FINAL REPORT - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
FINAL REPORT
Accessing the World of Work: Concerns of African Americans with
Disabilities Actively Seeking Employment
Kimberly Hall M. A. and Fabricio Balcazar, Ph.D.
University of Illinois at Chicago
Submitted to the
Disability Research Institute
July 1, 2005
The work presented here was performed pursuant to a grant (10-P-98360-5-047) from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) funded as part of the Disability Research Institute. The opinions and conclusions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and should not be construed as representing the opinions or policy of SSA or any agency of the Federal Government.
Abstract
The Concerns Report Method, a participatory needs assessment technique, was used to identify the major employment strengths and problems among a sample of African Americans with disabilities living in an urban, Midwestern city. First, a working group of 10 African Americans with disabilities selected 30 items that represented important issues from the Employment Concerns Index to include on the survey. Next, the resulting survey was administered to 210 respondents recruited from a local job fair and four local offices of the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, who ranked each issue in terms of importance and satisfaction. These rankings were analyzed in order to ascertain the top employment strengths and problems. The strengths identified suggest that there is a great deal of self-confidence regarding employment among members of this group and that overall, they are satisfied with the quality of education and job training available to them. The problems suggest the need for improved relationships with rehabilitation counselors and prospective employers, and access to financial support for needs such as health insurance, educational costs, and work-related expenses when starting a new job. These findings were presented in a town hall meeting that was held to allow participants and professionals in the field an opportunity to provide their insights on the major issues and to suggest alternatives for addressing the problems identified through the survey. A Concerns Report was prepared to document the entire process and the outcomes corresponding outcomes.
Productive gainful employment is essential to the well being of Americans and their families. Yet, more than two thirds of working-age Americans who have disabilities are not part of the labor force, meaning they are neither working nor looking for work (La Plante, Kennedy, Kaye, & Wenger, 1996). Furthermore, among people with disabilities who are labor force participants, the 13% unemployment rate is more than double the rate for people without disabilities (5.6%). In all, only 28% of working-age people with disabilities have jobs (4.7 out of 16.9 million), compared to 76% of those without disabilities (La Plante, Kennedy, Kaye, & Wenger, 1996). Among African Americans with disabilities who are overrepresented among the general population of people with disabilities, as well as those receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration, less than 20% are employed (Belgrave, 1998). Notwithstanding these facts, there is both anecdotal and empirical evidence which suggests that the majority of people with disabilities, including African Americans, want to work (Belgrave, 1998; Harris, 1986, 1995).
There may be several reasons why people with disabilities are not working. For some, the severity of their impairments may prohibit them from working. While others may simply lack the human capital (skills, education, and experience) necessary to be competitive in the labor market. Alternatively, for some, the physical and social barriers in the environment may be insurmountable. The current study sought to shed light on the irony of why significant numbers of African Americans with disabilities who want to work and feel that they have the capacity to work remain unemployed or underemployed. The goal of this study was to identify the employment needs of African Americans with disabilities who are actively seeking employment.
This study builds on previous research conducted by the current investigators (Hall & Balcazar, 2001). In an earlier study, a series of three focus groups were conducted with African Americans recruited from a job fair for people with disabilities in Chicago to focus on the issues they encountered and their experiences in the employment-seeking process. The goal of the study was to identify supports and barriers to employment. Through a content analysis of the focus group transcripts, several themes emerged which were classified as supports or barriers. Issues that were raised consistently in one or more of the focus groups were considered important themes.
The supports to employment that were identified included (a) receiving social support from family and friends; (b) being comfortable asking for formal and informal support; (c) having knowledge of and access to employment and/or vocational services; (d) having positive and productive relationships with rehabilitation counselors and/or other service providers; (e) having knowledge of, and preferably experience, navigating social service bureaucracies to get needed services and resources; (f) having access to a privately-owned vehicle; (g) having access to transportation assistance through the paratransit system; and (g) having strong spiritual beliefs and values. It is important to note that it was seldom the case that every participant had access to these supports. On the contrary, the majority of strengths were identified because the focus group participants consistently referred to them as things that would have been helpful in their efforts to obtain employment.
Barriers to employment were: (a) discrimination and negative treatment by employers and service providers (participants gave examples which suggested this could be due to their age, disability, and/or race), (b) limited and/or accessible transportation; (c) the absence of formal networks and sufficient outreach on the part of service providers to obtain information about opportunities for services and employment; (d) limited opportunities to participate in decision-making regarding training and education options; (e) inadequate evaluations and assessments; (f) limited job placement opportunities; (g) lack of resources for childcare; (h) and fear of losing health insurance and Social Security benefits.
The supports and barriers identified through this study provide insight into the experiences and challenges encountered by African Americans with disabilities in the process of becoming employable and when they look for work. This study served as a springboard for the current investigation in that it confirms the need for a better understanding of the low rates of employment among African Americans with disabilities. The current study attempts to validate these qualitative findings in a larger sample using a quantitative measure and to extend this earlier research by seeking the insight of the community in developing recommendations.
The Concerns Report Method
The Concerns Report Method (CRM) (Schriner & Fawcett, 1988a, 1988b), a technique for conducting participatory needs assessments, was employed in the current investigation to identify the major issues affecting employment among African Americans with disabilities. The CRM has its roots in the ideologies and practices of action research (Lewin, 1944), community development (Spiegel, 1979), and community organizing (Alinsky, 1971). It promotes consumer involvement in identifying issues of importance, evaluating current conditions, and suggesting recommendations for addressing the identified issues (Fawcett, Seeking, Whang, Muiu, & Suarez de Balcazar, 1982).
The CRM was developed in response to the perception that needs assessments rely too heavily on service providers, program administrators, researchers and other experts to specify what will be judged and how judgments will be made (Schriner & Fawcett, 1988a). Needs assessment surveys typically contain questions of interest to the agency administrators or the survey designers and ask only about the need for services that are already available or those being considered. They usually fail to inquire about the relative importance of the services in question, and often inquire about citizen satisfaction with only limited aspects of the community, limiting the usefulness of the needs assessment. Community surveys are similarly limited in that even though they are able to provide some indication of current satisfaction with predetermined aspects of the community, they give little guidance with respect to the possible steps to address satisfaction. In contrast, the CRM enables citizens to specify the issues to be considered and their degree of importance and satisfaction (Schriner & Fawcett, 1988a, 1988b). This dual appraisal of the relative importance and satisfaction of various issues facilitates the development of recommendations for building on and improving local conditions. These recommendations are derived from, and reflect, shared community perspectives on which conditions are important.
Previous research demonstrates that the CRM is a reliable and valid technique for identifying strengths and problems from the perspective of consumers. It has been used successfully to develop action agendas for poverty clients of a local human service agency (Seekins & Fawcett, 1987), patients, staff, and guardians of psychiatric institutions (Fawcett, Muiu, Seekins, Whang, Fletcher, & Hannah, 1982), families with disabled children, and persons with physical disabilities (Fawcett et al, 1986). A review of reliability and validity assessments that have been conducted are included in the method section that follows.
