CESP Employment Services & Job Development 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) benefits employers by:
- Eliminating the employer's obligation to pay minimum wage to workers with disabilities
- Providing a federal tax credit for hiring individuals from specific target groups, including people with disabilities (Correct answer)
- Funding job coaches placed at the worksite at no cost to the employer
- Allowing employers to claim disability-related training as a business expense
Correct answer: Providing a federal tax credit for hiring individuals from specific target groups, including people with disabilities
WOTC provides employers with a federal income tax credit (up to $9,600 for some workers) as an incentive to hire individuals from target groups who face employment barriers.
Question 2: In the context of supported employment fidelity, 'rapid job search' means:
- Placing a job seeker in any available job as quickly as possible regardless of fit
- Beginning competitive job development activities within 30 days of program enrollment rather than lengthy pre-employment training (Correct answer)
- Skipping job analysis to speed up the placement process
- Accepting any job offer within the first two weeks
Correct answer: Beginning competitive job development activities within 30 days of program enrollment rather than lengthy pre-employment training
Supported employment fidelity models emphasize quick engagement with the labor market because on-the-job learning is more effective than extended pre-employment preparation.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'job restructuring' as a reasonable accommodation?
- Reassigning an employee to a different position entirely
- Reallocating or redistributing marginal (non-essential) job functions so the employee can perform the core duties of the position (Correct answer)
- Creating an entirely new position for an employee with a disability
- Reducing an employee's workload and pay proportionally
Correct answer: Reallocating or redistributing marginal (non-essential) job functions so the employee can perform the core duties of the position
Job restructuring under the ADA involves reallocating non-essential tasks while ensuring the employee can still perform the essential functions of their role.
Question 4: A vocational profile for a job seeker with autism reveals a strong interest in data entry and a preference for minimal social interaction. The employment specialist should FIRST:
- Limit the job search to data entry positions only, regardless of other skills
- Use the profile to identify multiple occupational options that align with these preferences and present them to the job seeker for discussion (Correct answer)
- Advise the job seeker that their preferences may limit employment options
- Refer the job seeker to a day program better suited to their social needs
Correct answer: Use the profile to identify multiple occupational options that align with these preferences and present them to the job seeker for discussion
A vocational profile informs, but does not restrict, job search options; the specialist presents a range of aligned possibilities to support informed self-determination.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a 'placement barrier' that an employment specialist should address during job development?
- An employer's preference for candidates with prior experience in the field
- A job seeker lacking transportation to reach worksites during available hours (Correct answer)
- An employer offering wages above minimum wage
- A job posting that lists desirable but non-required qualifications
Correct answer: A job seeker lacking transportation to reach worksites during available hours
Transportation is a concrete, addressable barrier that the employment specialist must help resolve to make job placement and retention feasible.
Question 6: When an employment specialist fades their on-site support after a job seeker achieves job stability, the PRIMARY goal is to:
- Reduce agency costs by ending services as soon as possible
- Help the worker become integrated into the natural workplace culture and rely on natural supports (Correct answer)
- Transfer formal job coaching responsibilities to the employer
- Close the case to take on new job seekers
Correct answer: Help the worker become integrated into the natural workplace culture and rely on natural supports
Fading is a strategic, gradual process intended to promote independence and integration, not cost reduction; natural supports replace formal supports as the worker becomes established.
Question 7: A CESP professional is developing a relationship with a local manufacturing employer. The employer says, 'We'd love to hire people with disabilities, but we're worried about liability if they get hurt.' The MOST appropriate response is to:
- Reassure the employer that people with disabilities never get injured at work
- Explain that employees with disabilities are protected under ADA and that accommodations actually reduce injury risk, and offer to conduct a job analysis (Correct answer)
- Suggest the employer consult a lawyer before proceeding
- Agree that liability is a valid concern and recommend the employer not hire job seekers with physical disabilities
Correct answer: Explain that employees with disabilities are protected under ADA and that accommodations actually reduce injury risk, and offer to conduct a job analysis
Addressing liability fears with accurate information about ADA protections, safety records, and a practical offer (job analysis) builds employer confidence and moves the relationship forward.
CESP Employment Services & Job Development 5
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) benefits employers by: