Disability Hub MN: Work

Competitive integrated employment means you work in the community with people with and without disabilities, earning the same wage (minimum wage or higher) and getting the same benefits as everyone else doing the same job. You work for an employer, not your service provider.

Competitive integrated employment includes:

Noncompetitive work means you work only with other people with disabilities, and you may be paid less than minimum wage. If you're considering noncompetitive work, it's important you make an informed choice with a good understanding of your work options. Noncompetitive work is meant to help you build skills and prepare for competitive employment. It's not an employment goal on its own.

Typically, noncompetitive work will be one of these models:

• Work crews. In a work crew, a group of people with disabilities (typically six or fewer) works together to complete tasks such as cleaning, mail sorting or document shredding. The crew may work at a single business or rotate between two or more local businesses.
• Sheltered work. Sheltered work takes place in a facility owned and operated by a service provider. These facilities are commonly known as day training and habilitation centers. If you're in a sheltered work setting, you'll likely do work such as assembling boxes or information packets.
• Service-provider owned and operated businesses. Disability service providers run businesses in day training and habilitation centers and community-based locations, primarily employing people getting services through the provider. Common examples are thrift stores and recycling centers.

As you think about work, take a moment to read these real-life stories from people who found employment in the community after participating in center-based work.

Work and benefits can go together to support your goals. Every benefit in Minnesota has work incentives. These special rules let you get a benefit while working, keep a benefit longer while you work, or get the benefit back quickly if it stops due to work. Most people who get benefits and go to work end up better off financially — even if their benefits go down.

Learn more about managing your benefits while working from Disability Benefits 101 — or watch this short video to understand how you get ahead when you work.

Managing your benefits while working »

Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, has work incentives that can help you get a job without worrying about your benefits. For example, the Trial Work Period lets you work for 9 months, earn any amount of money and keep your full SSDI benefit. When the Trial Work Period ends, there are work incentives that help you keep SSDI or get it back easily if you work your way off the benefit but need it again.

Get the basics on SSDI work incentives »

When you get a job, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) counts less than half of your earnings when they figure out your benefit amount. That means you'll always have more money when you work than you would on SSI alone. You can try out a job, earn more money and even save money while keeping your SSI benefits.

Get the basics on SSI work incentives »

In Minnesota, you won't lose your health coverage simply because you work. In fact, if you work, you might save money or have better coverage. 

Get the basics on health care work incentives »

There are a lot of resources to help you find a job. Minnesota CareerForce Centers, Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) and Ticket to Work employment networks can help you write a resume, practice interviewing, explore work options and find the right job.

Learn more about finding the right job for you »

If you need job training, talk with Vocational Rehabilitation. A vocational rehabilitation counselor can help you get the training you need to return to work, try a new type of work or work for the first time. Given the right training and supports, anyone who wants to work can work.

Help is also available for things like using public transportation, managing a budget or communicating in the workplace. If you have a case manager, ask about independent living skills. Otherwise, contact the Hub for help.

Get tips on how to use vocational rehabilitation for job training and placement »

Begin by telling the network of people who support you — like your family, friends, case manager, counselors and teachers — that you want to make work part of your plan. You can also tap into your social networks. These are the relationships and connections you have with people in the community, like the people who work at your grocery store, your favorite coffee shop, the library or other places you go often. Any of these contacts might have job leads.

Consider these four strategies to find a good job from the Institute for Community Inclusion. You can also use the Charting the LifeCourse trajectory tool to help you plan where you want to go with your employment and what you need to get there. See examples of how to complete the trajectory tool on pages 21 and 22 of this employment and discovery toolkit.

If you prefer to plan without a tool, consider the following four areas that can help you find a good job fit:

• Conditions. Conditions are the things you must have in a job. For example, if you take medication that makes you sensitive to heat, you might need to work in an environment that offers a reliable room temperature. Looking at it another way, you might need to rule out any work that involves exposure to extreme heat. If you have multiple conditions that may narrow your job search, make sure the conditions are truly required rather than simply wanted.
• Preferences. Preferences are the things you want in a job, but missing some of them won't keep you from accepting the job. For example, you might prefer to have weekends off, but you'd be able to work weekends if needed. Other preferences could involve specific job tasks, either based on previous work experience or what you identified in the planning process.
• Contributions. Contributions are the skills, abilities and talents you'll bring to your new job. Everyone has contributions, so it's important to develop a strong list of all the reasons an employer would want to hire you. Skills and abilities are things like operating equipment or typing 50 words per minute. Also include your attributes, such as positive attitude, sense of humor, taking initiative and dependability. Employers don't hire on skills and abilities alone. They want to make sure that you can get along with other employees and that you're teachable.
• Support needs. Your support needs are the things you'll need to be successful on the job. Everyone needs some type of support, so it's important to identify what types of support you'll need early on. These can include things like getting to work or being on time as well as learning the job or physically doing the job.