Although the CRM was originally developed to identify concerns regarding community life in general, it has been used with a variety of groups to identify major employment concerns. Researchers have used the CRM to identify the employment needs of college students with disabilities (Schriner & Roessler, 1990), deaf university students (Schriner, Roessler, & Raymer, 1991), people with head injuries (Roessler, Schriner, & Price, 1992), members of the Epilepsy Foundation of America (Roessler, Schriner, & Troxell, 1990), people with multiple sclerosis (Rumrill, Roessler, Koch, 1999), people who are blind or visually impaired (Gillies, Knight & Baglioni, 1998; Wolffe, Roessler, & Schriner, 1992) and people with spina bifida (Schriner, Roessler & Johnson; 1993).
As used in this study, the method includes four basic elements: (a) an Employment Concerns Index (item pool) from which a unique set of survey items is selected; (b) an Employment Concerns Survey consisting of the items selected by a working group of individuals with characteristics representative of the larger community formatted to gather importance and satisfaction ratings for each item; (c) data analysis and a corresponding report identifying the major strengths and problems; and (d) a town hall meeting in which participants provide their interpretation of strengths and problems and suggest actions that might be taken to address them.
Methods
Consistent with the CRM, this study was conducted in three phases. During the first phase, a working-group of African Americans with disabilities selected survey items. During the second phase, the survey was administered and major concerns were identified. In the final phase, concerns were defined from the perspective of consumers and recommendations for addressing the major concerns were generated during a town hall meeting. For ease of presentation and understanding, the method for each phase will be described separately.
Phase I
Participants
The working group was comprised of 10 African Americans with disabilities. Of the 10 working group members, five had a physical disability, one had a sensory disability, one had a learning disability, one had a mental illness, and two had multiple disabilities. Three working group members had congenital disabilities, while three suddenly acquired a disability and the other four developed disabilities over time. Working group members ranged in age from 20 to 57, yet almost half were between 35 and 45. There were an equal number of males and females. All ten working group members had at least a high school diploma. Six had some post-secondary education or training (i.e., college, vocational or technical) and two earned a degree or certificate. All but two had worked before.
Recruitment
Working group members were recruited from a pool of 22 participants from a previous focus group study conducted by the researchers on barriers to employment among African Americans with disabilities (Hall & Balcazar, 2001). The participants for the focus group study were recruited at a citywide job fair for people with disabilities in November of 2000. Working group members for the current study were selected with the goal of including individuals with a range of ages, disability types, levels of education and disability onset circumstances. Gender and work history were also considered. Potential group members were contacted, given a description of the study, and participation was requested. All of the individuals contacted agreed to participate.
Instrument
Developed by the authors for use in this study, the Employment Concerns Index was adapted from the broader Community Concerns Index (Schriner & Fawcett, 1988a, 1988b). The index consisted of 150 items which integrates core human values such as freedom, justice and self-esteem in statements related to employment. The foundations for these statements were important issues identified in the literature review for this study and the findings from the focus group study described above (Hall & Balcazar, 2001). One item, for example, “You are not discriminated against in the employment process (application, interviewing, hiring, etc.)” relates the notion of justice to employer practices.
Procedure
Once participants for the working-group were identified, they were mailed the following: (a) a letter describing the purpose of the study and the survey development process, (b) the Employment Concerns Index, (c) the logistics and agenda for the working group meeting, and (d) contact information. The letter asked that they select 20 items reflecting their top concerns with a focus on both problems and strengths. They were also given the option to nominate items that were not included on the index and/or to reword any item in the index.
Working group members submitted their selections upon arrival to the working group session. The meeting began with introductions, a description of the study, and an overview of the Concerns Report Method. Participants were also provided with a sample survey and a sample 1-page Concerns Report to demonstrate how the survey would ultimately be formatted and how strengths and problems are identified. Following this general overview, participants completed a demographic sheet and ate the meal that was provided.
Meanwhile, the nominated items were organized and compiled to facilitate the discussion and final item selection that would follow. Items were organized based on the categories from the index and ordered based on the number of times they were nominated. A 2-hour discussion in which participants debated whether or not nominated items were important enough to include on the survey followed. Through a structured process of elimination, thirty items were selected for inclusion on the survey. At the end of the working group session, working-group members received a $50 cash stipend as compensation for their time and expertise.
Phase II
Participants
The sample for this phase of the study was comprised of 210 African-American adults with disabilities living in Chicago. In addition to being African American and having a disability, the criteria for participation included: (a) being working-age (i.e., between the ages of 16 and 64), and (b) seeking employment. Individuals engaged in the following activities met the study definition of seeking employment: conducting job searches, applying and interviewing for jobs, receiving job training, awaiting job placement, presently working but seeking alternative or additional employment, and/or receiving vocational rehabilitation services.
Table 1 presents the demographic characteristics of the sample. The mean age of survey respondents was 37.38, slightly more of whom were male (58%). The majority were not married (74%). Just over half had one or more children, and less than half of that group (or 24% of the overall sample) had dependent children. Only 9% of those with children indicated that they would have difficulty securing childcare if they were working. About 30% lived alone, 60% lived with others in a house or apartment and just over 10% were in a group living arrangement. The majority of the respondents had at least a high school diploma (80%) and almost half (47%) reported at least some college. More than half of the respondents reported having two or more disabling conditions. The disability type identified as the one that most affected ability to work was physical disability, followed by cognitive, sensory and mental. The majority reported that their disability developed over time, 27% had a congenital disability and 22% acquired a disability suddenly. The most commonly reported source of income was SSI or SSDI benefits from the Social Security Administration (55%), followed by work, family and/or self-employment. The primary mode of transportation for almost two-thirds of the sample was public transportation buses and trains, 23% used their own vehicle, and only 10% used the paratransit service.
The vocational and rehabilitation characteristics of the sample are presented in Table 2. Ninety-three percent of survey respondents were actively seeking employment; a quarter of whom were already working at the time, but still seeking additional employment. Almost 15% had never been employed. Nearly 80% of those who became disabled after birth had work experience prior to the disability. Of those with previous work experience, 65% felt that they had the capacity to do the same type of work. Just over a third of the respondents had been looking for work a year or more. Of those who were not working, more than half had been out of work for over a year. Less than 10% felt their disability limited their ability to get a job “a lot,” and 23% felt they were not limited at all. Meanwhile, more than a third felt their disability “somewhat” limited their ability to keep a job. Almost 60% of the respondents had participated in vocational rehabilitation before, and 36% were presently receiving services.
Recruitment
Two primary recruitment strategies were used to identify participants. The first strategy was to identify potiential participants at city-wide job fairs for people with disabilities by distributing study flyers to African American job fair attendees and requesting participation (see Appendix B). Forty-five participants were recruited using this strategy. The second strategy was to recruit through the local offices of the Division of Rehabilitation Services. For this strategy, techniques used to recruit participants included counselor referrals and direct solicitation during job club meetings. One hundred and sixty five participants were recruited using this strategy.
Measures
Employment Concerns Survey (ECS). This 50-item survey (see Appendix C) was designed specifically for use in this study. It contains two sections: (1) demographics and (2) employment concerns (Appendix D). A description of each section follows.
(1). The demographic section consists of 20 items designed to obtain the background characteristics of the respondents. They include such items as age, gender, living arrangement, educational attainment, employment status, disability type and onset, and sources of income. Data obtained from this section of the survey was used to provide descriptive information about the sample.
