Employment

Websites and Programs

This directory includes government and private organizations that offer resources or supports for job seekers with disabilities and employers.

Government

• Administration for Community Living
  
  • Resource Leveraging & Service Coordination to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) for Individuals with Disabilities This resource provides guidance on how state and local governments can blend, braid, and sequence funding to proactively maximize resources from a range of federal programs to improve CIE outcomes for transition-age youth and adults with disabilities. A companion document answers frequently asked questions, provides examples and best practices, and identifies federal resources and programs that can be used for CIE. The resources were designed to help agencies recognize how they can collaborate and coordinate to serve job seekers with disabilities.
  • A Framework for Community Engagement: A Pathway to Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) This resource, developed for both policymakers and service providers, presents a joint Federal vision for community engagement by individuals with disabilities. Community engagement, supported by a variety of service systems, enables individuals with disabilities to expand skills and experience so that they may secure high-quality and personally satisfying jobs and careers along with the benefits of employment. In addition to explaining what community engagement means and its benefits, this resource contains information about the wide variety of services that, when provided together, expand opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities to achieve CIE.
  • Multi-Agency Task Force on Increasing Employment Opportunities for Americans with Disabilities The Multi-agency Task Force on Increasing Employment Opportunities for Americans with Disabilities was created in April 2018 to address the chronic unemployment rate of Americans with disabilities. It includes 11 federal agencies whose collective goal is to achieve a sig¬nificant increase in the number of disabled Americans in the workforce and improve their integration.
  • Employment Resources and Initiatives This list of resources includes ACL initiatives that promote integrated employment, centers for independent living, state councils, and more.
  • Resources for Youth with Autism Transitioning to Adulthood These resources are for youth on the autism spectrum, their families, educators, and policymakers to ensure a successful transition to adulthood.
• Social Security Administration
  
  • Ticket to Work Ticket to Work connects people with disabilities to free employment services.
• U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA)
  
  • Programs and Projects The RSA, which is housed within the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, has a number of programs and projects that support vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities.
• U.S. Department of Labor
  
  • Career One Stop Career One Stop, a partner of American Job Center, helps people explore career options and find trainings and jobs. Their Resources for Workers with Disabilities provides useful information on rights and developing skills. Funded by the Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
  • Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act This is the official website for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which aims to strengthen the workforce and address barriers to employment. The program Workforce GPS provides resources for people with disabilities, employers, and employment services providers. Sponsored by the Department of Labor.
• U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy
  
  • Autism Resources This list includes resources for employers, individuals with autism, service providers, policymakers, and transition aged youth.
  • Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) EARN helps employers recruit, hire, retain, and advance people with disabilities
  • Job Accommodation Network (JAN) The Job Accommodation Network provides free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and employment issues. This resource includes information for employers, individuals seeking employment, and others.
  • Workforce Recruitment Program This program helps employers connect with highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities. The effort is managed by ODEP and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Private and Non-Profit

• The Arc
  
  • Arc@Work This program helps public and private sectors recruit, hire, train, and retain job seekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • The Arc Center for Future Planning This tool helps individuals with disabilities and their plan for their future to live as independently as possible.
  • Employment, Training, and Wages This page describes the barriers that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) face when entering the workforce and the Arc’s advocacy efforts. The page also links to the Arc’s resource library.
• Autism Society
  
  • Employment Autism Society explains different models of employment, such as competitive or supported employment, and the high unemployment rate of autistic adults. It also lists useful resources for finding new employment and accessing workplace accommodations.
• Autism Speaks
  
  • Job Seekers with Autism This webpage provides resources for job seekers on the autism spectrum and lists organizations with autism initiatives.
  • Employers of People with Autism This webpage provides an overview of initiatives that help businesses recruit and hire people on the autism spectrum.
  • Understanding Social Security Benefits and Employment This video explains how to work while also keeping your social security and Medicaid benefits.
• Autism@Work
  
  • Latest News Autism@Work News provides updates on how to promote a neurodiverse workplace. This initiative was founded by SAP’s Autism at Work program.
• Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE)
  
  • Resources for APSE Constituents APSE provides resources for individuals with disabilities, students and youth with disabilities, businesses, and providers.
• Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
  
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Directory This directory lists contacts for state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies.
• Delivering Jobs
  
  • Delivering Jobs: For Job Seekers & Leaders Autism Speaks, Best Buddies and Special Olympics, in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), are announcing the launch of Delivering Jobs, a campaign designed to create pathways to one million employment and leadership opportunities for people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other intellectual and developmental differences by 2025.
• Disability:IN
  
  • NextGen Leaders Initiatives The NextGen Initiative connects college students and recent graduates with disabilities to leaders in the STEM, finance, and business fields.
• Do2Learn
  
  • JobTIPS JobTIPS is a student online program that offers real world examples and assistance to teens and adults transitioning to the workplace.
• Easterseals
  
  • Easterseals Workforce Development Services Easterseals offers services such as employment planning, job placement, school-to-work transition services, and more.
• Integrate: Autism Employment Advisors
  
  • Resources for Candidates This page lists resources, such as state vocational offices, by state.
• Microsoft
  
  • Neurodiversity Career Connector The Neurodiversity Career Connector is a marketplace for neurodiverse candidates to discover job openings and connect with employers. The career connector is an outgrowth of the Neurodiversity @ Work Employer Roundtable. It also provides information for employers who are interested.
• Neurodiversity Hub
  
  • Resources The Neurodiversity Hub supports neurodiverse students in academic settings and in the workplace. They provide resources and networking opportunities for students and young adults, employers, universities, and more.
• Organization for Autism Research
  
  • Hire Autism Hire Autism is a job portal for people on the autism spectrum. Their Resource Center provides information on types of employment, SSDI and SSI benefits, and tips on how to prepare for the job search and interviews.
• PACER Center
  
  • PACER’s National Parent Center on Transition and Employment This center educates parents on several aspects of the transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities. PACER provides information on how to find a job, employment supports, and disability rights.
• Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship
  
  • Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship PIA Collaborates with employers and apprenticeship intermediaries to design inclusive apprenticeship intermediaries to design inclusive apprenticeship programs that meet employer talent needs and enable people with disabilities to gain credentials and skills to succeed in growing industries. PIA is funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor.
• Virginia Commonwealth University
  
  • VCU Center for Autism Excellence The VCU Center for Autism Excellence provides resources for parents, educators, paraprofessionals, and administrators. Their mission is to implement research-based practices and supports in schools and the community.
  • VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center The VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center provides online courses and webcasts for people with disabilities, rehabilitation professionals, families, and people working in business and industry. VCU RRTC provides employment services to individuals living in Richmond, VA, and surrounding areas.