Employment Specialist

Quest Inc. • Orlando, FL

4d

About The Position

Quest, Inc. is an organization committed to enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing a path to independence, community inclusion, and empowerment. For over 60 years, Quest, Inc. has been a trusted name in offering compassionate, quality support services, helping nearly 600 people each day. The mission of Quest, Inc. is to help people with developmental disabilities experience a full life, guided by the vision to provide lifelong services for these individuals. The Employment Specialist role involves pursuing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities through various business development efforts, acting as a liaison with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, families, and guardians, and advocating for the employment of individuals with disabilities by providing disability awareness training to employers. The specialist also facilitates all aspects of initial employment, provides on-site training and support, and completes required documentation.

Requirements

• Four years’ experience or employment in a public vocational rehabilitation program; experience in job placement, job coaching, or counseling; or other related experience working with persons with disabilities
• A bachelor’s degree in a related field such as rehabilitation, counseling, social work, psychology, education, human resources, business administration, or economics, and one year of experience as described above
• A master’s degree in a related field and six months’ experience
• An associate’s degree and two years’ experience
• Valid Florida Driver’s License with clean driving record at all times
• Able to work in the US and not require Visa Sponsorship now or in the future

Responsibilities

• Pursues employment for individuals with disabilities by various business development efforts. Including pursues job leads, monitoring open positions they have available and what the requirements/qualifications are for those open positions and attending job fairs.
• Acts as liaison with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors to facilitate appropriate services and supports to individuals served.
• Acts as liaison with the individual’s family, Support Coordinator, group home or guardian when appropriate and helps guide them in their role of finding and maintaining employment for the individual with a disability.
• Advocates for the employment of individuals with disabilities and the mission of Quest by providing disability awareness training/guidance and benefits to potential/current employers.
• Facilitates and participates in all aspects of initial employment for the individual with a disability, including but not limited to, travel training or transportation options, work schedules, employer paperwork, pre-hire requirements (i.e., drug testing, background screening, etc.) and new hiring training.
• Provides on-site training and support to the individual after their new hiring training to ensure the individual’s acquisition and retention of job duties. Develops appropriate, customized, training tools to assist individual in their new position. Negotiates and acts as a mediator with the individual’s manager, when appropriate, to resolve skill or employment issues and maintain individual’s employment.
• Facilitates transition of individuals hired from Employment Services (VR) to Follow Along Services (APD) as appropriate.
• Completes required documentation including progress notes, service notes and all contact with the individual with the disability and others related to individual’s case.

Benefits

• Medical Coverage: HRA, FSA, premium discounts, wellness credits, free virtual and Minute Clinic visits, free imaging, and surgery
• Dental and vision coverage
• Company paid life, short- and long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) with up to 2.5% match
• Tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Employee assistance program
• Voluntary accident and hospitalization coverage available

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees