the business is evolving?" And, "Tell me
how you got into this line of work." People want to know that you care, so give them a
chance to talk about themselves. Request a tour and ask questions at appropriate times
and of various people performing various tasks along the way. Wrap up by thanking the
person for his/her time, indicating that you may have someone interested in this field as
a career or even possibly working there now or later. Make your exit and promise to
stay in touch. If there appears to be an opportunity to negotiate with the employer for
the skills and abilities that the job seeker has to offer, there will be additional meetings
to present a proposal and to further the negotiation for the job seeker.
The tour provides an opportunity to witness, for instance, the level of natural support
that may be available to someone with a disability. Keen observation reveals whether
coworkers and supervisors help each other out during a typical day; it reveals who does
the training and how an employment specialist might structure the initiation period so
that the employer takes significant responsibility for supervision and training right from
the start; it reveals what is valued on the worksite, such as muscle, brains, humor,
attendance, speed, quality, or other worker traits. These are important considerations
when designing a job match that minimizes on-site training and consultation.
Informational interviews are a low-tech, high-touch option that provides insight into the
inner workings of business. Knowing what goes on in a given company gives the
employment specialist or job developer an added advantage when creating employment
or responding to an employer need.
Interest Based Negotiation
The employment specialist, representing the interests, skills, and conditions of
employment of the job seeker creates relationships with businesses and employers
through the informational interviews during discovery. In many instances, the
informational interviews lead to opportunities to negotiate employment with businesses
that have shown interest in the job seeker.
Using the list of 20 for each vocational theme, now a list of 60 different businesses, the
employment specialist has a strong contact list where the work makes sense for the job
seeker. Negotiating work tasks, hours, pay, and supports must not only meet the needs
of the job seeker but also of the business owner. When the employment specialist can
clearly communicate the job seeker's contributions in a way that is profitable to an
employer, the negotiated outcome of employment meets the interests of both. An
employer may consider negotiating job tasks if it saves the company money or if it
increases profits.
Commonly negotiated items in customizing employment include:
o
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o
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Carved work tasks
Establishing a business-within-a-business
The sharing of tools and equipment
Job creation
Resource ownership details
Coworker support and quality checks
Supervision and quality improvement
Productivity enhancement
Equipment modifications
Worksite accommodations
Personal assistant services on the job
Toileting and eating assistance
Key areas of negotiation center on the various components of the job and the support
strategies needed for employee stabilization and job retention. Employment specialists
and new employees should enter into any negotiation with an "I win and the employer
wins too" mindset. The negotiation process becomes less cumbersome when a
thorough job match is completed prior to any placement. This minimizes the actual
negotiation time and substance, but some details of the job are likely still left unresolved
even as the first day of work comes. Paying close attention to the use of natural
supports, including transferring direct training and supervision to the proper personnel,
means that the transition from job coaching may need negotiating, but the fact that the
actual responsibility remains with the employer should not come as surprise to anyone
on the worksite.
Customized Employment Outcomes
This section of the module will discuss the outcomes of customized employment across
four categories:
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Job Carving
Resource Ownership
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Self-Employment/Microenterprise
Business-Within-a-Business
Job Carving
Job carving is negotiation with an employer to section out a portion of an existing job
and create a new one that allows a worker with disabilities to contribute his or her
strengths to the workplace and perform a job that he or she likes and desires (Callahan,
McLoughlin, & Garner, 1987; Griffin, Hammis, & Geary, 2007). While a carved job has
to meet the needs of an employer, the carving should be centered on the person and
the goals determined in the discovery process and employment plan.
Job carving is the act of analyzing work duties performed in a given job and identifying
specific tasks that might be negotiated for an employee with severe disabilities. While
full-time employment is a reasonable outcome, job carving, or job creation, is typically
utilized with individuals who, for a variety of reasons, including physical disability,
psychiatric illness, intellectual capacity, medical fragility, available supports, and choice,
may not be in the market for full-time employment (Griffin & Winter, 1988). The utmost
care must be taken not to create jobs that further devalue people with disabilities by
physically separating them from other workers, or by having them perform tasks that are
considered bothersome, dangerous, or unpleasant.
There are many variables associated with the job-carving negotiation process. For
instance, the approach in job carving should be deliberate and businesslike. Job
developers should approach potential employers as diagnosticians, ready to determine
needs and offer solutions to productivity challenges. No job development effort can take
place without a thorough understanding of what type of work is suitable and acceptable.
The attitude of coworkers is also an issue. In creating employment opportunities, the
"corporate culture," or all the unwritten rules of a particular workplace, must be taken
into consideration.
