Goodwill Industries South Florida

Job Placement

The placement program provides an opportunity for individuals with disabilities and special needs to secure suitable employment.  The Placement Specialists help participants learn how to do the following: identify an employment goal, properly complete an employment application, prepare a resume, prepare for an interview, utilize appropriate job search methods and, most importantly, maintain employment.  We provide follow-up services and also provide post employment services to those with significant disabilities. Our approach is to negotiate career/vocational options for vocationally disadvantaged persons.  We achieve this by creating a partnership between local employers and Goodwill’s placement professionals.  Partnerships are formed by utilizing methods in the fields of vocational rehabilitation, counseling, marketing and sales. The Placement Specialist is dedicated to meeting the needs of our participants who are looking for meaningful jobs in community settings and the employers who look for trained, reliable, and capable employees.  This strategy emphasizes Goodwill Industries as a vocational rehabilitation and placement agency that offers a package of services to the employer in exchange for competitive employment opportunities for Goodwill participants.

Program Goals

• Maximize the number of participants who achieve competitive full-time employment.
• Maximize the number of participants who achieve competitive part-time employment.
• Maximize wages for those placed in competitive employment.
• Minimize the time of placement process.
• Maximize job retention by providing follow-up services at 30, 60, 90 days unless otherwise specified.

Persons Served

• As listed in Agency Program Information.

Admission Criteria

• Meet Agency General Admission Criteria.

When a person does not meet the entrance criteria and is ineligible, the referring counselor is informed.  The Placement Manager may inform the applicant of the ineligibility. Appropriate recommendations for alternative services are made. 

This is done in conjunction with a referring counselor.  A record is maintained of ineligible participants and lists the reasons for the ineligibility as in any subsequent referral action.  These records are utilized to determine trends that may be incorporated into the organization’s planning.

Services Provided

Goodwill Industries provides goal-oriented, systematic and supportive services in order for participants to achieve a successful outcome. We form linkages with community agencies so participants can take advantage of these services in order to increase their employment potential and opportunities.

Placement services are periodically reviewed by the Placement Manager in order to promote an efficient utilization of placement staff and to insure all requested services have been rendered. Reviews also serve to evaluate and update our service delivery system including the timeliness of our services.

An orientation process introduces an applicant to placement services. The Job Placement Specialist conducts the orientation in a simple and easy to understand manner in the participant’s preferred language. The agency mission, agency services, policies, placement procedures, as well as the scope and duration of services are reviewed. The processes for developing an Individual Placement Plan (IPP) are discussed, as are expected outcomes.

Participants are provided information or referred to community resources such as Special Transportation Services (STS), reduced fare bus passes, public assistance programs, Social Security Administration information, food stamps, Medicaid, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, housing, public health services, mental health programs, etc.

The participant is provided a Placement Handbook that explains services, lists rights and responsibilities, rules and regulations, non-discrimination provisions, conflict resolution and grievance and appeal procedures, and safety procedures.  It also explains lines of authority and how to access staff.  These are reviewed with the person as necessary.  The orientation concludes with an explanation of emergency procedures and exits.

The Job Placement Specialist meets with the participant to obtain direct input and assesses the following:

• Strengths, abilities, skills, needs and preferences.
• Physical and mental functioning and current treatment being received or those that is necessary for disability management.
• Vocational background regarding job-seeking and career goal setting.
• Educational background.
• Employment history, volunteer work, part-time or full-time employment.
• Economic status, past and present economic situation, impact of loss of benefits.
• Support system-family, friends, and counselor.
• Barriers such as transportation, accessibility, doctor’s appointments, childcare concerns, assistive technology needs, accommodations, attitudes, motivation, culture, and language, etc.

The Job Placement Specialist assesses the applicant in order to:

• Determine the factors that motivate the person by discerning under which criteria he/she would accept or reject a job offer.
• Establish job development/career goals based on participant’s preferences.
• Develop a job search plan, an agreed upon course of action, that identifies the responsibilities of the Job Placement Specialist and the participant.
• Identify assistive technology and accommodations that may be necessary.
• Develop an Individual Placement Plan.

This information is part of the participants’ records and provides the foundation for placement services.  In order to ensure optimal delivery, the staff is aware of objectives and works as a team to reach our goals. The following is a summary of employment services provided by the Job Placement Specialist who is the direct provider of services.

