Employment

MonTECH is Montana’s comprehensive resource center for Employment-related Assistive Technology (AT) devices, information, training, evaluations, demonstrations, and supports.  We provide AT services to individuals with disabilities who are working or want to work and to current and potential employers.  We can help determine the most appropriate AT to help individuals overcome disability-related employment barriers, have many devices available for short-term loan, and provide information and assistance to help employees with disabilities succeed.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only 29% of people with disabilities participate in the workforce and only 18% work full time.  In contrast, 82% of working-age Americans are employed while 65% work full time.  Studies show that two thirds of unemployed individuals with disabilities do want to work.  Assistive Technology can help many potential employees with disabilities and potential employers find solutions to and overcome disability-related barriers that limit and prevent job performance.

Although highly technical assistive technology devices can be expensive, it is reported that 29% of accommodations made by employers to overcome employee barriers cost less than $100.  In such cases that employers cannot afford reasonable AT accommodations, MonTECH can help find and negotiate alternative funding sources.  By working with employees with disabilities and their employers, inexpensive solutions can be identified to enable individuals to succeed.

With the New Freedom Initiative of 2001, President George W. Bush declared his desire to improve "access to assistive technologies, … increase the ability of Americans with disabilities to integrate into the workforce, and promote increased access into daily community life."  Likewise, state and federal governments have instituted programs to improve access to AT in the workplace.  Such former legislation as the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 and ADA of 1990 provide employer tax credits and other opportunities to help fund AT.  The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 provides federal funding for States to maintain permanent programs to provide technology-related assistance and services.

The following websites provide further information about employment for individuals with disabilities and/or employers:

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/  Job Accommodations Network: free consulting service focused on improving employability of individuals with disabilities

http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/dsd/mvr.shtml  Montana Vocational Rehabilitation: promotes work and independence for Montanans with disabilities

http://jsd.dli.state.mt.us/mjshome.asp Montana Jobs System: Montana's electronic labor exchange system, including regional and local workforce centers

http://www.adainformation.org/  DBTAC Rocky Mountain (Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center): provides information on the ADA and accessible education-based information technology

http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/ada18.html  Individuals with disabilities’ employment rights according to the ADA