If you have a physical, mental, or cognitive impairment or disability that makes employment hard for you, you may be eligible for services to help you prepare for, obtain, maintain or advance in employment. Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services assists individuals with any disability in partnership with Workforce Solutions of the Concho Valley.
If you are an employer seeking to hire qualified candidates with disabilities, we also encourage you to ask for a Vocational Rehabilitation Business Relations Coordinator in your area to help with candidate referrals, accommodation, or technical assistance related to hiring individuals with disabilities.
INFORMATION ON CONTINUATION DURING PANDEMIC OF TEXAS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS-VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES:
Individuals needing employment assistance, including those with disabilities, can be directed to their nearest Workforce Solutions office, whose employment specialists will coordinate referrals or services with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) staff.
You may also reach out to VR directly for assistance, and may use the directory found here to find the office closest to them. An email address is also available for customers who would like assistance connecting to the right office: vr.office.locator@twc.state.tx.us
VR serves individuals with disabilities, including those who are blind, deaf or hearing impaired, who need VR services to obtain or retain employment.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, VR staff are available remotely to assist customers. Here is a one page message to customers on this. A Message to Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services Customers
BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYERS WHO HIRE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
- By opening your job searches to qualified people with disabilities, you gain access to a pool of talented workers
- A diverse workforce gives you a competitive advantage by adding new ideas, viewpoints and approaches to solving your business challenges
- Your employees and customers appreciate diversity
- Making accommodations for people with disabilities is usually easy and inexpensive, and can actually carry a return
- The average accommodation costs less than $500
- Employing people with disabilities makes good business sense Retention rates among people with disabilities are higher than average thus reducing training costs
- People with disabilities are loyal customers to businesses who support them
INFORMATION ON EMPLOYING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
THE ADA AND ACCOMMODATIONS
Americans with Disabilities Act – Myths and Facts
Recruitment and Retention
Employment Laws: Disability and Discrimination
JAN – Job Accommodation Network
FINANCIAL AND TAX INCENTIVES FOR HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Financial Incentives for Hiring People with Disabilities
Tax Benefits for Businesses Who Have Employees with Disabilities
Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
The Vocational Rehab department has equipment and services available for customer use. These include:
- Access to screen reading and magnification through CCTV, Zoom Text, JAWS, Microsoft, and TABE
- Microsoft ease of access center, which includes a magnifier, narrator, on-screen keyboard, and high contrast options
- TTY telephones for the hearing impaired
- Access to the Relay Texas system to assist deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired job seekers
- Track ball mice
- Zoom Text to enlarge anything on the screen and read documents aloud
- Braille printer for documents, graphics, and labels
- I Speak Cards allowing clients to choose their language needs (also available in braille)
- VRI Language Interpretation: tele-phonic services that translate over 100 languages
- Typing assistance
- Learning Needs screening
