1 / 38

Presenters: Joe Adler Director Melissa Voight Davis Manager, Recruitment & Selection

Disability Employment Initiatives in Montgomery County, Maryland “Inclusive workforce training, employment, and career opportunities”. Presenters: Joe Adler Director Melissa Voight Davis Manager, Recruitment & Selection Office of Human Resources Montgomery County Government

guinevere-madden
Download Presentation

Presenters: Joe Adler Director Melissa Voight Davis Manager, Recruitment & Selection

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Disability Employment Initiatives in Montgomery County, Maryland“Inclusive workforce training, employment, and career opportunities” Presenters: Joe Adler Director Melissa Voight Davis Manager, Recruitment & Selection Office of Human Resources Montgomery County Government Rockville, Maryland September 23, 2014 ipma-hr.org 1

  2. Disability Employment Initiatives in Montgomery County, Maryland“Inclusive workforce training, employment, and career opportunities” Presentation Overview A Better Bottom Line – Video Montgomery County Government & Office of Human Resources Montgomery County Population Innovations facilitated by the Office of Human Resources Project SEARCH-Montgomery – Video Questions/Discussion ipma-hr.org 2

  3. Innovate & Achieve Possibilitiesfor Persons with Disabilities in Your Organization, Your Community A Better Bottom Line Video Presentation Web link: http://vimeo.com/user20906694/review/105272814/c7453ed549 ipma-hr.org 3

  4. I. Montgomery County Organization Chart 4

  5. Montgomery County Government A mission-based public service agency that delivers: Responsive and accountable public services Affordable housing in an inclusive community An effective and efficient transportation network A strong and vibrant economy Children prepared to live and learn Healthy and sustainable communities Safe streets and secure neighborhoods Vital living for all county residents 5

  6. Montgomery County Population SOURCE: US Census Bureau State & County QuickFacts. Last Revised: July 8, 2014 6

  7. Montgomery County Government Fiscal Year 2015 Operating Budget: $ 4.9 billion Organized into 32 Executive Branch Departments Three Employee Unions MCGEO (Municipal and County Government Employee Organization) IAAF (International Association of Fire Fighters) FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) A workforce of 9,035 (Full Time) employees hired under competitive merit employment system 7

  8. II. Montgomery County Government Office of Human Resources Vision Statement • Montgomery County Office of Human Resources staff work to be the best organization delivering quality Human Resource Services Mission Statement • The Office of Human Resources staff attract, develop, and retain a high performing, well qualified, and diverse workforce 8

  9. National Statistics on Disabled Persons* In 2010, about 56.7 million (18.7%) of the 303.9 million civilian non institutionalized population had a disability About 38.3 million (12.6%) had a severe disability 4 in 10 individuals, aged 21 to 64 with a disability were employed (41.1 %) 8 in 10 individuals aged 21 to 64 without disabilities were employed (79.1%) SOURCE: Americans With Disabilities: 2010, July 2012. U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau 9

  10. Montgomery County Disabled Individuals . Source: U.S. Census Bureau. American FactFinder, 2010-2012 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates 10

  11. Initiatives Facilitated by Office of Human Resources Serving Persons with Disabilities Intern Programs Customized Employment Public Intern Project (May 2007) QUEST (October 2009) Project SEARCH (September 2012) Policy Initiatives Hiring Preference (July 2010) Noncompetitive Hiring (June 2013) Dedicated staff person for Targeted Special Recruitment (July 2013) Human Resources Management Enhancement Hiring Initiative Registration for Employment Database (HIRED) (August 2014) 11

  12. How Were County Initiatives Implemented Executive Branch Commitment Commitment and Leadership from County Executive Partnership & Collaboration County Commission for People with Disabilities County Commission for Veterans Affairs Legislative Branch Commitment County General Election Approval for Charter Amendment 12

  13. How Were County Initiatives Implemented [continued-2] Legislative Branch Commitment 2010 County Council legislation approval to provide a hiring preference to veterans and people with disabilities who apply to initial position with Montgomery County Charter Amendment for Noncompetitive Hiring Authority No provision for non-competitive hiring under merit system Advocacy efforts joined by County Commission on People with Disabilities and Commission for Veteran’s Affairs In 2011, Charter Review Commission did not approve action for amendment needed to approve the noncompetitive hiring authority 13

  14. How Were County Initiatives Implemented [continued-2] • In 2012, County Executive recommended, and the County Council voted 9 to 0 to add the question of the County Noncompetitive Hiring Authority in the general election ballot • Outcome of Nov. 6, 2012 County voter election resulted in a 4 to 1 support and approval to grant the Noncompetitive Hiring Authority similar to the Federal Schedule A hiring practice 14