Begin by telling the network of people who support you — like your family, friends, case manager, counselors and teachers — that you want to make work part of your plan. You can also tap into your social networks. These are the relationships and connections you have with people in the community, like the people who work at your grocery store, your favorite coffee shop, the library or other places you go often. Any of these contacts might have job leads.

Consider these four strategies to find a good job from the Institute for Community Inclusion. You can also use the Charting the LifeCourse trajectory tool to help you plan where you want to go with your employment and what you need to get there. See examples of how to complete the trajectory tool on pages 21 and 22 of this employment and discovery toolkit.

If you prefer to plan without a tool, consider the following four areas that can help you find a good job fit:

• Conditions. Conditions are the things you must have in a job. For example, if you take medication that makes you sensitive to heat, you might need to work in an environment that offers a reliable room temperature. Looking at it another way, you might need to rule out any work that involves exposure to extreme heat. If you have multiple conditions that may narrow your job search, make sure the conditions are truly required rather than simply wanted.
• Preferences. Preferences are the things you want in a job, but missing some of them won't keep you from accepting the job. For example, you might prefer to have weekends off, but you'd be able to work weekends if needed. Other preferences could involve specific job tasks, either based on previous work experience or what you identified in the planning process.
• Contributions. Contributions are the skills, abilities and talents you'll bring to your new job. Everyone has contributions, so it's important to develop a strong list of all the reasons an employer would want to hire you. Skills and abilities are things like operating equipment or typing 50 words per minute. Also include your attributes, such as positive attitude, sense of humor, taking initiative and dependability. Employers don't hire on skills and abilities alone. They want to make sure that you can get along with other employees and that you're teachable.
• Support needs. Your support needs are the things you'll need to be successful on the job. Everyone needs some type of support, so it's important to identify what types of support you'll need early on. These can include things like getting to work or being on time as well as learning the job or physically doing the job.

Begin by telling the network of people who support you — like your family, friends, case manager, counselors and teachers — that you want to make work part of your plan. You can also tap into your social networks. These are the relationships and connections you have with people in the community, like the people who work at your grocery store, your favorite coffee shop, the library or other places you go often. Any of these contacts might have job leads.

Consider these four strategies to find a good job from the Institute for Community Inclusion. You can also use the Charting the LifeCourse trajectory tool to help you plan where you want to go with your employment and what you need to get there. See examples of how to complete the trajectory tool on pages 21 and 22 of this employment and discovery toolkit.

If you prefer to plan without a tool, consider the following four areas that can help you find a good job fit:

• Conditions. Conditions are the things you must have in a job. For example, if you take medication that makes you sensitive to heat, you might need to work in an environment that offers a reliable room temperature. Looking at it another way, you might need to rule out any work that involves exposure to extreme heat. If you have multiple conditions that may narrow your job search, make sure the conditions are truly required rather than simply wanted.
• Preferences. Preferences are the things you want in a job, but missing some of them won't keep you from accepting the job. For example, you might prefer to have weekends off, but you'd be able to work weekends if needed. Other preferences could involve specific job tasks, either based on previous work experience or what you identified in the planning process.
• Contributions. Contributions are the skills, abilities and talents you'll bring to your new job. Everyone has contributions, so it's important to develop a strong list of all the reasons an employer would want to hire you. Skills and abilities are things like operating equipment or typing 50 words per minute. Also include your attributes, such as positive attitude, sense of humor, taking initiative and dependability. Employers don't hire on skills and abilities alone. They want to make sure that you can get along with other employees and that you're teachable.
• Support needs. Your support needs are the things you'll need to be successful on the job. Everyone needs some type of support, so it's important to identify what types of support you'll need early on. These can include things like getting to work or being on time as well as learning the job or physically doing the job.