(2). The employment concerns section contains the 30 items selected from the index by the working group. Some items were taken verbatim from the index, and others were edited to better reflect the experiences and vocabulary of the population. Each item is formatted so that it rated along two-five point dimensions, importance and satisfaction. Importance refers to the significance of an employment concern (from very important to not at all important). Satisfaction ratings indicate the extent to which the respondents feel that the concern has been met in his or her life (from very satisfied to not at all satisfied). For the item “Employers give you the same consideration as people without disabilities,” respondents would first indicate how important it is to them that employers treat people with and without disabilities equally and then whether in their experience they found this to be true. Items with high importance and high satisfaction ratings are considered strengths. Those with high importance and low satisfaction ratings are considered problems.
No formal “cognitive testing” of the instrument was conducted. However, the working group component of the CRM ensures that members of the group being targeted by the needs assessment (i.e., African Americans with disabilities looking for work) decide which items to include in the questionnaire, and how the items should be worded. Further, after the items were selected by the working group, a pilot test of the instrument was conducted with five 18- and 19-year-old youth with significant learning disabilities who were participants in an intervention being conducted by the principal investigator. Face validity was examined by obtaining opinions from three experts working with people with disabilities as to whether the questionnaire appeared to investigate consumer concerns about obtaining employment. These experts also examined the wording of items for comprehension difficulties that might be encountered by individuals with limited reading ability and/or cognitive disabilities. Based on the feedback provided by the pilot test participants and the three reviewers, changes were made to improve the readability of some questionnaire items and we decided to provide specific instructions and examples prior to administering the questionnaire.
Procedures
Upon enrollment in the study, participants went through the consent process and were required to give written informed consent. Once the surveys were distributed, instructions and examples for the concern items were provided. Participants then completed the surveys independently, with completion time ranging from 30 to 90 minutes. Before the questionnaires were accepted, they were reviewed by project staff to address any potential problems (e.g., incompleteness, inconsistencies and inappropriate responses). Survey respondents were given $15 compensation and were reimbursed $5 for transportation costs.
Settings
Participation in this study occurred in three types of settings. For those, who participated via mail, the survey was most likely completed in their homes, though this information was not specifically requested. The second type of setting was a meeting/conference room at four local offices of the Division of Rehabilitation Services. The third setting was unique to those participants recruited at the job fair. Those individuals completed the survey at the site of the job fair in an area designated for workshops that included tables and chairs.
Data Analysis
The goal of conducting a needs assessment using the CRM is to identify the top issues (i.e., strengths and problems) affecting a particular group from the perspective of members of that group. The method itself dictates the process for analyzing data. This process is based on the format developed by Don Bushell at the University of Kansas for the School Clients’ Annual Local Evaluation (S.C.A.L.E) as depicted by Schriner & Fawcett (1988a, 1988b).
When using the CRM, data are analyzed by computing mean importance and satisfaction ratings for each survey item. These importance and satisfaction ratings (i.e., 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4) are then converted to % importance and % satisfaction ratings using the following formula: [(n1(0) + n2(1) + n3(2) + n4(3) + n5(4)] / [N(4)x 100] = % [where n1(0) is computed by multiplying the number of 0 ratings (n1) for that item times zero]. These percentage ratings (where 100% is the highest possible importance/satisfaction score and 0% is the lowest) are understandable to consumers and are presented in a table of mean rankings for importance and satisfaction (Schriner & Fawcett, 1988b). To identify strengths and problems once percentage ratings are calculated, items are rank ordered, first by importance, then by satisfaction. This process achieves the goal of identifying major issues of concern to the group being targeted.
A one-page narrative report is also prepared. The report summarizes the top strengths (items with high importance and high satisfaction) and problems (items with high importance and low satisfaction) as identified by the survey respondents. It is also used to advertise the town hall meeting in which the results are discussed.
Phase III
Participants
There were 28 attendees at the Town Hall meeting. Among the 28 attendees, were 20 survey respondents, three rehabilitation counselors, one administrator from the Illinois Department of Human Services, and four members of the Advocacy and Empowerment Program staff.
Recruitment
Survey respondents who attended the meeting were recruited from a list of those interested in learning of the results from the survey. This list was generated in phase II, based on those respondents who indicated on the consent form that they were interested in finding out the survey results. Each survey respondent who expressed an interest was mailed an invitation to the town hall meeting. Counselors and administrators from the four Division of Rehabilitation Service offices where participants were recruited were also invited to the meeting.
Procedure
During the meeting, the top employment concerns identified through the survey were presented for discussion and generation of recommendations. The meeting began with introductions, followed by a brief overview of the study and the procedure, and a description of the purpose and goals of the town hall meeting. Attendees then discussed the strengths and problems one at a time and generated possible alternatives and recommendations to address them. For each problem, attendees were to describe the problem, clarify why it is a problem and what could be done to improve it. The discussion of strengths was very brief since the majority of the time was focused on the problems. A member of the Advocacy and Empowerment Program staff took notes to document the discussion that ensued. At the end of this phase, a Concerns Report was prepared (see Appendix D).
Validity and Reliability of the Concerns Report Method
The CRM is by nature an applied and action-oriented technique. As such, it has not been subjected to the level of rigorous reliability and validity testing that would be expected in academic contexts. Its users rely primarily on anecdotal information to assess its soundness. There is, however, an early application of the CRM with a neighborhood improvement association conducted by the developers, Schriner and Fawcett (1988a), that assessed the validity and reliability of the concerns report methodology.
Construct Validity
The construct validity of the CRM, which refers to the adequacy of the assessment instrument in measuring the elements of the psychological construct it is intended to measure, was assessed favorably based on three aspects of the method that bear a judgment about the method’s adequacy in measuring community concerns: (a) the index from which concerns are selected; (b) the report of the concerns; and (c) the users’ evaluations of the method. According to the study’s authors, “the use of a conceptual matrix relating values to community functioning, a comprehensive literature review, and interviews with experts combine to represent a compelling approach to the definition of the construct referred to as community concerns” (Schriner & Fawcett, 1988a, p. 311). Further, the developers assert that the process of allowing participants to select survey items and requiring ratings of both importance and satisfaction increase the chances that important concerns with high and low levels of satisfaction will be reported as problems and strengths, respectively. Their assessment of the CRM also identified the expressed satisfaction of local residents that the report resulting from the survey represented a complete and accurate identification of neighborhood strengths and problems as a further indication that the method provides a valid assessment of the construct.
Content Validity
Schriner and Fawcett (1988a) refer to two kinds of information that pertain to the content validity of the CRM: (a) judgments of the process used to develop the survey and (b) judgments about the completeness and representativeness of the Concerns Index from which survey items are chosen. The survey development process allows participants to select items from the Concerns Index and use verbatim wording of the items, revise the wording, or add items to reflect local concerns. In their assessment, Schriner and Fawcett (1988a) found that three working group members rated the helpfulness of the index at 100% and their satisfaction with the survey preparation process at 100%. Professionals who judged the index rated the completeness and representativeness of the index at 88%. The authors concluded that the ratings which suggested the completeness and usefulness of the index support their contention that the CRM adequately samples the construct of local strengths and problems.
