Vocational Rehabilitation and Re-entry Into the Workforce for the Injured Employees

Introduction

The workforce requires individuals who are active and have the necessary strength to carry out their activities. People with disability and those with intellectual or developmental disability experience lower employment rates. Vocational rehabilitation can be described as a set of services that are offered to people with physical or mental disabilities. The program is designed to enable the individuals participating in the program to attain skills, resources, attitudes, and the required expectations that are needed to compete in the interview process. Vocational training can assist the participants to be competitive in the job market and secure jobs.

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The services offered during vocational rehabilitation can further assist people to retrain for employment after a mental disorder or injury has disrupted their previous employment. Therefore, the purpose of the vocational rehabilitation is to prepare qualified applicants to achieve independence and be integrated within their community, family, and workplace (Andrew et al., 1992). The vocational rehabilitation is meant to help in the transition process that is achieved through work evaluation and readiness services, work counseling, medical, and therapeutic services. Consequently, the primary objective of the vocational rehabilitation services is to help the participants' transition to the postsecondary options. The program increases the knowledge of the participants about the services and assists them in planning (Dutta et al., 2008). The vocational rehabilitation programs have proved to be successful because findings demonstrate that individuals who have received vocational rehabilitation services are more like to obtain employment.

Background of the Policy

Vocational rehabilitation programs were established in 1917. The services have evolved over the years due to changes in policy. Some of the legislative agendas that led to the evolution of the vocational rehabilitation include Soldier's Rehabilitation Act, the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, the 1935 Social Security Act, the Supreme Court decision in the case of Olmstead v. LC, the American with Disability Act of 1990, and the process of deinstitutionalization from facilities. The origin of the vocational rehabilitation can be traced to the Smith Hughes Act of 1917 (Desmond, 2017). The legislation mandated the federal government to provide funding for the agricultural programs in schools. The Soldier's Rehabilitation Act of 1918 further led to the growth of the program by introducing the concept of offering work support for injured veterans who had participated in the First World War. During this period the wounded and disabled soldiers were only trained in programs that matched their abilities. The vocational rehabilitation program was well received by the society, and this prompted the government to expand it to non-veterans in 1920 (Desmond, 2017). During this period the plan discriminated individuals suffering from epilepsy and development disabilities.

In 1935, the government increased vocational rehabilitation funding. Moreover, the state made it a permanent program and included in the 1935 Social Security Act. The Rehab Act of 1943 further led to the development of vocational rehabilitation as it allowed individuals who have mental illness to obtain the services and joined the workforce (Andrew et al., 1992). Additionally, the 1954 amendments approved for the expansion of funding of the programs. The development of vocational rehabilitation to accommodate more people occurred in 1973 through the Rehabilitation Act. The legislation was sponsored by the civil rights movements to protect individuals who are physically challenged by discrimination. The Act provided not only legal protection but also direct services to help the affected people secure employment. Currently, the vocational rehabilitation is regulated by both the American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 (Desmond, 2017). The two legislations are based on the assumption that individuals of all ability levels have the right to be employed.

Analysis of the Policy

The vocational rehabilitation policy was meant to protect the mentally ill and physical injuries in the society. The strategy is useful because it safeguards the rights of the individuals who are physically challenged in the community. Most jobs avoid employing people who have been injured because their movement and work are limited. They tend to be slow and require time off to seek medical attention (Dutta et al., 2008). These challenges can lead to decreased production in the company. However, the physically injured individuals also require jobs to enable them to cater for their survival. The physically challenged individuals need to be protected from discrimination at various workplaces. This lead to various legislations that ensured the rights of the disabled in the community is safeguarded.

Vocational rehabilitation services are essential because they seek to restore people to their optimal physical, social, vocational, mental, and economic ability. People who are involved in accidents suffer emotionally from trauma. The injuries can lead the victims to spend time in hospitals and suffer from depression. The vocational rehabilitation services are essential because they offer job counseling, referral, and guidance services (Andrew et al., 1992). The program further assists the victims in their healing process by providing physical and mental rehabilitation. These services are considered to be vital in the healing process because it helps the victims in fighting trauma and overcoming the emotional challenges that are associated with the accidents.

The program further offers on-the-job training and assist them to find jobs. The practices are important to people who suffer from injuries because it enables them to accept their condition and help them to know how to deals with work challenges. The adaptation period is vital for any victim who is physically disabled because they get to understand how to use the various machines while working. For example, a physically challenged man who is not able to walk can use this period to know how to use a wheelchair while conducting various activities (Desmond, 2017). Moreover, it is difficult for physically challenged individuals to acquire jobs in the current competitive market. Fortunately, Section 504 and the American with Disability Act protects their rights. The vocational rehabilitation services enable them to secure employment. The other advantage of the vocational rehabilitation services is that the program offers financial support to the victims. The support is vital because the victims require money for survival purposes. The vocational rehabilitation programs are essential to the victims because they provide individualized coordination of training, support services, counseling, career planning, and job placement (Dutta et al., 2008). These services are essential to disabled people in society because it assists them in finding their purpose, boosting their self-esteem, and securing jobs that helps in their survival.

The vocational rehabilitation can adversely affect individuals with learning disabilities. People suffering from learning disabilities experience functional impairment it might pose a challenge to the counselors because they may fail to understand the significance of the disability and how to handle the process (Desmond, 2017). The victim's experiences challenges that can adversely affect their outcomes while working. They lack effective interpersonal and communication skills that might hinder their progress. The vocational rehabilitation programs are time-consuming and require a lot of resources to implement (Andrew et al., 1992). Moreover, psychological trauma might hinder some of the victims from recovery.

Vocational rehabilitation is meant to protect the disabled in society. Most physically challenged individuals were economically discriminated in society. The process led them to be dependent on their relatives and friends. However, the vocational rehabilitation programs have given people with both physical and mental disabilities a second chance in life. They can learn new skills and secure jobs in various companies (Dutta et al., 2008). The income generating abilities that they are taught are essential for their survival. Moreover, the process assists in both offering them job and healing. Statistics indicate that the passing of the Americans with Disability Act and Section 504 has led to increased employment of individuals who are disabled.

Recommendations

The primary goal of the vocational rehabilitation services is to help the victims adapt to their condition and be able to secure jobs. Furthermore, it is meant to curb the rate of discrimination during employment. The United States has the Equal Employment policy that mandates employers not to discriminate against employees and job seekers. The Equal Employment policy protects people from employment discrimination based on age, color, race, religion, sex, and disability. This policy is useful because unlike the American with Disability Act and section 504; it covers other forms of discrimination that job applicants and employees face (Desmond, 2017). Therefore, the Equal Employment opportunity protects a larger group from discrimination at the workplace compared to vocational rehabilitation.

Conclusion

The vocational rehabilitation services are essential to the society because it does not only train the physically disadvantaged in the community to acquire jobs but also assists in the healing process. Due to the program, physically challenged people have been able to secure employment and be integrated into society. The other policy that protects against discrimination at the workplace is the Equal Employment policy. The policy grants opportunity for employees to report cases of discrimination. Therefore, this governmental policy is useful because it assists people who suffer discrimination in the hands of their masters. Through the program, victims have been able to receive compensation and deter employers from repeating such crimes.

References

Andrews, H., Barker, J., Pittman, J., Mars, L., Struening, E., & LaRocca, N. (1992). National trends in vocational rehabilitation: A comparison of individuals with physical disabilities and individuals with psychiatric disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 58(1), 7.

Desmond, S. (2017). Evaluating the Effectiveness of Vocational Rehabilitation in Economic Outcomes for Adults with Disabilities.

Dutta, A., Gervey, R., Chan, F., Chou, C. C., & Ditchman, N. (2008). Vocational rehabilitation services and employment outcomes for people with disabilities: A United States study. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 18(4), 326.