Observation, with frequent employer contact, is the key in job carving. Without spending
time in the actual business setting, or one very closely associated to it, the job creation
process will not succeed. Every workplace is different: different culture, different quality
standards, different personalities, different procedures (Deal & Kennedy, 1982). To
ensure a good employer/employee fit, the job match process must include job site
research based upon consumer desire and employer need.
Case Study: Connie
Connie, a job seeker with a developmental disability and no previous community based
work experience, is hired in an optical laboratory to assist the clerical staff. Through
discovery, her employment specialist learned of her passion for seek-and-find puzzles
where she locates words on a grid of letters and then circles them. One task the
employment specialist learned was important to the optical laboratory was the matching
of printed orders to a computer printout of filled orders to ensure all orders were filled,
printed, and then mailed. The task was to locate an order by an 11-digit alphanumeric
code, then highlight the code on the print out. The order was then folded, placed in an
envelope with the customer address visible through the envelope window, sealed, and
processed through the company postage meter. Connie was able to perform all of these
tasks that were carved from existing duties of current lab clerks. This allowed Connie to
contribute a particular but necessary skill to her employer in a way that met the needs of
both.
Case Study: Jonathan
Jonathan is a man with an outgoing personality who knows many people in the city
where he grew up. He uses a motorized wheelchair and a communication device, which
enable him to get where he needs to go and to speak to the many people he knows in
town. Jonathan has very limited use of his hands and wants to work in a white-collar
job. Jonathan is hired as a legal clerk to work for the county district attorney's office to
deliver files, briefs, and communications to attorneys working in the courthouse. This
position was carved from duties performed by various legal clerks and assistants and
met Jonathan's skills, abilities, and conditions of employment and the needs of his
employer.
Resource Ownership
Resource ownership is a strategy that should be used sparingly, but that does hold one
significant motivator for employers: the potential for profit. Resource ownership is a
mutually beneficial process of acquiring materials, equipment, or skills that, when
matched to a job seeker's interests and customer needs, generates profits for an
employer and wages for the employee.
An employee who brings resources to his/her job is typical practice in the business
world. When a mechanic who owns tools applies for a mechanics job, he brings
resources he owns to his job that benefits the employer. Resource ownership is an
investment strategy similar to earning a college degree, learning a trade, or buying a
business. Owning resources that generate wealth provides the opportunity for financial
gain. The use of the resource produces profits that pay wages, creating an employment
relationship of mutual need, obligation, and reward. Considering the high unemployment
rates of people with disabilities, resource ownership uses accepted processes to open
the job market. People with the most significant disabilities are not often recognized for
their vocational gifts and talents, hence their high unemployment rate. Resource
ownership counteracts the effects of disability stigma by suggesting a shared risk
between the worker and the employer through this partnering approach to job creation.
The point here is not to expand too deeply on resource ownership as a job development
technique, but to recognize that workers must bring value to the workplace, otherwise
there is no revenue generated for wages. It should be used cautiously, and again,
always on behalf of the job seeker. Quality job development strategies must be
employed regardless of the situation, and a proper job analysis and match should guide
the effort.
Examples
1. Increasing hours for a long-time employee with a disability working at bowling
alley by having him purchase video equipment to tape birthday parties, league
games, and other community events, and selling the DVDs to customers. The
revenue increases cover the additional hours worked by the young employee.
2. Creating a job inside an automotive repair company by adding a commercial
washer and drier, owned by the employee with a disability, who works daily
washing shop towels and mechanic's coveralls. Previously, the company
contracted out the laundry function and now saves money with the in-house
operation.
3. Purchasing a custom cupcake cart for a part-time bakery employee who now
works a couple of extra hours per day over lunch, selling gourmet pastries in
the town square, down the street from the shop.
Following the recommended discovery, negotiation, job match, and job analysis
processes provides substantial safeguards against the misuse of this tactic. Offering
equipment in exchange for a job is not the intent of resource ownership. The job
seeker's satisfaction must remain the focus of attention, blended through careful
negotiation in the marketplace to reveal mutual gain between the employee and the
employer. Anything less than negotiating with the job seeker's interests, skills, and
conditions of employment in mind wastes support resources, makes the job seeker
appear incompetent to the community, and is not customized employment.
Self-Employment/Micro-Enterprise
Self-employment or a microenterprise is another option under the customized
employment umbrella of vocational approaches. Business ownership relies on the same
basic assumptions and practices as discovery and customized job development.
Because there is a market for a product does not mean that this should lead to a small
business for an individual with a disability. Foremost should be whether the individual's
skills, interests, supports, and conditions of employment lead to the development of the
business idea, and whether the individual indeed wants to be a business owner. The
prospective business owner's interests, preferences, and talents drive the enterprise
development process, not the market. A melding of product and market occurs through
feasibility testing, modification, and adaptation.
It is often a concern that persons with significant disabilities would be unsuited to own a
business because they would not have the knowledge or ability to operate the business,
let alone be able to manage the production of the product or service without
considerable support. Business acumen is important, but not the driving force, however.
While many modern training programs focus on business management skills, in reality,
most small business owners are artisans concentrating on making their products or
delivering the services. Business supports can be purchased or developed for people
with disabilities just as they are for anyone. Knowing the business side of an enterprise
is desirable, but never a prerequisite.
Paid and unpaid natural supports are used to highlight the individual's contributions to
the business. Just as in all types of customized employment, availability of necessary
supports determines the feasibility of the potential job. Supports for the business owner
with a disability can be a mix of paid and unpaid supports. They can be the supports of
parents, family members, or friends to manage the day-to-day operations or
bookkeeping; they can be paid supports of a job coach to assist with producing product
or services; of they can be a paid employee hired by the business owner for a variety of
business tasks. The significance of an individual's disability should never discount selfemployment as a viable employment option. Supports planning to meet the needs of the
individual are part of the job development planning process.
Case Study: James
James grew up in a family of upholsterers. He knew the trade and performed the work
with great attention to detail. However, medications he took for auditory hallucinations
caused by schizophrenia interfered with his concentration and job retention. He needed
numerous breaks throughout the day and the flexibility to work long hours in the
evening. James started his own upholstery shop using funding through a U.S
Department of Labor Disability project, equipment purchased by the local VR office, and
with ongoing rehabilitation support from the community mental health center.
Case Study: Molly
Molly shared her interests in technology with her VR counselor, who then paid for a
series of Microsoft certification classes. Molly began working as a part-time computer
instructor at the local community college, but panic attacks resulting from her psychiatric
disability and exhaustion stemming from her Fibromyalgia caused her to lose that job.
With assistance from the local VR office and a business design team, including a local
Small Business Development Center advisor, she began her mobile computer repair
business specializing in assisting the growing community of retirees interested in
learning basic computer and Internet skills. The business soon branched out to include
desktop publishing specializing in formatting and printing local church and civic club
newsletters.
Business-Within-a-Business
Another customized employment outcome is a business-within-a-business, a selfemployment strategy. This occurs when an individual with a disability operates his or
her business within the physical space of an existing business. The individual is not paid
wages, but earns his/her business and personal income from selling the product or
service within the "host" business. This arrangement is generally negotiated when the
businesses complement each other and bring additional products, services, or
customers that are mutually beneficial to both businesses. Resource ownership and a
business-within-a-business are sometimes confused. One difference between resource
ownership and a business-within-a-business is that an employer pays wages to the
individual who has the resource ownership arrangement. No wages are paid to the
individual using the business within a business model.
Case Study: Individual with Disabiliity
An individual with a disability has an arcade business and places various arcade games
in a youth recreation facility. He rents space from the recreational facility for his arcade
games. The existing business now can offer additional recreational activities for youth
through this relationship, and the arcade owner has a strong customer base for his
games.
Case Study: Kevin
Kevin spent many years in a sheltered workshop where his developmental disability and
his reputation for combative behavior were used as justifications for restricting his
access to community employment. Kevin was enrolled in a state Developmental
Disability Council-funded project focused on community employment for individuals with
challenging behaviors. Kevin's interest in being a mechanic became obvious, but no
jobs were available for a young man without experience. After many attempts, a local
small-engine repair shop agreed to have Kevin disassemble and clean a few motors
every week. Because the single-owner did not want employees, a business-within-abusiness was created that involved Kevin doing disassembly and parts cleaning. In
return for the space to operate this complementary service, and for mentoring in
mechanics from the host business owner, Kevin paid a small percentage of his earnings
to the shop.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Is customized employment real employment?
A. Yes. Customized employment is real work for real pay. It is based on identifying
tasks that an employer needs done to effectively conduct his or her business and
matching those to the job candidate's abilities and interests. Many jobs today don't fit
into the traditional 9-5 workday or don't necessarily need to be performed in the
employer's workplace. Further, workers are requesting more autonomy, freedom, and
customization of the conditions of their employment. The work world is changing to
merge the requests of the new workplace and the needs of the workforce.
