Staying Employed: Services and Supports for Workers With Disabilities

To obtain and maintain employment, workers with disabilities may need services and supports that are not covered by private or public health insurance plans. This study explores the services, supports, and accommodations that people with disabilities use to find and keep competitive employment; how they obtain needed supports; and the extent to which they pay out of pocket for work-related supports. We conducted an exploratory study using in-depth interviews with 15 workers with disabilities who in 2013 earned at least 250% of the poverty level, or about US$28,000 a year for a single person. Most respondents needed some supports or accommodations to sustain their employment, but on the whole, these supports were neither costly nor resource intensive for employers to provide. The most frequently used supports were assistive technology (AT), including wheelchairs, communication devices such as video relay phones, and visual aids to enhance individuals’ access to information. Respondents also used staff supports and modified work schedules. Out-of-pocket costs for services and supports used on and off the job ranged from US$0 to US$14,800 per year for personal care assistants, medical goods and services, coinsurance payments, AT, and service animals. Individual needs, the nature of the job, and the extent to which health insurance or other sources covered the costs for work-related services and supports all factored into the challenges these workers with disabilities encountered and the solutions they devised to find and keep jobs that pay at least a moderate salary.