About the Workplace PAS Project

Project Abstract

For many working-age people with a disability, there are many barriers that prevent working or returning to work. One of the barriers is the need for PAS at work. Each person with a disability has different needs and may require a unique combination of accommodations, including PAS. There is little public funding for workplace PAS, and the ADA does not require employers to provide personal care-related PAS. This project is intended to advance the state of knowledge of current practice and develop and disseminate best practices. The project is comprised of several distinct research activities.

The research activity is the identification of barriers and opportunities for workplace PAS. Key informant interviews of consumers, employers and employment system experts will be conducted in the first year, and focus groups of employers and rehabilitation counselors will be conducted throughout the five years. These activities will inform an understanding of current practice.

The second activity is to track changes over time in workplace PAS. This will include tracking requests for accommodation assistance in the Job Accommodation Network. JAN has revised their tracking documentation procedure to capture PAS transactions, and will be monitoring change over time. Federal and state policy changes will also be tracked, and included in the PAS Center policy data base.

The third activity is a formal survey of employers, consumers and providers to develop estimates of the extent of PAS services and identify best practices. What is the employer experience with workplace PAS? What problems or barriers have been encountered? What is the cost of workplace PAS?

These studies will lead to the identification of best practices, and the development of case studies that will be used in specific training and dissemination activities designed for a variety of audiences including employers, human resource professionals, PAS providers, consumers and rehabilitation professionals.