Q. Isn't customized employment the same thing as job carving? We've been doing
that for years!
A. Some people work in jobs in which the duties were carved from an existing position
that meet an individual's specific skills, a strategy called job carving. But customized
employment allows for much, much more opportunity for customization. Some
individuals with disabilities work in positions that did not exist before employment
consultants helped employers identify unmet needs and negotiated new positions (job
creation.) Others work in their own small businesses (microenterprise) that meet their
interests, skills, conditions of employment, and support needs. Further, a businesswithin-a-business may result when a small entrepreneur can bring an added benefit to
an existing business, where both benefit from the mutual business relationship. Yet
other individuals negotiate with employers to bring a resource such as equipment,
materials or specialized training to the existing business that provides additional
employment opportunity for the individual who brings the resource needed by the
employer as a condition of his/her employment (resource ownership).
Q. Is customized employment about helping people find their dream job?
A. People with disabilities, just like everyone else, live complex lives. The more
exposure we have to ideas, tasks, diverse environments, people, and activities, the
more interests and skills we develop. Believing that any one of us has only one dream
job is limiting when careers are considered. The customized employment process of
discovery broadens our thinking by requiring identification of no fewer than three
overarching vocational themes. This allows for creativity and innovation and forces
teams to look for complexity and options, rather than for one single answer to an
employment problem. Focusing in on a dream job is too limiting. Customized
employment reveals themes in people's lives and invites combining interests to create
new and diverse career options.
Q. Is customized employment just a new name for supported employment?
A. As Michael Callahan of Employment for All suggests, CE "stands on the shoulders of
supported employment." CE is a refinement of supported employment but varies in
important ways. Supported employment often, although in best practice it should not,
still reacts to the labor market. That is, the job search process is largely driven by what
jobs are available, advertised, or easy to find in that community or region. In CE, the
employment seeker's profile is developed without consideration of what might be
available for work in the community.
Q. Wouldn't a standardized vocational evaluation be more scientific than discovery?
A. Standardized vocational evaluation has never been proven to predict employment
success. Discovery replaces the predictive validity assertion of vocational evaluation
with the ecologically valid process of witnessing an individual's needs, skills, desires,
interests, and contributions in real community environments. This approach is much
more functional and, therefore, more cost effective than traditional approaches to
assessment, which often screen people out of employment services instead of capturing
their potential as workers and human beings.
Q. CE sounds creative, but what about today's labor market?
A. Over the past five years, there has been a net loss of jobs in the United States.
However, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities remains unchanged from
the 1990s when this country created over 22,000,0000 new jobs. In other words, the
labor market has almost no impact on the employment rate of people with disabilities.
What does have an impact is the will of leadership at all levels to make employment a
priority. The money exists, the technology and techniques exist, and the employment
opportunities exist.
CE is significantly different from competitive employment in that, while competitive
employment has been brutal to people with disabilities, CE recognizes that employers
are always hiring. That is, there is always room in a company for people who match the
culture and values of the company and who perform work that ultimately produces a
profit. Without profit there are no jobs, so matching people with duties that create
revenue overshadows the power of job descriptions that historically screen out people
with significant disabilities. In essence, CE demands that we focus on economic
development and job creation as the antidote to reacting to the alleged demands of the
fickle labor market.
Post-Assessment
Post-Assessment
Customized employment (CE) is designed to address the barriers associated with
traditional methods of getting a job. To do this, CE includes which of these
elements:
Select an answer for question 694
Discovery is a method of vocational assessment that:
Select an answer for question 695
Some examples of customized employment outcomes are:
1. Self-employment or microenterprise
2.
3.
4.
5.
Job carving
Resource ownership
Business-within-a-business
Enclave
Select an answer for question 696
Customized job development typically involves:
Select an answer for question 697
Citation and References
References
Callahan, M., Mcloughlin, C., & Garner, J. (Eds.). (1987). Getting employed, staying
employed. Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes Publishing.
Callahan, M. (2002). Employment from competitive to customized. TASH Connections
Newsletter, 28(9), 16-19.
Deal, T. E., & Kennedy, A. A. (1982). Corporate cultures: The rites and rituals of
corporate life. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing.
Griffin, C., Hammis, D., & Geary, T. (2007). The job developers handbook: Practical
tactics for customized employment. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
Griffin, C. C., & Winter, L. (1988). Employment partnership: Job development strategies
in integrated employment. Denver, CO: Winter Group Marketing, Rocky Mountain
Resource & Training Institute & Colorado Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.