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Employment Related Links

AbilityLinks.org
Matches job-ready people with disabilities to employers through technology.

APSE – Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst
APSE is a growing national non-profit membership organization, founded in 1988 as the Association for Persons in Supported Employment, now known as APSE. APSE is the only national organization with an exclusive focus on integrated employment and career advancement opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Our new initiative, HR Connect, offers consultation services to help businesses reach out to and partner with one of the strongest labor and customer pools in the country: the disability community.

Choose Work – Information on the Ticket to Work Program
Choose fulfillment. Choose earnings. Choose work.  Choose Work offers people with disabilities* a shot at achieving financial independence by enabling more choice in employment-related support services, and access to meaningful work.

EARN – Employer Assistance and Resource Network
Resources to help employers recruit, hire, retain and advance individuals with disabilities.

Equip for Equality – Employment Rights Information
Helpful fact sheets and information related to Employment Rights.

Essential Skills to Getting a Job: What Young People with Disabilities Need to Know
Often referred to as “soft skills”, work ethic, communication, teamwork and critical thinking are all must have’s for youth in today’s job market.

Illinois Employment First 
Illinois has adopted an Employment First policy via the Employment First Act (20 ILCS 40) in 2013.  This law states that “competitive and integrated employment shall be considered the first option when serving persons with disabilities of working age” and requires all State agencies to follow the policy as well as ensure its effective implementation within their programs and services. 

Illinois IPS – Pathways to Employment
The purpose of this program is to enhance state capacity to expand evidence-based supported employment programs for adults with mental illnesses.

Impact: Feature Issue on Employment and Women with Disabilities
The Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota provides this resource to help girls with disabilities prepare for work.

Job Accommodation Network
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is not a job placement service, but an international toll-free consulting service that provides information about job accommodations and the employability of people with disabilities.

PACER Center – Employment Stories
Videos about the world of work and careers.

PEAT – Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology
The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) is a multi-faceted initiative promoting the employment, retention, and career advancement of people with disabilities through the development, adoption, and promotion of accessible technology.

Think Work 
This site highlights the employment successes of people with Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) who are working in paid jobs in their communities. Through the use of innovative, front-line employment support practices, these individuals are earning money, forming networks, and contributing to their communities. Learn more about these people and the promising practices that led to their success.

US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
A World In Which People With Disabilities Have Unlimited Employment Opportunities

Work Incentive Planning & Assistance – WIPA
A federally funded program created to help individuals receiving SSI/SSDI make informed choices about being employed. If you are working, have a job offer or ready to start employment, we will help you understand how working will affect your benefits.

Work Incentive Planning and Assistance – Illinois 

Youth, Disclosure, and the Workplace – Why, When, What, and How
When you leave school and enter the workforce, many aspects of your life change. Among the many differences, is the requirement to share information about your disability if you want your employer to provide you with reasonable accommodations.