Employment services provided by Disability Employment Advisers

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If you need disability employment support, your local JobCentre Plus office can put you in touch with one of their Disability Employment Advisers.

Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) can give you help and support regardless of your situation. They can help you find work or gain new skills even if you have been out of work for a long time, or if you have little or no work experience.

Your Disability Employment Adviser can offer you:

* a job-matching and referral service - the DEA can let you know about jobs that match your experience and skills

* information on employers in your area who have adopted the "two ticks" disability symbol

Employment assessments

An assessment will bring out your particular skills and strengths to help decide what work you are most suited for applying for, at the end of the assessment you will have a clear plan set out towards steps you can take to achieving your goals.

During the assessment you will be asked to talk about your skills and abilities, your strongest points and talk about any previous work you may have done and also set reasonable goals for the work you are capable of doing now.

You will be asked to carry out practical tasks and some written work which various types of work may involve.

After the assessment you and the advisor will agree on a plan of action for which should help you achieve obtaining a position of employment.

Employment for people with disabilities

The Career One Stop Center offices help people who have health conditions and disabilities find jobs. All One-Stop resources are available to you -- from resume writing to job referrals to training. The Career One Stop Center may also refer you to agencies that specialize in helping workers with disability.

For example, the public Vocational Rehabilitation agency in each state provides counseling, training, and job placement to people with disabilities. These agencies receive money from the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). In recent years, RSA has encouraged the state agencies to help people with disabilities start their own small businesses.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Disability Resources devotes an entire website to resources for disabled or special needs workers and those who want to work. It even includes job links to employers who want to recruit and hire qualified workers with disabilities.

The American Association of Persons with Disabilities publishes the Disability Rights Newsletter. Subscribe free to get ideas on how the Americans with Disabilities Act can help you get and keep work.

Find one of the 500 Independent Living Centers in the U.S. They are staffed and run by persons who are themselves disabled, they assist anyone with a disabling condition. Many staff and clients have overcome barriers to employment and can give you tips and inspiration.

Employment When You Receive Social Security Disability Benefits

Over the past several years, the Social Security Administration has focused on making work more appealing and practicable for those who receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and want employment.

Through the voluntary Ticket to Work program, you get rehabilitation and career services to help you go to work. You can continue to receive Medicare or Medicaid health care coverage. So you don't have to choose between health coverage and working.

Since the end of 2003, staff in all Social Security offices can assist disability insurance recipients who want to start or keep working. They can help you understand Social Security's employment support programs and choose the program that is best for you.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers rehabilitation and independent living services to eligible service-connected veterans.

Many private disability insurance programs follow Social Security disability rules. Check the back-to-work benefits of your disability insurance.

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