BRS Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A blind client who is a veteran is seeking employment services. Which agency provides specialized vocational rehabilitation services to disabled veterans?
- VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service (Correct answer)
- State VR agency exclusively
- Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service only
- Rehabilitation Services Administration
Correct answer: VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service
The VA VR&E program (Chapter 31) provides employment services specifically for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
Question 2: In customized employment for a blind individual with significant cognitive disabilities, which strategy BEST matches the person to a job?
- Task negotiation with employers based on the individual's specific skills and interests (Correct answer)
- Standard competitive job search through online job boards
- Placement in a sheltered workshop until competitive skills are demonstrated
- Administering a vocational interest battery test and selecting the highest-scoring career
Correct answer: Task negotiation with employers based on the individual's specific skills and interests
Customized employment uses task negotiation to create a job description carved from an employer's unmet needs that aligns with the individual's strengths.
Question 3: Which SSA work incentive allows a blind SSDI recipient to set aside income and resources to pay for items needed to achieve a specific work goal?
- Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) (Correct answer)
- Trial Work Period (TWP)
- Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) exclusion
- Continued Medicare Coverage
Correct answer: Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
A PASS allows blind individuals on SSDI/SSI to set aside income or resources for education, training, or equipment needed to reach an employment goal.
Question 4: A blind client reports significant anxiety about disclosing their disability to employers. The BRS should FIRST:
- Discuss the legal protections of the ADA and explore the client's disclosure preferences and goals (Correct answer)
- Advise the client to always disclose before the interview
- Recommend the client not disclose to avoid discrimination
- Refer the client to counseling before any job search activity
Correct answer: Discuss the legal protections of the ADA and explore the client's disclosure preferences and goals
The BRS should provide information about legal rights and engage the client in reflective discussion about disclosure strategies that match their individual comfort and goals.
Question 5: Which of the following transferable skills assessments is MOST appropriate for a mid-career adult who becomes blind and has 20 years of accounting experience?
- Review of prior work history to identify skills transferable to accessible accounting roles (Correct answer)
- Entry-level vocational aptitude battery designed for new workers
- Interest inventory designed for high school students
- Physical capacity evaluation only
Correct answer: Review of prior work history to identify skills transferable to accessible accounting roles
For an experienced professional, transferable skills analysis of prior work history identifies how existing competencies apply to accessible roles in the same or related fields.
Question 6: Under WIOA, what is the maximum percentage of state VR funds that can be used for supported employment services for youth with the most significant disabilities?
- 2.5% of the state's federal VR allotment (Correct answer)
- 10% of total VR expenditures
- 25% of youth services funding
- 50% of supported employment grants
Correct answer: 2.5% of the state's federal VR allotment
WIOA allows states to reserve up to 2.5% of their federal VR allotment specifically for supported employment services for youth with the most significant disabilities.
Question 7: An employer asks a BRS for guidance on how to conduct an accessible job interview for a blind applicant. The BEST recommendation is:
- Provide interview questions in advance and ensure written materials are available in accessible formats (Correct answer)
- Conduct the interview by phone only to avoid visual discomfort
- Skip the interview and evaluate only the resume
- Hire a sighted proxy to attend the interview on behalf of the applicant
Correct answer: Provide interview questions in advance and ensure written materials are available in accessible formats
Providing questions in advance and accessible formats are reasonable accommodations that allow the blind applicant to participate fully and fairly in the interview process.
BRS Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment 4
A blind client who is a veteran is seeking employment services.
Which agency provides specialized vocational rehabilitation services to disabled veterans?