Internal Validity
To arrive at a measure of internal validity, Schriner and Fawcett (1988a) compared a Neighborhood Quality Index to respondents’ ratings on the survey question reading “Overall, this neighborhood is a good place to live.” The Neighborhood Quality Index was determined by computing a mean satisfaction score for the nine (approximately 20%) of the survey items rated highest in importance by neighborhood residents. The Neighborhood Quality Index was 68%, whereas mean satisfaction for the single survey question on overall satisfaction was 78%. They concluded that the ratings show somewhat consistent satisfaction measures for items of similar importance, suggesting the internal validity of the instrument
Concurrent Validity
To determine the concurrent validity of the method, Schriner and Fawcett (1988a) compared the results of a neighborhood-wide survey conducted by the City Planning Department to the results from the CRM. The comparison showed that 75% (9 out of 12) of the strengths and problems identified in the one half page CRM appeared in the city’s 11 page report as satisfactory or unsatisfactory aspects of the community respectively. The correspondence between the measurements using different instruments confirmed their contention that the CRM has concurrent validity in identifying aspects of the community that residents are satisfied or displeased with.
Social Validity
Social validity refers to the social importance of goals, procedures, or effects of an intervention (Wolf, 1978). This form of validity involves consumers’ opinions about the significance of, and satisfaction with, the work in question. In the Schriner and Fawcett study (1988a), community members who attended the meeting to discuss the problems and strengths identified in the report rated the report in three ways: 88% useful in planning, 80% effective as a method for gathering opinions about community concerns, and 91% satisfaction with the procedure used to identify local strengths and problems. The high ratings of the report by community members suggest that the CRM’s output (i.e., the Concerns Report) was useful in achieving the goal of setting an action agenda and provides evidence of the CRM’s social importance.
Test-Retest Reliability
Test-retest reliability was examined by administering the concerns survey at two different times and by examining the similarity of measures for each administration. A random sample of the neighborhood association was selected to rate the survey items on two different occasions. Three days elapsed between survey administrations. Ninety-nine percent of the importance ratings and 98% of the satisfaction rating varied not at all or by only one rating point (e.g., from 4 to 3) from the first to the second administration. A comparison was also made of the mean importance and satisfaction ratings for each survey item from the first to second administration. For the mean importance ratings, 58% of the items changed 5% or less; and 91% change 15% or less over two survey administrations. Similarly, for the mean satisfaction ratings, 43% of the survey items changed 5% or less, and 89% changed 15% or less over two survey administrations. The results suggest the ability of the survey to measure the same perception at more than one time and the similarity of agendas derived from repeated administrations.
Results
The findings presented in this section are from Phases II (i.e., the Employment Concerns Survey) and III (i.e., the town hall meeting). It should be noted that the results from Phase I are the items selected by the working group which appear on the survey (see Appendix C). Table 3 presents the mean importance and satisfaction scores of the 30 survey items expressed as a percentage. The relatively moderate importance ratings across the items in Table 3 indicate that, in general, the working group selected items regarded as important by African Americans with disabilities. However, the moderate rather than high (above 85%), ratings of importance suggests a fair amount of variation among respondents in terms of what employment issues should be at the forefront. This is not surprising given the diversity of the sample on a number of attributes, including disability type. Indeed, this investigation is unique in that it looks at employment concerns across disability type. Past applications of the CRM tend be focus on the employment concerns of individuals in the same disability category.
Employment Strengths
Five survey items were identified as employment strengths (see Table 4). Taken together, these strengths reflect two themes—self-confidence and satisfaction with tangible resources. Employment issues that reflect the self-confidence theme are confidence in potential to work, being qualified for jobs that pay more than minimum wage, and being able to do work that does not interfere with one’s disability. The high importance and satisfaction ratings of these items suggests that African Americans with disabilities who are actively looking for work have considerable self-assurance when it comes to their qualifications, potential, and ability to work.
During the discussion of these strengths in the town hall meeting, survey respondents indicated that even though having a disability limited what they could do, they were still capable of working productively. Some participants in the town hall meeting pointed out that having confidence in themselves helped them to cope with negativity from employers, potential employers, and service providers. Suggestions for ensuring the positive impact of these beliefs include: (a) reflecting self-confidence through actions, especially with service providers and employers; (b) ensuring that perceptions of self are grounded in reality, and if not, working towards improvement; (c) encouraging and supporting the development of such confidence in peers; (d) effectively communicating the need for service providers to recognize and reinforce positive self images; and (e) using these beliefs as motivation to overcome barriers to employment.
The other issues that were considered strengths by African American with disabilities looking for work relate to the quality of or satisfaction with resources. These resources include education, job training, and transportation. According to the town hall meeting attendees, receiving quality education and/or training is essential to being competitive in the labor market. They reason that being prepared for a job through education or training opens the door to more employment opportunities and higher wages. Those who had actually attended school or received job training were pleased with their experiences. Programs that provided placement assistance in addition to job training were viewed most favorably. Advice for expanding this strength included: (a) individuals who go to school or receive training should communicate their success and satisfaction to decision makers and service providers so they are more aware of the positive impacts; (b) they should also advocate that more opportunities be extended to others; (c) agencies such as the Department of Rehabilitation should continue to support customers who want to go to school; (d) there should be more financial support and increased accessibility to assist more people with paying for higher education; . that their be more paid job training opportunities, and that training programs focus on jobs that are in demand in the current market.
Another strength that facilitates employment is having reliable transportation. This applied to both participants who had their own vehicles and those who could access the public transportation system. Town hall meeting participants pointed that living in Chicago was an advantage since the local transportation authority provides relatively comprehensive coverage to most destinations in the city. Recommendations for enhancing this strength were: (a) for individuals with and without cars to pursue efforts to form carpools; (b) to advocate for increased accessibility of public transportation for individuals with physical impairments, including bus lifts and accessible elevated trains stations; and (c) to organize in order to advocate for better transportation to and around the suburbs of Chicago.
Employment Problems
Six survey items were classified as employment problems (see Table 4). Three of these barriers to employment are evidence of the low income status of many African Americans with disabilities. Concerns about having adequate health insurance and being able to pay for education-related expenses (e.g. college applications, tuition, books, supplies, etc.), and costs associated with starting a new job (e.g., work attire and transportation) were all identified as factors that negatively impact employment status. So, despite their relatively optimistic view of the quality of certain resources, the respondents simultaneously expressed a need for financial assistance with accessing those resources. Town hall meeting attendees offered alternatives for dealing with each of these issues. In terms of health care insurance, they suggested: (a) compiling a directory of free or low-cost health care providers; (b) increased education about the availability of supplemental insurance; (c) obtaining accurate information from benefit specialists about the availability of coverage for people with disabilities who are working; (d) the formation of health insurance cooperatives; (e) taking advantage of state insurance commission offices to address problems with insurance companies; (f) lobbying government officials about health care issues; and (g) the formation of a consumer group to advocate for national health insurance.
To address the problem of not being able to afford costs associated with attending college, meeting participants recommended that consumers increase their awareness of the resources available to them (from the Department of Education and their state VR agency for example). It was also suggested that rehabilitation counselors and others be more aware of and responsive to this issue. Not only can they educate consumers on what’s available to them, but they are often the ones who make decisions about whether education services will be provided.