  15. Personnel Hiring Accomplished Hiring Preference Non-Competitive Hiring * 1/1/2011 – 9/23/2014 15

  16. Customized Employment Public Intern Project Program/Employment Eligibility Person with a significant disability; Minimum age of 18 years of age; Proof of disability Employment Status/Duration – Based on Department needs Temporary position with no benefits, sick time, or vacation accrued Flexible work schedule; can work 2 – 18/hours/week based on department need and availability of employee Work duration of 900 hours in a 12 month period, not to exceed 2 years from employment start date Department Position Creation Department & County Liaison (CL) conduct position work requirements Department & CL determine job specifications for a shared, segmented, or new position and availability of suitable work accommodations to accommodate varying range of skill levels Job task list (position description) developed to include location accessibility, work hours, and position transition requirements to accommodate person with disabilities Funding Interns paid $8.15/hour County Fund Allocation: $150,000 for Fiscal Year 2015 16

  17. QUEST(Quality, Understanding, Excellence, Success and Training) Program/Employment Eligibility Resident of Montgomery County Certification by Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) Employment Status/Duration Internships can begin at any time during the year. Intern may complete a maximum of 2 internship rotations Full-time Intern (40/hrs/wk) for 3 months, or Part-time Intern (20/hrs/wk) for up to 6 months Department Position Creation OHR and Department staff identify special projects eligible internship placements Department Intern Request Information Form completed/submitted to DORS Coordinator DORS conducts recruitment for internship; recommends interns for Department screening, selection & intern assignments Funding DORS provides intern stipends for travel expenses & meal allowance ($10/meal) 17

  18. Project SEARCH Program/Employment Eligibility On the job skills internship training program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities Recent high school graduates and young adults between 18 and 24 Collaborative partnership with Ivymount School, Community Resource Providers, DORS, DDA Employment Status/Duration One year Intern Status for the September to June based academic school year Up to three 10 week, intensive worksite internships supported by SEEC’s job coaches Department Internship Creation Project SEARCH Montgomery job developer and Montgomery County Business Liaison, & County Department representatives identify and develop intern placements for total immersion job training assignments Funding Unpaid Internship placements County fund allocation: $70,000 Fiscal Year 2015 18

  19. Amy’s Project Search Success Story Project SEARCH Intern with Montgomery CountyHomestead Property Tax Credit Program Amy researched & identified over 4,858 out of compliance accounts Based on Amy’s research work, action taken to recoup approximately $2 million revenue 19

  20. Montgomery County Project SEARCH Project SEARCH Montgomery Video Presentation Web Link: http://youtu.be/NZaujVzjj5o 20

  21. Hiring Preference Applicant applying for a Hiring Preference must be considered for initial appointment to vacant position before others are considered This does not guarantee the candidate will be selected for appointment, reassignment, or promotion 1. All Hiring Preference candidates are interviewed before any other candidate on the Eligible List 2. If Hiring Manager elects not to select candidate with Hiring Preference, he/she must provide HR Director written justification why the Hiring Preference candidate can not perform duties of position before they can proceed to interview other candidates A Hiring Preference/Noncompetitive Hiring Database was created to document and track all Hiring Preference and Noncompetitive Hiring data, and to inform County Council members, the press, the disability community, and others about individuals hired based on county initiatives for persons with disabilities, veterans with disabilities, and military veterans 21

  22. Non-Competitive Hiring Policy OHR Director may noncompetitively appoint a qualified person to a County merit position if individual: Has a severe developmental, physical, psychiatric disability within meaning of disability criteria used by Federal Office of Personnel Management for noncompetitive appointment to Federal merit system positions under the special hiring authority Has been certified by Maryland Department of Education Division of Rehabilitation Services or an equivalent out-of-state vocational rehabilitation agency as meeting the definition of disability contained above based upon medical evidence Meets minimum requirements for the position and is able to perform essential functions of job with, or without, reasonable accommodation Passes background check and physical examination if required for position 22

  23. Noncompetitive Hiring OHR Director may noncompetitively appoint individual to a County merit position: For seamless and expeditious transition of Customized Employment Program, QUEST, or Project SEARCH Intern into permanent merit system position without advertising the position To fill a position designated by OHR Director as appropriate for noncompetitive appointment of persons with severe disabilities without advertising the position When a department director holds the competitive process in abeyance and noncompetitively appoints an applicant with a severe disability when the merit position has been advertised competitively and a qualified disabled applicant who meets the eligibility requirements applies for the position 23

  24. H I R E D DatabaseHiring Initiative Registration for Employment Database HIRED is Montgomery County’s database designed for applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and are interested for consideration for the non-competitive hiring process HIRED will: Streamline the online job application process for the non-competitive hiring process Expedite review of job applicants by the Targeted Recruitment Specialist (TRS) to identify qualified candidates from persons with disabilities Help TRS and Hiring Managers fill job vacancies with qualified persons with disabilities under the Noncompetitive Hiring Policy 24

  25. Contact: • Joseph Adler, Director joseph.adler@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-5010 - Melissa Voight Davis, Manager melissa.davis@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-5071 - Karen Hochberg, Targeted Recruitment Specialist karen.hochberg@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-5091 Questions? 25

  26. Supplemental Information Customized Employment Public Intern Project QUEST Program Project SEARCH- Montgomery Hiring Preference Requirements Noncompetitive Hiring 26

