Job Retention Factors for
Homeless People with Significant Disabilities
A Collaborative Research Study Between
Funded by NIDRR
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to study the factors that contribute to
job retention and sustained employment for persons who are homeless and have a
significant disability. Unemployment
rates, wage levels, benefits, and educational levels for individuals with
disabilities are unacceptably low when compared to the general population. Access to quality jobs with decent wages is
lower still for individuals with disabilities who are homeless, or who reside
in supported or subsidized housing. Although
homelessness and disability significantly impact a person’s capacity to work
competitively and are associated with high rates of unemployment and low wages
(McCarriston, 1996), a recent demonstration program with hard-to-employ
homeless people with disabilities has provided evidence that successful
competitive employment is feasible for this population (McCarriston,
2000). Findings from this project
suggest that individuals who are homeless and have
significant disabilities can obtain competitive employment, but face
significant obstacles to job retention and sustained employment.
Job retention is examined as an important aspect of
recovery and independence for homeless persons with a significant disability (McCarriston, 2000) and is defined as the ability to sustain
employment and/or to identify, obtain, and retain quality jobs that provide
satisfaction, independence, and opportunity for advancement (Hursh & Shrey, 1999). The proposed project seeks to study the
major factors that promote or limit job retention and sustained employment for
approximately 200 homeless individuals with significant disabilities who have
successfully transitioned from unemployment to competitive employment and
permanent housing. The project is an
expansion of our HUD funded longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation
(1996-2002) that will increase current knowledge about successful and sustained
employment for homeless people with disabilities. The proposed project will achieve the
following goals:
Goal One: To study the relationship between successful job retention
and the individual characteristics and coping strategies of homeless people
with significant disabilities.
Goal Two: To study the relationship between successful job retention
and different workplace supports, program services, and homeless resources used
by homeless people with disabilities.
Goal Three: To study how specific individual characteristics, and different
workplace and program supports and resources, interact to influence job
retention and sustained employment
Goal Four: To disseminate results of the study to employment and
vocational rehabilitation programs, homeless resources, workforce development
programs, advocacy groups, and interested stakeholders.
The proposed project
represents a continuation and expansion of our innovative research and
development programs for homeless persons with disabilities who have been
successful in obtaining competitive employment and who demonstrate capacity to
sustain employment. Information from
this research is expected to expand existing knowledge both about the individual
factors influencing acquisition and retention of jobs, and the different
workplace supports, programs, and resources that influence this process. Such information would be of vital importance
to the effective delivery of vocational rehabilitation services with this
population. At the same time, this
information is expected to provide the basis for the design of future
employment studies to examine strategies to optimize the capacity of homeless
people with disabilities to obtain and sustain quality employment.