Participants in the town hall meeting explained that their inability to pay for transportation, work clothes and other expenses when starting a new job was a barrier to employment. The suggestions for remedying this problem included: (a) increasing customer awareness about the assistance available through state VR agencies; (b) service providers being more consistent about providing assistance with transportation and work clothes; (c) self-advocating for resources when they are not offered; (d) consumers organizing and requesting assistance with needed resources from appropriate agencies; (e) better money management on the part of people with disabilities; and (f) borrowing money from members of personal network.
The shortage of transportation available to the suburban areas of Chicago was also considered a major barrier to employment since that is where many jobs are located. Town hall meeting participants described a situation in which the major public transportation system does not offer service in the suburbs and the suburban bus system has limited night and weekend hours, in addition to its limitations in terms of the areas that are served. Suggestions for remedying this problem included trying to form carpools, requesting that large employers develop shuttle systems for employees, becoming subscription paratransit riders, and forming a local task force on transportation that can decide what is needed and fight for it.
The final two concerns provide a glimpse of the interpersonal challenges encountered by people with disabilities. First, respondents were concerned that employers fail to follow up with them after they have applied or interviewed for a job. Town hall meeting participants expressed their beliefs that employers are not receptive to hiring people with disabilities and that people with disabilities are not aware of their rights to non-disclosure of their disability status. It was their opinion that this situation ultimately leads to people with disabilities not being called back after applying or interviewing and/or being passed over for jobs. Recommendations for addressing this problem: (a) job applicants being proactive about convincing employers of their abilities and qualifications; (b) job applicants being more assertive about following up with employers; (c) better consumer education about non-disclosure rights; (d) job-seekers should pursue employment with companies that have reputations for fairness and hiring people with disabilities; (e) better employer education about the incentives for hiring people with disabilities; (f) advocacy groups need to encourage and assist disabled job applicants in enforcing laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination agencies people with disabilities; and (g) employers who discriminate against people with disabilities should be reported to the EEOC.
The competence and professionalism of service providers was also viewed as a barrier to employment. Dimensions of this problem include new counselors learning on the job at the expense of their clients, counselors not treating their clients with respect, counselors being inconsistent in providing and making referrals for services, a lack of clarity on the role of the counselor, and changes being made in agency policies, services available, and counselors without notification being given to clients. Suggestions given for addressing these issues included: (a) increasing consumer awareness about the Client Assistance Program; (b) service provider training in cultural sensitivity; (c) having consumer representatives who can meet with agency staff to advocate for their interests; (d) providers and clients making their expectations explicit at the onset of the relationship; and (e) all clients should receive written notification of changes in counselors, agency policies and available services.
Discussion
This report summarizes data on employment concerns collected from 210 African American with disabilities. The goal of the investigation was to identify the major issues that affect employment among African Americans with disabilities who are looking for work. This study sought to determine which factors were considered strengths that supported their efforts and which were considered problems or needs that should be addressed in order to improve their likelihood of employment success. Through the use of the CRM, this study has been able to document the perspectives of African Americans with disabilities who were actively seeking employment in a large urban city. Although the recruitment strategies used in this study reduced the likelihood that people not using the services of the Office of Rehabilitation Services would respond, the data are important because they represent a first step in understanding the needs of this group.
African Americans with disabilities regard matters affecting their employment status as important, ranging from broader concerns such as adequate health insurance and confidence in their ability to work to more specific issues such as accessing jobs outside the inner city and obtaining financial support for postsecondary education. From an importance standpoint, service providers and policymakers could consider all of the items included in the survey as valid directions for their efforts to better serve African Americans with disabilities.
The employment concerns data suggest several observations. First, African Americans seem to view as strengths the opportunities that higher education provides them, but they are nonetheless greatly concerned about their limited access to these opportunities because they lack the necessary financial resources. Concerns about the costs of higher education are not unique to African Americans with disabilities. In fact, other studies some of which employed the CRM (e.g., Schriner & Roessler, 1989, 1990; Schriner, Roessler, & Raymer, 1991), have obtained similar findings. However, this finding is particularly disturbing when viewed in light of the fact that past research has shown that compared to European Americans with disabilities, African Americans with disabilities enter the vocational rehabilitation system with less formal education (e.g., Atkins & Wright, 1980; Feist-Price, 1995) and are less likely to receive college/university assistance from state VR agencies (e.g., Atkins & Wright, 1980; Bolton & Cooper, 1980; Feist-Price, 1995; Wheaton, Finch, Wilson & Granello 1997; Wheaton, Wilson & Brown, 1995, 1996). If policymakers and agency administrators can agree that a college education is critical to workers’ ability to compete in the job market, the relatively consistent finding in VR research that African Americans enter and leave the state VR less educated than their European American counterparts needs to be addressed. If, as it appears, African Americans turn to state VR agencies for support and help in dealing with challenges in obtaining employment, they must be willing and able to address the desire and need to pursue higher education. Clearly, more resources are needed so that all who would like to pursue education and training have access, especially since others regard their experiences as positive and beneficial.
The positive self-belief held by African Americans with disabilities is another area that can either be supported and reinforced or threatened depending upon the actions of service providers, employers, and others in positions of power. Already, those who are unemployed use their positive self beliefs to help keep them going when they encounter disappointment and rejection from employers and/or service providers. While those who are employed, believed their self-confidence was a contributing factor to their success. This is supported by past research that points to self-concept and confidence as variables predictive of the employment success of African Americans with disabilities (e.g., Belgrave & Walker, 1991; Wilson, 1988).
Others have found that people with disabilities tend to emphasize capabilities and capacities as opposed to needs and deficiencies being emphasized by providers. It should be noted however, that during the Town Hall meeting attendees acknowledged the benefit of having self-confidence, but cautioned against having unrealistic beliefs about qualifications for work and abilities regarding work. Their suggestions was that African Americans with disabilities strive for improvement whenever possible and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. One implication of this finding for rehabilitation counselors and other service providers is that greater attention and emphasis should be placed on issues of self-esteem and how they can be appreciated and enhanced when necessary.
Results also indicate that survey respondents were confident they would have reliable transportation to and from work should they become employed. This was particularly interesting given that “transportation to places where the jobs are (like the suburbs)” was viewed as a problem. What appears to be an inconsistency, more likely reflects the unique nature of public transportation in the Chicagoland area. Specifically, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), which operates public buses and trains, services most areas of the city during all hours of night and day at a reasonable cost, while the Pace Bus Company that operates in the suburban areas has very limited routing and hours. In other words, people feel they could use public transportation to get to a job in the city, but that many available jobs are located in the suburbs where access to transportation is much more limited for those without cars.
African Americans with disabilities perceived additional problems related to the need for resources. Specifically, being able to afford costs associated with starting a new job, such as transportation and work clothes was identified as a problem encountered before new employees receive their first paycheck. According to participants at the Town Hall meeting, assistance with these costs is provided by state-rehabilitation agencies, but it appears inconsistent and given at the discretion of individual counselors on a case-by-case basis. The need for adequate health insurance once people with disabilities are employed is another resource issue. This concern has been identified in previous research among members of other disability groups (Roessler, Schriner, & Troxell, 1989; Schriner, Roessler, & Raymer, 1990). Loss of health insurance coverage has long been viewed as a disincentive to employment among recipients of Social Security benefits.