Resource collection

• 4 strategies to find a good job
• Charting the LifeCourse trajectory tool: Plan where you want to go with your employment and how to get there
• Examples of how to complete the trajectory tool: Pages 21 and 22 (PDF)

The law protects your right to privacy. This means you don't have to discuss your disability or limitations with your boss or other employees, though sometimes it might be helpful.

For help making a decision about disclosure, check out
3 steps to disclosing a disability »

Be comfortable asserting your needs. It's illegal for an employer to discipline or otherwise get back at an employee for requesting reasonable accommodations. 

The Job Accommodations Network provides a list of common disabilities and related supports and accommodations.

Learn more about job supports and reasonable accommodations »

Read Kylie's story for inspiration or to jump start your own conversations about work.

Kylie is in a high school transition program. Kylie and her work coordinator had a person-centered, informed choice conversation about work.

While talking to Kylie, the school work coordinator discovered Kylie loved going to her local salon and thought she might like to work there. Knowing Kylie was moving toward employment, the work coordinator invited a Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) counselor to Kylie’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. A week later, Kylie applied for VRS services. The work coordinator contacted the salon to inquire about job possibilities.

With school support, Kylie interviewed at the salon and was hired for 10 hours per weekend. School support is not available over the weekend, so VRS authorized seven hours of job coaching to support Kylie as she started her job. Kylie was able to work with natural supports when the seven hours of job coaching ended.

If Kylie had needed ongoing support once stabilized in her position, job coaching through supported employment services would have been authorized through her DD Waiver.

Parents, families, teachers, coaches and other adults have a big impact on your path in life. Their expectations and attitudes can help you move toward your work goals. Here are some things that can make a positive difference.

• Encouraging you to work. The biggest way your parents can help is by believing that you can work and expecting you to contribute in a meaningful way. Their encouragement can help you succeed in whatever you decide to do.
• Giving you chores. Many experiences can prepare you for work. Having chores to do at home — like feeding pets, cleaning your room, taking out the garbage and setting the table — will help you have a strong work ethic now and later in life.
• Talking to you about work. Talking with your parents about work can be helpful. Let them know you're interested in working. Ask them about their work. What do they do? Do they like it or not? Why?
• Giving you advice. Your parents likely have years worth of work experience. Ask for their advice and take it seriously. You can make your own choices, but it's helpful to pay attention to suggestions from the people who know you best.
• Finding ways for you to explore work. Your parents probably have a lot of connections, maybe through their work, friends, neighbors or other family members. Ask them if they know anyone who does something that interests you and if they could help you talk to that person about their career — what they do, what they like about it and what they don't. This is called an informational interview. You can also do things like summer camps, volunteer projects and community education classes to meet more people and make your own connections that might help with work in the future.
• Helping you use planning tools for work. Your parents can help you plan for the future, including work, by using tools like the Charting the LifeCourse life trajectory worksheet (PDF). 

Employment resource guide
Preparing students with disabilities for competitive integrated employment (PDF) »

From exploring interests and career options to gaining work skills and experience, many schools offer resources and services to help.

For example, Pre-employment Transition Services (PDF) can help you:

• Explore jobs
• Get work-based learning experience
• Think about what training or education you might need after high school
• Learn self-advocacy skills
• Get work experience

If you have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), tell your IEP case manager that you want to work. You might also be able to get help through Vocational Rehabilitation Services, WIOA youth services and waiver services.

John uses the consumer directed community supports (CDCS) service option available under the Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) Waiver. He and his family self-direct John’s support budget. John’s mom helped him find a landscaping summer job where he worked 20 hours per week.

Team approach
Earlier in the year, John had applied for Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS). When John got the landscaping job, his family contacted VRS to see about summer job coaching support. John’s family and the VRS counselor thought John would need 1:1 ongoing support and supervision on the job, so the VRS counselor contacted the county to coordinate long-term employment supports. VRS agreed to fund initial coaching to help him get oriented to the job and learn job tasks. Then, the county worked with John’s family to decide how to best modify their waiver budget to provide the needed job supports when VRS support ended.

Success
Initially it was thought that John would need a 1:1 job coach for the entirety of his summer job. However, after 40 hours of job support, John was able to work independently with natural supports on the job.

Kylie is in a high school transition program. Kylie and her work coordinator had a person-centered, informed choice conversation about work.

