Employment specialist competencies

Overview

A 245D license-holder must ensure their direct support professional staff meet staffing standards as required in Minn. Stat. §245D.09.

For employment services (exploration, development and support), the 245D license-holder must also ensure staff providing those services (i.e., employment specialists) are competent to do this work.

A 245D license-holder may demonstrate staff competency through either:

The employment specialist holding an industry-recognized credential from any of the following:
- The Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE)
- The National Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP)
- The Direct Support Professional Specialist in Employment Support credential (DSP-S-ES)
Keeping a record of how each employment specialist demonstrated mastery of the competencies listed in the following table, either using the examples provided or by developing other methods.

The table also includes training and resources available at low or no cost that can help staff build knowledge in each competency area.

Elements of employment services	Competencies	Demonstration examples	Helpful courses and resources
Job search planning (employment exploration, employment development and employment support services)	The employment specialist should: Encourage informed choice, self-determination and active participation throughout the employment process Emphasize the person’s strengths, interests and talents.	The employment specialist uses information they learn about an individual job seeker to develop a plan toward meaningful employment and make a list of potential employers. They can demonstrate that through creating either: A vocational profile An individual employment plan.	The following courses are available in DirectCourse: Business Perspectives Foundations of Employment Services Principles of Career Development. For more information about employment exploration resources, see Disability Hub MN – Your Options: Work.
Job development and negotiation (employment development services)	The employment specialist should: Help the person in their job search process Market the person’s skills to employers Research and create opportunities for the person Organize information gathered (e.g., create list of employers by industry or location) Develop relationships with businesses Negotiate accommodations and conditions (e.g., hours, wages, tasks, breaks, orientation).	The employment specialist demonstrates competency when they are able to: Work collaboratively with the person and employer to: Negotiate a job and the provision of supports Create terms of employment that match the person’s interests, skills and conditions he/she needs for success Write progress reports about meetings with the person Help the person create resumes and cover letters.	The following courses are available in DirectCourse: Strategies for Job Development, Part 1 Strategies for Job Development, Part 2 Job Creation Networking.
Post-employment support (employment support services)	The employment specialist should: Ensure the employee is included in work activities and treated like all other employees Manage travel and transportation Perform comprehensive job analysis (i.e., breaking down jobs into smaller tasks) Develop strategies for workplace supports.	The employment specialist demonstrates competency when they are able to: Display job retention rates Set up ongoing, post-employment supports Monitor the employment relationship to ensure satisfaction of both the person and employer Create a task analysis document from the information they learn in the comprehensive job analysis.	The following courses are available in DirectCourse: Performance Coaching and Support, Part 1 Performance Coaching and Support, Part 2.
Benefits planning (employment exploration, employment development and employment support services)	The employment specialist should: Know information about: Federal and state benefit program rules, associated work incentives and how they apply to the person’s situation Common myths about benefits and work Use the Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) website to find and use information and tools helpful to a person Know when and how to connect a person to resources for additional benefits planning when necessary.	The employment specialist demonstrates competency when they are able to: Provide accurate information about benefits and work Identify and verify types of benefits the person receives Address myths and barriers related to benefits and work Complete a DB101 estimator session and explain the results Make appropriate referrals for additional benefits planning when necessary. The employment specialist demonstrates competency when the people they serve: Gain confidence in understanding their benefits and the impact of paid employment Increase their use of work incentives Have greater economic stability Increase their use of Disability Benefits 101 (DB101)’s benefits planning tools and other resources.	The following courses are available through the links provided: Community (Partner) Work Incentive Coordinator training/certification through Virginia Commonwealth University For more information about benefits planning, see: Benefits Planning Toolkit Disability Benefits 101 (DB101)