Despite the positive beliefs of African Americans about their qualifications and potential to work, they are greatly concerned that employers do not appear to hold similar views. Some respondents reportedly have encountered or expect to encounter discrimination in hiring if employers know about their disability status. Even though people with disabilities do not have to disclose their disability status, many are not aware of this. For others, particularly those with physical disabilities, employers can see that they have a disability even if they choose not to disclose this. Continued consumer and employer education is needed regarding protections in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for people with disabilities against discrimination in hiring practices.
It is noteworthy that African Americans see the Office of Rehabilitation Services (VR) as an important source of support and a resource for meeting vocational needs. However, it is disconcerting that they do not feel the agency is as effective in providing direct assistance with employment. A very important principle of the process of VR service provision concerning who is responsible for “getting” the client a job is often misunderstood by consumers and/ not well-articulated by case managers. Most consumers would obviously prefer to have the job given to them. Actually, this is one of the main challenges of VR service provision: to help the consumer understand that they have to play an active role and responsibility for generating desired outcomes. Helping consumers understand what the agency can and can not do for them is very important, and should be a goal of counselors at the outset of the relationship.
Future research should focus on gaining more information about the perceptions of employers and service providers about employment opportunities for African Americans with disabilities who want to work. Such information would be invaluable for addressing the issue of unemployment and underemployment among African Americans with disabilities in the future. If consumers, employers, and service providers have vastly different views of the access that African Americans with disabilities have to employment, then considerable work would need to be undertaken to address the differences in perception among the key stakeholders. If perceptions among consumers, service providers, and employers are incongruent, work to improve access to employment for African Americans with disabilities will be minimally effective.
Implications for SSA
Facilitating the transition to work for people with disabilities by removing the barriers to seeking and retaining employment is a high-priority policy issue for the Social Security Administration (SSA). Recent changes in Social Security programs have attempted to remove disincentives associated with entitlement programs such as cash payments and medical coverage in order to ease the transition to work for SSI and SSDI recipients. However, this study seems to suggest that information concerning the removal of disincentives is not reaching the African American disabled community. In fact, concerns about having adequate health insurance while working was just one of the problems identified. The SSA should examine their strategies for distributing information about current initiatives (e.g., The Ticket to Work Program) in African American and other communities of color to ensure that recipients are aware of, understand and have access to the services and resources available to them. It may not be sufficient to send written material. Perhaps more innovative techniques that take advantage of other modes of communication such as radio and television should be devised.
It is also advised that the SSA pay close attention to its well-intentioned efforts to eliminate impediments to employment. We believe it is unlikely that current initiatives will achieve the desired outcomes among individuals from ethnic minority groups unless they devote specific attention to the complex predicaments of members from these groups. We also believe that by providing strong incentives for state agencies and other service providers to serve consumers with the highest likelihood of rehabilitation success (i.e., basing reimbursement for services rendered on the basis of attainment of rehabilitation outcomes), SSA beneficiaries of color are possibly at greater risk for not receiving services. Especially when one considers the existing evidence regarding poor rehabilitation outcomes for people of color in the vocational rehabilitation system compared with European Americans and that people of color are often viewed as more difficult to rehabilitate because of lower levels of education and more severe disabilities.
The SSA should also review the effectiveness of One Stop centers in serving individuals with disabilities. Most consumers are not aware of their existence and/or are unsure of the level of expertise and understanding they may get from those counselors. Disabled consumers often have more experience dealing with VR counselors who specialize in serving individuals with disabilities and may be hesitant to go to a place that targets people transitioning from welfare to work.
Conclusions
This study serves as a beginning step in an agenda-building process to address the employment concerns of African Americans with disabilities. The perspectives offered by participants in this study should be considered by policymakers and services providers for decision-making and for developing strategies to assist African Americans with disabilities in entering and staying in the workforce. The participatory research approach used in this study enlisted the assistance of African Americans with disabilities in developing the survey instrument and in reflecting on survey results. Taken in aggregate, the ratings of importance and satisfaction provided by survey respondents and the insights generated by the working group provide a glimpse of the employment strengths and problems that African Americans with disabilities face when looking for work in today’s job market. In this way, African Americans with disabilities have and should continue to contribute to the development and improvement of employment policies and services that directly affect their lives.
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Table 1
Demographic Characteristics of the Sample
Characteristic %
Sex
Male 58%
Female 42%
Marital Status
Single 74%
Divorced 12%
Married 14%
Children
None 48%
1 or more 52%
Living Situation
With others in private dwelling 61%
Alone in private dwelling 29%
Residential center 7%
Nursing home 4%
Education
Less than high school 20%
High school diploma 32%
Some college 20%
College degree 15%
Vocational/Trade School 13%
Table 1 (continued)
Characteristic %
Income Source
SSI or SSDI 55%
Job 16%
Family 14%
Self-Employment 12%
Other Disability Benefits 5%
TANF/Welfare 5%
Disability Type
Physical 66%
Cognitive 16%
Sensory 10%
Mental 8%
Disability onset
Congenital 27%
Gradual 51%
Sudden 22%
Primary transportation source
CTA 65%
Private Vehicle 23%
Paratransit 10%
Other 2%
Taxis 1%
Table 2
Vocational Characteristics of the Sample
Variable %
Current employment status
Unemployed, but looking 69%
Employed and still looking 24%
Not seeking employment 7%
Ever worked before
Yes 85%
No 15%
Worked prior to disability
Yes 62%
No 18%
N/A 20%
Capacity to do same type of work
Yes 19%
No 39%
N/A 42%
Length of time looking for work
Less than 6 months 32%
6 months to 1 year 27%
More than 1 year 34%
(Not looking) 7%
Table 2 (continued)
Variable %
Length of time since last job
Less than 6 months 16%
6 months to 1 year 12%
More than 1 year 33%
(Currently working) 24%
(Never worked) 15%
Ever utilized vocational rehabilitation services
Yes 58%
No 42%
Currently receiving vocational rehabilitation services
Yes 36%
No 64%
Table 3
Survey Items Ranked by Importance with Satisfaction Ratings
Survey Item
The education and training you receive prepares you for a job. S
You are qualified for jobs that pay more than minimum wage. S
You are confident in your own potential to work. S
Employers follow up with you after you apply or interview for jobs. P
You have reliable transportation to and from work. S
You are aware of your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Your skills and interests are evaluated accurately.
You have adequate health insurance while you are working. P
You have transportation to places where the jobs are like the suburbs. P
Career counselors are competent and professional when interacting with clients. P
You have access to information about your rights as a person with a disability.
The ADA improves job opportunities for African Americans with disabilities.
You can afford costs related to starting a new job such as money for transportation, clothes, tools or other equipment, etc. P
You can afford to pay for the education you want. P
You are qualified to do work that will not interfere with your health. S
You are able to choose the type of job training you receive.
You have accurate information about job openings you are interested in.
You have access to information about employment services.
Job placements are available for positions that pay enough money to make a good living.
Agencies address your needs as a person with a disability.
You have opportunities to receive paid job-training.
You receive up-to-date, marketable job-training.
Employers give you the same consideration as people without disabilities.
You receive reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
Job placement agencies are able to place most people in jobs.
The time and effort you put into participating in job fairs is worthwhile.
You know about job fairs before they occur.
