Defining Customized Employment

Customized employment (CE) is a process for achieving competitive integrated employment (CIE) or self-employment through an employee and employer relationship that is personalized to meet the needs of both. It is a universal strategy that benefits many people, including people with disabilities who might not have found success through other employment strategies. In 2014, CE was included in Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as a strategy under the definition of supported employment.

Discovery

Discovery is the foundation for securing CE. It is a qualitative process aimed to better understand job seekers’ strengths (potential contributions to employers), needs (the features that need to be in place for success), and interests (provides direction to the type of work that the individual wants to do).

Strengthening the Workforce System through Customized Employment

ODEP has helped AJCs incorporate CE into their menu of services. The resources below demonstrate the effectiveness of this process:

  • CE Funding: Strategies and Solutions – In this webinar by ODEP’s National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON), Beth Keeton and Doug Crandell discuss best approaches for funding CE efforts. They explore available CE funding sources and the necessary financial considerations for providers incorporating CE into their service offerings. The webinar concludes with a participant discussion how to provide tangible steps for increasing access to CE funding. As part of the webinar, Beth and Doug developed an infographic illustrating the history of CE.
  • CE Works for Veterans: A Win-Win Strategy – This video by ODEP’s previous initiative, Veterans Return to Integrated Competitive Employment (Veterans RICE), describes CE from the veteran, service provider, and employer points of view.
  • CE Works for Veterans: A Job that I Love – This video, from the Veterans RICE initiative, describes the importance of discovery in the CE process and the positive impacts a customized job had for one veteran.
  • Solutions for Youth with Disabilities – This DOL video describes how to support youth transition to CIE using CE.
  • Solutions for Employers – This DOL video describes how CE benefits the employer and their overall business operation.
  • Creating Opportunities and Solutions – This video describes how CE is a win-win strategy for employers and disabled job seekers. A Spanish version of this video is also available.

A Compilation of Federal, State, and Local Implementation of Customized Employment

Formal adoption and implementation of CE policies and practices is growing among state and local agencies, especially to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities and other significant barriers to employment. This living collection will grow to document new adoptions and implementations of CE strategies, with real-life examples of policies, staff and provider manuals, Medicaid waiver language, fee structures, and other knowledge building techniques as they become available.

Customized Employment in Practice

Simon’s Story — Simon Ho, is an autistic administrative assistant at a downtown San Francisco law firm. Simon, handles the firm’s mail and filing and responds to requests from attorneys. These tasks play to many of his strengths.

This video, created through ODEP’s NEON initiative, highlights how Simon found his ideal job through WorkLink, a program that enables people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to succeed. Started by Maryland-based nonprofit, WorkLink specializes in one-on-one assistance, facilitating ideal matches between employers and job seekers with I/DD and supporting wraparound day services for disabled workers who need them. WorkLink used CE strategies to match Simon’s specific skills with the law firm’s needs. His coworkers say Simon’s contributions greatly improve office efficiency and productivity.