Employment

Employment for people with disabilities has not increased in the 20 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed. While 75% of the general population is employed, only 22% of people with disabilities are employed. The unemployment rate for the general population is 9%, while the rate for people with disabilities is close to 15%. We need to look for ways apart from the ADA to increase employment.

Approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population has hearing loss, or 28 million people, according to the National Institutes of Health. There are no solid statistics about unemployment among deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people, but experts believe it is high because of the communication barriers and discrimination in the workplace. MCDHH is committed to removing those barriers supporting or leading in different ways as outlined below.

Present

Minnesota Employment Task Force

A MCDHH task force, led by Alan Parnes, was established on September 17, 2010, to focus on deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind individuals’ unmet employment needs. This task force will address concerns in the areas of transition from school to work, job-seeking skills and placement services, maintaining employment, advancing in employment, and employment discrimination issues. Efforts will also be made to eliminate or at least reduce the high costs of interpreter or CART services when hiring and maintaining employment among deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Efforts will also focus on increasing accessibility at Workforce Centers.

State Services for the Blind (SSB) Rule-making

MCDHH is advocating for rule changes to enhance services for deafblind individuals. MCDHH attended all of the State Services for the Blind (SSB) rulemaking sessions from June 9, 2010 through August 11, 2010. MCDHH recommended that every time the rules used the words “blind or vision impaired,” that SSB add the term “deafblind.” Another recommendation was that SSB add “adjustment to deafblindness” whenever “adjustment to blindness” is used. MCDHH’s comments may be downloaded here. Rule Changes Recommended by MCDHH [169.00KB]

View an explanation of rules

View a schedule of past and future rule-making sessions

Minnesota Employment Policy Initiative (MEPI)

View MEPI site

MCDHH hosted a listening session on employment and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing on August 25, 2010, which Minnesota Employment Policy Initiative (MEPI).facilitated. Eighteen participants worked to identify strategies for increasing employment rates among individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. (A separate session focusing on individuals who are deafblind was held in February 2010.)

The listening session was one of ten planned by MEPI to develop leadership and facilitate dialogue about disability and employment policy with the goal of doubling the rate of competitive employment among Minnesotans with disabilities by 2015. Stakeholders asked MCDHH to write a proposal for a Consolidated Accommodations Fund to the Pathways to Employment, a DHS program that gets $2,000,000 a year. Consolidated Accommodations Fund Proposal to Pathways to Employment [19.73KB]

Participants were asked to vote, and five areas were identified as the top priorities:

• Pilot project funded by Pathways to Employment to address accommodations funding for promotion of hiring of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Transition services
• Systems change
• Advancement opportunities for individuals who are employed
• Engagement of employers

(The full report (Policy Brief) will be posted when it becomes available)
The report will guide MCDHH in developing goals and objectives using the new Employment Task Force structure.

Governor’s Workforce Development Council’s Disability Employment Committee

The Governor’s Workforce Development Council (GWDC) http://www.gwdc.org/ helps employers and workers develop policies that will lead to a more vibrant economy in Minnesota.

MCDHH attended meetings held by the GWDC Disability Policy Committee during 2009 and 2010, and worked collaboratively with other disability agencies to develop recommendations to increase employment for Minnesotans with disabilities. On August 9, 2010, MCDHH attended the full council meeting to urge members to adopt the recommendations. The recommendations passed unanimously. GWDC Approved Disability Public Policy Recommendations [173.50KB]

Highlights include:

• Requiring that the state set hiring goals with timelines for people with disabilities within all levels of employment in state government by enforcing Administrative Rule 3905.0600, and requiring contracts that go to workers in protected classes to include people with disabilities and businesses owned by people with disabilities.
• Eliminating disincentives for hiring people with disabilities by creating a Consolidated Accommodations Fund that would pay for accessibility costs and by making Workforce Centers accessible.
• Creating incentives for hiring people with disabilities by establishing internship programs.

The GWDC staff will attempt to have these recommendations included in the policy agenda for the next governor. Commission Member Rhonda Sivarajah serves on the GWDC. MCDHH will monitor and advocate for the implementation of these recommendations.

Past and/or Ongoing

Minnesota Employment Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

View MEC site

MCDHH worked successfully with the Minnesota Employment Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MEC) management team to convince Minnesota legislators to fund competitive and supported employment services for deaf and hard of hearing people. MCDHH continues to advocate with MEC to maintain MEC’s state funding.

VECTOR Transition Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

VECTOR, a nationally-recognized transition program offered by Intermediate School District 287 to people between the ages of 18 and 21, has served deaf and hard of hearing students in Minnesota since 1987. The program helps students increase skills and abilities within three transition areas: education and training, employment and independent living skills.

In 2007, MCDHH helped VECTOR secure state funding for sign language interpreters. This has resulted in increased referrals from school districts that previously were unable to afford tuition before the state subsidy. More than 10 districts from around the state now participate.

During the 2008-2009 academic year, MCDHH worked with MEC and VECTOR to secure grant funding for an onsite specialist to provide employment support, education and post-school follow-up. This specialist worked with both VECTOR students and recent graduates up to 25 years old who were unemployed. The program lasted only 18 months, but had a 95% success rate. Efforts are underway for new funding to ensure that the program continues.

Waiver for Commercial Vehicle Drivers

In the late 1990s, MCDHH and commission members worked with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to make rule changes resulting in qualified deaf and hard of hearing persons being allowed to drive commercial vehicles within Minnesota.
View DOT site (scroll down to “Deaf/Hard of Hearing”)
Download DOT PDF

Waiver for Type III Bus Vehicles

In 2008, lawmakers realized that there were no requirements for Type III bus drivers. A driver was not tested for drugs, and an accident took place in which he and a girl died. As a result, legislation was passed requiring Type III drivers to take a physical that followed federal requirements. One of the requirements was a hearing test, which meant deaf and hard of hearing employees at schools serving deaf and hard of hearing children were not allowed to drive. In 2009, MCDHH successfully advocated for legislation allowing deaf or hard of hearing drivers to operate Type III buses, such as minivans.