You are an equal partner in planning vocational rehabilitation services.
Job placement assignments are permanent and long-term, not temporary.
You have access to affordable and quality childcare.
Mean Importance Rating
84%
83%
83%
83%
81%
81%
80%
80%
80%
80%
79%
79%
79%
79%
78%
78%
78%
77%
77%
76%
76%
75%
75%
74%
74%
73%
73%
72%
67%
55%
Mean
Satisfaction
Rating
77%
80%
78%
53%
75%
72%
74%
64%
60%
48%
72%
70%
63%
54%
75%
70%
66%
70%
65%
67%
65%
70%
66%
68%
63%
66%
63%
66%
63%
59%
sItem was identified as an employment strength. PItem was identified as an employment problem.
Appendix A
Employment Concerns Item Index
Employment Concerns Index
EDUCATION
1. You know of a school or training program that can prepare you for the kind of work you want to do.
2. You have the opportunity to attend a school or training program of your choosing.
3. The education or training you receive helps you get a job.
4. The education or training you receive prepares you for a career.
5. You receive the same benefits from education as nondisabled students.
6. You receive the same benefits from education as students of other ethnicities.
7. Teachers and school staff treat you fairly.
8. Teachers and school staff treat you with dignity and respect.
9. Other students view you as equal.
10. Other students treat you as equal
11. You feel confident that you can do well in school.
12. Your friends and family encourage you to go to school or a training program.
13. You can receive the social support you need while in school or a training program.
14. You can receive the academic support you need while in school or a training program.
15. You can receive the financial support you need while in school or a training program.
16. You have physical access to the school or training program of your choosing.
17. You can afford to pay for the education or training you need to prepare you for work (including tuition, book and supplies).
*Education can include attending school, participating in a job training program or engaging in any other formal activity to gain employment-related knowledge and/or skills. Items in this category can refer to anything having to do with education.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. You have skills that make you competitive in the job market.
2. Employers evaluate your qualifications for a job fairly.
3. Employers evaluate your qualifications for a job accurately.
4. Employers evaluate your abilities accurately.
5. Employers give serious consideration to hiring you for jobs that you are qualified for.
6. Your disability does not prevent you from being able to work.
7. You are able to perform work that will not interfere with your disability.
8. You are qualified to do work that will not interfere with your disability.
9. You are qualified for jobs that pay more than minimum wage.
10. Others believe you are able to work.
11. Others believe you are qualified for work.
12. Others recognize your vocational potential.
13. Family and friends encourage you to reach your vocational potential.
14. Family and friends help you reach your vocational potential.
15. You are confident in your own potential to work.
16. You are qualified for the type of work you want to do.
*Qualifications can refer to education, degrees and certificates, skills at a particular job, work ethic, or anything else that enables you to do a particular job. Items in this category can refer to anything having to do with being qualified for employment.
INFORMATION
1. You know where to get information about jobs.
2. You have access to information about jobs.
3. You have access to information about employment services and supports.
4. You have regular access to the Internet.
5. People you know share information about job opportunities with each other.
6. Disabled people in your community share information with each other.
7. Workers at Social Security tell applicants about programs, services, and benefits they are eligible for.
8. Workers at rehabilitation agencies tell applicants about programs, services, and benefits they are eligible for.
9. You are treated with respect when you ask for information or assistance.
10. You are comfortable asking others for information or assistance when you need it.
11. You are aware of the kinds of services available to people with disabilities in your community.
12. You receive reliable information about jobs and services.
13. You receive helpful information about jobs and services.
*Information can include details about anything related to employment such as job opportunities and requirements; options for education; disability benefits; SSA rules, regulations, incentives, and programs, services; employment services; and transportation options. Items in this category can refer to anything about information that affects employment.
JOB OPENINGS
1. You can find job openings that you interested in.
2. You can find job openings that you are qualified for.
3. Employers treat you fairly with regard to your disability.
4. Employers treat you fairly with regard to your race.
5. Employers make fair hiring decisions.
6. You are given the same consideration as nondisabled job applicants.
7. You receive the same pay as employees without disabilities.
8. The money you earn working makes up for the loss of social security benefits.
9. Friends and family help you find work you are qualified for.
10. Employers treat you with dignity and respect when you apply for jobs.
11. You can do work that will make you feel good about yourself.
12. Employers are hiring in places that are accessible by public transportation
13. You have the resources to start a new job, such as work clothes, transportation, and childcare.
14. Employers respond to your job applications.
15. Employers follow-up with you after you job interviews.
*Job openings can include anything having to do with positions available in the job market from the type of positions available, the location of available jobs, identifying openings, applying and interview to being hired.
JOB PLACEMENT
1. You know of a job placement service that can really get you a job.
2. You know of a job placement service can get you a job with decent pay.
3. Job placement workers make accurate assessments.
4. Job placement workers make fair assessments
5. Job placement staff consider your abilities before making placements.
6. Job placement staff consider your interests before making placements.
7. Job placement staff make placement decisions regardless of race.
8. Job placement staff make placement decisions regardless of disability.
9. Employers at placement sites treat you with dignity and respect.
10. Job placement assignments are available in jobs that you value.
11. You are satisfied with the job placement services available to you.
12. Job placement agencies have good placement rates.
13. Job placement agencies are able to place most people in jobs.
14. Job placements are long-term or permanent (not temporary).
*Job placement includes the entire process from being found eligible for placement to being placed in a job. Items in this category can refer to the type of jobs available through placement agencies, the services provided by placement agencies, the staff at placement agencies, the rate of successful placements, the quality of placements or anything else having to do with job placement and employment.
ACCOMMODATIONS
1. You can request the accommodations you need.
2. Employers make necessary accommodations to ensure your safety at the job site.
3. Others respond appropriately to your need for accommodations.
4. Accommodations allow you to participate fully in desired activities.
5. You are consulted when your need for accommodations is determined.
6. Other employees respect your need for accommodations.
7. You are comfortable with your need for accommodations.
8. You receive reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
9. Employers can afford to make the accommodations you need.
10. You are satisfied with the accommodations available to you.
11. You can count on others to make reasonable accommodations.
*Accommodations include any adaptation or modification of an environment or process that enables you to participate fully in all reasonable aspects of the community and work environment. Items in this category can refer to the accommodations available to you, associated costs, effectiveness, satisfaction, physical access, employer responsibilities or anything else having to do with accommodations and employment.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND DEVICES
1. Assistive devices help you to achieve greater independence.
2. Assistive devices function properly.
3. Assistive devices help ensure your condition doesn’t get worse.
4. Your life is enhanced through the use of assistive devices.
5. You are able to work with the use of assistive devices.
6. You are not ashamed of your need for assistive devices.
7. You know about the type of assistive devices that are appropriate for you.
8. You know where to get the assistive devices you need.
9. Financial assistance is available to buy assistive devices such as wheelchairs, hearing aids and artificial limbs.
10. Your assistive devices work when and how you need them to.
*Assistive technology and devices refers to products, devices or equipment that are used to maintain, increase or improve the functioning of people with disabilities. Assistive devices can include any form of technology that aids in daily living, education or learning, communication, mobility, seeing, hearing, recreation or leisure. Items in this category can refer to any issue related to assistive devices or technology that affects employment.
