Disability and workforce development service providers play a key role in helping job seekers with disabilities find employment, and in helping employers find talent to match their business needs. What’s more, they can provide ongoing supports to ensure the success of people with disabilities once on the job.

EARN’s Engaging Employers: A Guide for Disability and Workforce Development Service Providers examines how disability and workforce development service providers can build effective relationships with employers based on this “dual customer approach.” It draws upon employer feedback about their experiences working with service providers, as well as lessoned learned by EARN and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation’s (CSAVR) National Employment Team (NET) over more than 10 years of active engagement with employers of all sizes and in all industry sectors. 

Organizations that Support Service Providers

• American Job Centers (AJCs): AJCs help connect service providers and employers with job candidates with disabilities. Contact the American Job Center nearest you to identify opportunities for your job seekers with disabilities.
• Disability:IN: Disability:IN is a nonprofit organization that supports businesses in their efforts to be inclusive of people with disabilities. Disability:IN has a network of over 400 corporations that work to expand employment and career opportunities and outcomes for people with disabilities. Disability:IN also has 25 State Affiliates that support employers and service providers throughout the U.S.
• State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies: These agencies help service providers and employers identify job candidates with disabilities. Find your state’s VR agency or contact the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation’s (CSAVR) National Employment Team (NET), a nationwide network of business consultants that serve as employers’ points of contact for VR agencies.
• Social Security Administration (SSA) Ticket to Work Employment Networks (ENs): This program assists people who received Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) interested in work opportunities. If your organization serves SSA beneficiaries, you may want to consider enrolling them in the Ticket to Work (TTW) program. For more information, visit the Ticket to Work website or call 1-866-7842 (TTY/TDD: 1-866-833-2967).

Online Job Boards for People with Disabilities

These online job boards are geared toward job seekers with disabilities and are great places to find employment opportunities for the individuals you serve:

• AAPD Career Center
• abilityJOBS
• disABLED Person
• Enable America.org
• Galt Foundation
• Getting Hired
• Hire Disability Solutions
• IMDiversity
• LandAJob
• Viscardi Center’s Employment Placement Services
• One More Way
• USAJobs

Job Boards for Veterans with Disabilities: 

• AMVets Job Search Site
• Job Opportunities for Disabled Veterans
• Hire Our Heroes
• Military Spouse Corporate Career Network
• Recruit Military
• Veterans Enterprise

Hiring Incentives

The employers you contact in your outreach efforts may result in your business being eligible for tax incentives. Learn about federal and state hiring incentives for employers who hire people with disabilities. Find information about hiring incentives for employers who recruit people with disabilities on EARN's Employer Incentives for Hiring People with Disabilities webpage.

Training Opportunities for Service Providers

The organizations below provide training opportunities and resources for disability and employment service providers.

• American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR): ANCOR has partnered to develop an online curriculum for direct support professionals and supervisors. The College of Direct Support, College of Employment Services and College of Frontline Supervision and Management are designed to help those who support people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities provide quality services and build rewarding careers.
• Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst (APSE): APSE has established the Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC) to oversee a certification program for employment support professionals. Job coaches, job developers, transition employment specialists, job placement personnel and employment specialists/consultants can earn the designation of Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) by passing the national CESP examination. APSE also partners with employers to help with their individual efforts. One example is its “Fruits of Employment” program, which is a partnership with TIAA and employers in the agriculture industry.
• LEAD Center: Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) is a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) policy development center. Its focus is to assist states, workforce specialists, American Job Centers and employment service providers in implementing WIOA.
• National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP): NAWDP administers the Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) credential to recognize the training, experience and expertise of professionals who—directly or indirectly—facilitate the process by which individuals identify, train for, attain and maintain employment and self-sufficiency. NAWDP offers webinars in topics relevant to workforce development and sponsors an annual conference.
• SourceAmerica: Vocational rehabilitation organizations interested in developing work opportunities by acquiring subcontracts can participate in the SourceAmerica Network. SourceAmerica works to ensure employment for people with disabilities by connecting nonprofit agencies that train and employ people with disabilities to federal and commercial contractors. Participation in the Network provides access to contract opportunities offered in the areas of products and services from the Federal Government and commercial businesses. These opportunities provide jobs for people who have significant disabilities. There is no cost to join the Network and it is not a membership organization. SourceAmerica also provides training in a variety of formats on contract management, professional development and service provision.