• Provides guidance in developing employment objectives that are consistent with the participant’s abilities, skills, needs, and preferences and availability in the community. 
• Discusses the impact of employment on benefits.
• Provides Employability Skills Training, in small groups and individually, to address individuals’ needs.  Reviews employment applications, develops a resume, teaches job search methods, and discusses appropriate interviewing clothing and demeanor.
• Counsels and motivates the participant to present him/herself in the best manner during an interview.
• Instructs participant on job developing and accessing community resources to identify career, employment information and networking.
• Reviews current information on the local job market by using the Internet, newspapers and community contacts.  Government and business web sites are researched to access information such as:
  • Labor trends
  • Employer needs
  • Job requirement and training needed
  • Wages and benefits
  • Employment environment
  • Community supports and services available
  • Transportation
• Surveys the local community to identify specific employment opportunities in a location identified by the participants.
• Educates employers on Goodwill’s services and persons seeking employment.
• Provides employers technical assistance on issues related to the A.D.A., job accommodations, assistive technology, and job carving strategies.
• Obtains employer information on specifics such as: type and size of company, responsibilities of the position, minimum qualifications, physical requirements, distance, accessibility, benefits, shifts, wages, conditions for maintaining employment, work rules and customs, in order to provide the participant information so that he/she can make an informed decision on accepting or declining the position
• Generates job leads and employers’ interest in the applicant.
• Schedules job interviews, verifies participant knows how to get to the interview site, and has transportation. The Job Placement Specialist may transport the participant and provide support and motivation.
• May provide the employer and participant information regarding safety, disability management, job accommodations, restructuring, and/or medications and side effects that may affect work performance. May discuss the role of organized labor unions.
• Maintain an organized system of recording job openings and contacts.

Follow-up After Interviews

• The participant and the Job Placement Specialist discuss the interview.
• The employer is contacted to discuss the interview and address any concerns he might have to help facilitate the hiring process.
• If the participant is not offered the job, the Job Placement Specialist reviews suggestions about the applicant’s interviewing techniques and improvements.  

Follow-up After Placement

• Ensures job retention by providing periodic follow-up one week after placement; and at 30, 60, and 90 days. The placement process is not completed until this 90-day period has elapsed. Follow-up contacts are documented in the participant’s case record.
• Staff provides job maintenance supports on and/or off job site according to needs/desires of persons receiving services.
• Establishes credibility with the employer and the new employee by serving as both counselor and an employment consultant by working out any problems that might arise.
• Retention consulting may address any of the following: job performance, attendance problems, motivational or behavioral problems, and language barriers for non-English speakers, job accommodations and assistive technology needs.
• Relevant personal information related to the essential job functions are discussed with employer with participant’s permission.
• Counsels participant to reduce new employee’s anxiety, facilitate understanding of the workplace culture, and employer expectations with regard to performance standards.
• Provides information for on-job retention, career development and advancement.
• Encourages the participant to follow the chain of command on the job, rules and regulations, and perform the job to the best of his/her ability.
• Makes referrals for rehabilitation technology services.
• Makes arrangement for job coaching services to ensure job stabilization.
• Encourages the person to develop relationships with coworkers to promote the feeling of being part of the organization and developing natural supports thereby increasing the potential for job retention.
• Makes referrals to community service providers.
• Provides follow-up services to ensure job maintenance.
• Provides post employment service if participant loses job.  

Exit & Termination Criteria

Successful termination occurs when the person is placed on a job or transitions to another service.  At this point, the Job Placement Specialist conducts a brief interview and completes report. 

The participant is advised that he/she will receive follow-up services and post employment services if needed.

The report might summarize services provided and recommend services needed to achieve goals whether at Goodwill or another community organization.  The Job Placement Specialist completes the termination paperwork and sends notice of employment or termination to the referring counselor.

After 90 days of employment, the Placement Manager sends a Progress Report to the referring counselor that includes general information, referring coordinator counselor’s name, place of employment, address of employer, supervisor, telephone number, rate of pay, hours and benefits, name of employment specialist or job coach and phone number, all job development activities, behavioral observations and interventions, natural supports and training progress or job skill acquisition. A billing for services follows each of the three benchmarks: at placement, 45 and 90 days of satisfactory employment.

Participants may re-enter the program if they lose their job by contacting the Placement Manager.

The Placement Manager reviews the case and discusses the situation with the referring counselor; analyzes such situation and makes recommendations for reentry into the program. If reentry is not feasible, alternative services are suggested.

Negative terminations occur when a participant refuses services, is no longer feasible for placement services, cannot be located, fails to cooperate, is institutionalized, fails a drug test or the referring counselor closes the case.  The participant and stakeholders are notified of the termination.  Upon exiting placement services participants complete a satisfaction exit survey.  Participants can remain anonymous if they desire.  The comments are utilized to elicit feedback about our services, improve services, and program quality.