SOCIAL SERVICES
1. You are treated fairly with regard to your race.
2. You are treated fairly with regard to your gender.
3. Services are provided on an equal basis to disabled and nondisabled persons.
4. The services you receive enhance your quality of life.
5. Family and friends encourage you to get the services you need.
6. You are supported in decision making by service providers.
7. Service providers treat you with dignity and respect.
8. You are equal partners in planning VR services.
9. You have access to vocational rehabilitation services.
10. You are able to receive the type of services you request.
11. You receive quality services from ORS.
12. Agencies meet the needs of disabled people.
13. You can count on your VR counselor to advocate for you.
14. The services and support you receive are consistent.
*Social Services include any service or benefit that is provided by a government agency, private- or not-for-profit organization. Items in this category can refer to anything having to do with social services from access and to quality of benefits and service received.
CAREER PLANNING AND COUNSELING
1. You are allowed to choose you own career path.
2. You are treated fairly by counselors and others who assist with career planning.
3. You can plan for a career that will enhance your quality of life.
4. You are an equal partner in the career planning process.
5. Career counselors treat you with dignity and respect by
6. You have access to information on careers options.
7. You have access to competent and professional counseling.
8. You can get the assistance you need for planning a career.
9. Career planning activities are worthwhile.
10. Career counseling helps you to make well-informed choices.
11. You can count on someone to be there for you to discuss your employment circumstances.
*Career counseling and planning involve career awareness, planning and decision-making, as well as consideration of labor market trends. Career counseling and planning should help in making informed educational and occupational choices. Items in this category can refer to anything having to do with career counseling or planning and employment.
JOB TRAINING
1. You are able to choose the type of job training you receive.
2. You are treated fairly by service providers.
3. You receive training for a job that will pay enough to make a decent living.
4. Family and friends encourage you to get job training.
5. Family and friends support your job training experience.
6. Service providers treat you with dignity and respect.
7. You needs are considered in the design of programs.
8. You receive training for a job you will be proud of.
9. You have access to meaningful job training.
10. You have a variety of training options available to you.
11. You can afford to receive the type of training you want.
12. You are provided with good job training.
13. The training you receive prepares you for work.
14. Job training programs prepare you for work.
*Job training refers to any activity that teaches skills necessary for employment. Items in this category can include anything having to do with job training and employment.
HEALTHCARE
1. Your condition enables you to perform the activities necessary for a job
2. Having a job will not interfere with your health.
3. Insurance providers treat you fairly.
4. Healthcare providers treat you fairly.
5. You have adequate health insurance to recover from an illness, accident or injury so that you can return to work.
6. Insurance providers treat you with dignity and respect.
7. Healthcare providers treat you with dignity and respect.
8. You feel good about your health.
9. You have health insurance while you are working.
10. Doctors and hospitals accept Medicaid and Medicare.
11. You can afford healthcare while you are working.
12. You can afford your prescriptions while you are working.
13. You receive the same or better health care while you are working.
14. Employers’ insurance companies do not give you the run-around.
15. You can count on your healthcare providers to be consistent.
*Health care refers to health insurance as well as the process of receiving health care. Items in this category can include any health care issue or concern that affects employment.
TRANSPORTATION
1. You are able to get around on your own.
2. Public transportation is safe.
3. You feel safe using public transportation to get to work and back.
4. Those who provide transportation treat you fairly.
5. Everyone has access to the same type and quality of transportation.
6. You are able to get around to handle day-to-day activities.
7. Those who provide transportation treat you with dignity and respect.
8. You have access to public transportation.
9. You can find transportation to and from work.
10. Public transportation is accessible.
11. The cost of transportation is reasonable.
12. You can afford transportation to and from work.
13. Transportation is available to the locations you need to travel to.
14. Transportation is available during the hours you need it.
15. Public transportation is reliable.
16. You have reliable transportation to and from work.
17. You can count on others to assist with your transportation needs.
*Transportation refers to how you travel from one place to another. Items in this category can include any aspect of transportation that affects employment.
CHILDCARE
1. Your children are cared for in a safe environment.
2. Childcare providers treat your children appropriately.
3. Securing childcare does not create an emotional or financial burden.
4. You are comfortable leaving your children with someone else while you are working.
5. Childcare providers treat you with respect.
6. You have access to childcare while you are working.
7. You can afford childcare while you are working.
8. Childcare costs are reasonable.
9. Your children are being taken good care of while you are working.
10. You childcare provider is reliable.
11. You can depend on your childcare arrangements while you are working.
*Childcare refers to how children are taken care of while adults are working. Items in this category can refer to any aspect of childcare that affects employment.
JOB FAIRS
1. You are able to attend job fairs.
2. Job fairs are held in safe locations.
3. You are treated fairly by employers and other at job fairs.
4. Employers at job fairs do not discriminate against you.
5. Employers at job fairs treat you with dignity and respect.
6. You feel good about yourself after going to a job fair.
7. You know about job fairs in advance.
8. Job fairs are held in accessible locations.
9. You are satisfied with your experience at job fairs.
10. Employers recruit for desirable positions at job fairs.
11. You are contacted/interviewed after applying for jobs at job fairs.
*A Job fair is any event in which multiple employers are present in a designated location for the purpose of identifying potential employees. Items in this category can refer to any aspect of job fairs that affect employment.
LEGISLATION, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
1. The ADA protects my rights and freedom.
2. You can advocate for my own rights.
3. There are laws to protect the well being of people with disabilities.
4. Laws and policies are implemented and enforced fairly.
5. You are able to appeal unfair decisions.
6. Rules and regulations are applied to everyone equally.
7. Employers obey laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities.
8. SSA encourages employment among SSI and SSDI recipients.
9. Lawmakers respect your needs and rights.
10. Decision-makers consider your needs and rights.
11. You are able to advocate on your own behalf.
12. You have access to information about your rights and how to protect them.
13. The ADA is effective in improving employment outcomes.
14. Laws addressing employment for people with disabilities are enforced.
15. You are aware of legal issues related to disability and independent living.
*Policy and legislation includes any law, policy, rule and/or regulation that affect you as a citizen, recipient and/or beneficiary. Items in this category may refer to anything having to do with a law, policy, rule or procedure of any agency or organization that affects employment.
Appendix B
Recruitment Flyer
Accessing the World of Work:
Concerns of African Americans with Disabilities Actively Seeking Employment
[pic][pic] [pic] [pic] [pic]
← Are you an African American with a disability?
← Are you looking for work or preparing for a job?
← Are you willing to share your concerns?
← Do you want your opinion to be counted?
If so, you may be eligible to participate in a research study identifying important issues concerning employment that affect African Americans with disabilities.
Participants in this study will fill out a survey at their local Office of Rehabilitation Services. The survey takes approximately forty-five minutes to complete. Participants will be compensated $15 for their time and reimbursed $5 for the cost of transportation. Help completing the survey will also be available.
If you’re interested in participating and would like more information, please contact the researcher, Kimberly M. Hall, by phone at (312) 413-4149, or by email at khall@uic.edu.
UIC IRB Protocol #2002-0108
Recruitment Flyer Version 4.0, 12/18/03
This study is funded through a grant from the
Disability Research Institute
Appendix C
Employment Concerns Survey
Appendix D
Employment Concerns Report
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