page 7 of 12

Quality Indicator # 5: Amount of Hours Worked Weekly

Number of hours worked weekly is a critical quality indicator for a supported employment program for a number of reasons. First on an individual customer basis, hours of weekly employment establish the base for a number of meaningful employment outcomes. Lower hour, part-time jobs are usually characterized by lower pay and limited benefits. In comparison, employment of 30 or more hours per week brings better access to higher wages and potential benefits such as healthS coverage, vacation and sick leave, and insurance coverage. Higher hours of weekly employment also improve access to work-related training provided through the employer and social interaction with co-workers. From a program perspective, supporting a high percentage of customers in lower hour jobs creates a variety of possible strains on the program. What are the programs funded responsibilities for helping its customers fill non-work hours? Many funding agencies require a certain level of program involvement per week; lower hours of employment can create situations where programs turn to more center-based, segregated services to fill hours. This practice perpetuates center based services, ties-down staff who could be shifted to supporting customers in the community, and creates confusion among program participants and their families as customers move back and forth between community integrated work and set-apart, center based services.

On an customer-to-customer basis, hours worked per week should reflect the preferences and choices of each individual. An individual might choose to work under 30 hours a week because of concerns over maintaining Social Security Disability Benefits, because of work preferences, and/or because of work tolerances reflecting the residual effects of the disability and the supports needed for that person to work. For example, an individual who needs personal assistance services at work might have limited hours of this service available and will therefore work a more limited number of hours. Overall, however, the hours of weekly employment consistently achieved by participants are a valid indicator of the quality of a supported employment program. Programs can analyze this quality indicator by using data on hours of weekly employment to answer the following questions:

• What is the average for hours of weekly competitive employment for program participants?
• What percent of program participants work in competitive employment over 30 hours per week or under 20 hours per week?
• For those participants working competitively under 30 hours per week, how many of hours of alternative programming is provided weekly?
• What is the satisfaction level of participants with their hours of weekly competitive employment?

Supported employment programs that have a high percentage of customers working consistently under 30 hours a week (or working sporadic hours from week to week back and forth above and below 30 hours) are not achieving quality employment outcomes. State funding agencies, such as VR and Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, can reward achievement of employment outcomes of 30 hours or more per week with funding incentives. Vocational Rehabilitation counselors should strongly push for employment outcomes over 30 hours a week and should provide the funding support needed to achieve such outcomes.