While talking to Kylie, the school work coordinator discovered Kylie loved going to her local salon and thought she might like to work there. Knowing Kylie was moving toward employment, the work coordinator invited a Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) counselor to Kylie’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. A week later, Kylie applied for VRS services. The work coordinator contacted the salon to inquire about job possibilities.

With school support, Kylie interviewed at the salon and was hired for 10 hours per weekend. School support is not available over the weekend, so VRS authorized seven hours of job coaching to support Kylie as she started her job. Kylie was able to work with natural supports when the seven hours of job coaching ended.

If Kylie had needed ongoing support once stabilized in her position, job coaching through supported employment services would have been authorized through her DD Waiver.

At age 16, Micah started asking for a job. His school connected him with Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS). Unfortunately, this was long before Minnesota became an Employment First state, and it was determined that Micah couldn't be employed competitively due to his disability. His case was closed with VRS.

When Micah graduated from high school, he started going to a day training and habilitation (DT&H) center-based  program for adults with disabilities. Due to limitations with using his hands, his productivity rates were low and he earned just 37 cents an hour.

Micah asked for a job outside the center-based DT&H over and over again, but no action was taken. Finally, at age 31, Micah had a conversation about employment with a person from a Center for Independent Living (CIL), who asked if he liked where he was working and what he was doing. He again expressed an interest in working in a different setting and this time it worked. The CIL worker helped Micah contact his waiver case manager. The case manager updated Micah's community service and support plan to show  his competitive integrated job goal and helped him connect with Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS). Micah applied for VRS services again and this time he was found eligible.

With support from his VRS counselor, Micah connected with a Disability Benefits 101 benefits specialist to see what  would happen to his benefits when he went to work in the community. When Micah saw he would make more money working in the community  and he could keep some of his Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and his health care wouldn't change, he was even more inspired to find a job.

At the same time, Micah, his VRS counselor and his waiver case manager agreed that employment exploration services — which included some customized employment strategies — would help Micah figure out what he wanted to do and set a job goal.

After Micah worked with a waiver employment exploration provider to learn about different careers, he found he would like to work with technology. Once he had that goal, Micah began working with VRS to secure a job. Micah visited local technology companies. During a tour at a large technology retail store, a manager saw Micah's job skills and asked him to return to meet the other managers. From those conversations, Micah was offered a part-time job working 25 hours a week earning $11 an hour. Micah needed support to do some of the job tasks. He worked with his case manager to find a job coach to help him four hours a week, which is paid through waiver employment support services.  

Now that Micah is employed, he no longer attends the center-based DT&H. In Micah's free time, he works toward improving the lives of others with disabilities through the use of creative technology.

Sean had been in a center-based work setting for many years paid through his Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver. Sean told center staff and his waiver case manager that he wanted to work in the community. His waiver case manager authorized waiver employment exploration services and connected him with a service provider. Sean and the waiver employment service provider worked together to better understand his skills and interests for competitive integrated work. They also went to Disability Benefits 101 to see how work would impact Sean's benefits and found Sean would have a lot more money working in competitive integrated employment.

When they had some ideas about what Sean might like to do, his waiver employment service provider helped him contact Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) to further explore his options. Sean applied for VRS. Sean and his waiver case manager attended the VRS intake meeting and brought verification of Social Security benefits and information that documented his disability. With this information, eligibility for VRS was determined right away.

With a team approach, VRS and the waiver employment exploration provider identified Sean's skills and interests and his goal to work in a manufacturing career. Sean's VRS counselor contacted a local manufacturer. After a conversation about Sean and what he could bring to the business, the manager of the plant was open to exploring Sean working for them. Sean had not worked in the community for many years, so he and his team thought job shadowing would help Sean better understand if he would like the job. 

Sean went to the manufacturing company and followed one of the employees through their day to see what it was like. The job shadow was a success, and Sean was interested in the job. The team knew Sean would need support to learn more about the tasks and skills required before moving directly into the job. A 280-hour paid internship at the manufacturer was arranged through VRS, and Sean's waiver case manager authorized ongoing employment support services through the waiver for job coaching during the internship. 

Sean's internship was a success! He was offered a job at the manufacturing plant. He worked with his VRS counselor to purchase the steel toe boots he needed for his position. Now Sean is working 15 hours a week. The waiver continues to pay for four hours of job coaching each week, and Sean decided to keep going to the center-based DT&H program on his days off.