  27. Customized Employment Public Intern Project As employer, county recognizes individuals with disabilities can qualify for county positions but have difficulty competing for traditional jobs in government Created Customized Public Intern Project to help persons with significant disabilities who face difficulty applying for county staff jobs County established the initiative to create flexible work opportunities for persons with disabilities County departments work with a customized employment career specialist to identify and create part-time position based on work needs. Individuals with disabilities are matched to work tasks based on their interests, skills, competencies Goal is that job experience and training will help interns compete for County merit positions and at other places of employment 27

  28. QUEST(Quality, Understanding, Excellence, Success and Training) Partnership with Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) that provide mentoring services for persons with disabilities through internship training and job experience Internships placements are voluntary Internship placements may be full-time or part-time, may be extended beyond the three-month period Participants paid a stipend to cover basic living expenses. Interns receive valuable training and on-the-job experience Many successful QUEST interns advance to obtain public and private sectors employment 28

  29. Project SEARCH-Montgomery Allows for up to three ten-week unpaid internships to learn job specific skills One year total immersion program that facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training through worksite rotations Classroom instruction focuses on both hard and soft employment skills There are over 500 Project SEARCH program sites nationwide 29

  30. Project SEARCH [continued] County Program Year 1 13 work sites identified including administrative, clerical, hands on physical work in county departments and with county contractors County Program Year 2 11 sites identified including administrative, clerical, information technology, hands on physical work with county departments and with county contractors County Program Year 3 Actively developing partnerships with sister agencies including Community College, other jurisdictions 30

  31. Project SEARCH [continued] County Project SEARCH Outcomes 31

  32. Hiring Preference RequirementsPriority Consideration for Initial Appointment to a County Merit System Position Priority consideration given in the following order: A veteran with a disability An equal preference for veteran without a disability and for person with a disability Requirements for a Veteran with a disability Must be rated & placed in the highest rating category on the eligible list Must be a veteran rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more Must have been honorably discharged from a branch of the United States armed services Must not have used veteran’s credit to receive priority consideration for appointment to a Montgomery County position Prior to appointment to a Merit System position, eligible veterans will be required to submit a copy of DD214 form for verification of military discharge information 32

  33. Hiring Preference[continued-2]Priority Consideration for Initial Appointment to a County Merit System Position Hiring Preference Requirement for a Veteran without a disability Must be rated and placed in the highest rating category on the eligible list Must have been honorably discharged from a branch of the United States armed services Must not have used veteran’s credit to receive priority consideration for an appointment to a Montgomery County position Prior to appointment to a Merit System position, eligible veterans will be required to submit a copy of DD214 form for verification of military discharge information 33

  34. Hiring Preference [continued-3]Priority Consideration for Initial Appointment to a County Merit System Position Hiring Preference Requirements for a Person with a Disability Must be rated and placed in the highest rating category on the eligible list Must have a developmental disability, severe physical disability, or a psychiatric disability within the meaning of 5 CFR 213.3102(u), the criteria used by Federal Office of Personnel Management for noncompetitive appointment to Federal merit system positions under its special hiring authority, and Must be certified by the Maryland Department of Education Division of Rehabilitation Services or equivalent out-of-state vocational rehabilitation agency as meeting the above standard disability 34

  35. Hiring Preference [continued-4]Priority Consideration for Initial Appointment to a County Merit System Position Applicants who wish to claim any of the above preferences for a Montgomery County merit system position, must answer the Hiring Preference online questions as part of their application. These questions can be found in the Equal Employment Opportunity section (step 2) of the application process If they are placed on the highest rating category on the eligible list for positions that they apply for, they will be contacted to obtain the required confirmation documents. Information is available to applicants at hiring.preference@montgomerycountymd.gov Information provided is voluntary but must be provided in order to claim employment preference This information will be kept confidential and will only be used during the hiring process to apply employment preference and will not be used in evaluating an applicant’s application 35

  36. Noncompetitive Hiring A department director may noncompetitively appoint an individual to a County merit position in the following circumstances: For the seamless and expeditious transition of QUEST, Project SEARCH, and Customized Employment Interns into permanent merit system positions without advertising the position To fill a position designated by the OHR Director as appropriate for the noncompetitive appointment of persons with severe disabilities without advertising the position, or Where a merit position has been advertised competitively and a qualified applicant who meets the eligibility requirements applies for the position, a department director may hold the competitive process in abeyance and noncompetitively appoint the applicant with a severe disability 36

  37. Noncompetitive Hiring [continued-2] A department director may noncompetitively appoint a qualified person to a County Merit position if the individual: 1. Has a severe developmental, physical, or psychiatric disability within the meaning of 5 C.F.R. 213.3102(u), the criteria for disability used by the Federal Office of Personnel Management for noncompetitive appointment to Federal merit system positions under its special hiring authority 2. Has been certified by the Maryland Department of Education Division of Rehabilitation Services or by an equivalent out-of-state vocational rehabilitation agency as meeting the definition of disability contained in (1) above based upon medical evidence 37

  38. Noncompetitive Hiring [continued-3] Meets the minimum requirements for the position and is able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation Passes a background check, if required for the position 5. Passes a physical examination, if required for the position 38

More Related