CESP Workplace Accommodations & Job Retention 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes 'fading' in supported employment?
- Gradually reducing job coach presence as the employee becomes more independent (Correct answer)
- Removing an employee from a job when they no longer meet performance standards
- Decreasing an employee's work hours over time
- Transferring case files to a new counselor
Correct answer: Gradually reducing job coach presence as the employee becomes more independent
Fading is the planned, gradual reduction of job coach support as the supported employee gains skills and natural supports take over.
Question 2: An employer offers a supported employee a different position rather than the one they were originally hired for. Under the ADA, reassignment as an accommodation is:
- Always the first accommodation option the employer must offer
- A last-resort accommodation when no other reasonable option exists (Correct answer)
- Only available if the employee requests it in writing first
- Not permitted under any circumstances
Correct answer: A last-resort accommodation when no other reasonable option exists
Reassignment is considered a 'last resort' accommodation under the ADA — employers must first try to accommodate the employee in their current position.
Question 3: A supported employee discloses their disability to a coworker without the employer's knowledge. The employment specialist should:
- Report the disclosure to HR immediately
- Remind the employee of their right to privacy and the potential implications of voluntary disclosure (Correct answer)
- Advise the employer to document the disclosure
- File a confidentiality violation complaint
Correct answer: Remind the employee of their right to privacy and the potential implications of voluntary disclosure
Employees have the right to disclose or not disclose their disability; the specialist should ensure the employee understands the possible benefits and risks of voluntary disclosure.
Question 4: Which of the following accommodation requests would most likely be considered unreasonable under the ADA?
- A screen reader for an employee with low vision
- A private office when all staff share cubicles and no private offices exist (Correct answer)
- Flexible start time for an employee with a sleep disorder
- Permission to use a service animal in the workplace
Correct answer: A private office when all staff share cubicles and no private offices exist
Requiring an employer to create a new private office that does not exist and is not available elsewhere in the building would typically constitute undue hardship.
Question 5: Customized employment differs from traditional supported employment primarily because it:
- Is only available for individuals without significant disabilities
- Negotiates unique job duties tailored to the individual's strengths rather than filling a pre-existing position (Correct answer)
- Focuses exclusively on part-time, temporary work
- Requires employer subsidies paid by the government
Correct answer: Negotiates unique job duties tailored to the individual's strengths rather than filling a pre-existing position
Customized employment creates a job description based on the individual's skills and interests, negotiated directly with an employer, rather than fitting the person into an existing vacancy.
Question 6: Which of the following is the employment specialist's role during a workplace accommodation meeting with the employer?
- Make all decisions on behalf of the supported employee
- Act as a neutral facilitator and help the employee communicate their functional needs (Correct answer)
- Demand specific accommodations from the employer
- Provide the employee's full medical records to the employer
Correct answer: Act as a neutral facilitator and help the employee communicate their functional needs
The specialist facilitates the interactive process, helping the employee articulate their functional limitations while supporting a collaborative problem-solving dialogue.
Question 7: An employee with a traumatic brain injury struggles with multi-step verbal instructions. Which accommodation would MOST directly address this?
- Extended break times
- Written checklists or step-by-step task cards (Correct answer)
- Reduced workload
- Private workspace
Correct answer: Written checklists or step-by-step task cards
Written checklists break multi-step tasks into discrete, visible steps that compensate for difficulties with verbal memory and sequential processing.
CESP Workplace Accommodations & Job Retention 4
Which of the following best describes 'fading' in supported employment?