September 8, 2005

MEMORANDUM FOR RSB STAFF

FROM:  Michael Fester, Deputy Director

SUBJECT:  Vocational Rehabilitation Services for RSB Staff Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

RSB employees who are also persons with disabilities shall have the same right of access to services as consumers who are not employed by RSB.  Incumbent in that statement is the requirement that RSB will provide the necessary job accommodations as stipulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act as Amended.  A vocational rehabilitation case may be opened on a current RSB employee only after satisfying the following criteria:

1.  The RSB employee in question must be under-employed in their current position so as to clearly fail to take into account their strengths, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests and informed choice. Their prospective employment goal must clearly represent a position that would be in keeping with those factors.

2.  A vocational rehabilitation case shall not be opened for an employee of RSB in preparation for that employee’s projected voluntary termination of employment or retirement.   

3.  The rehabilitation counselor must submit a request for exception to the Deputy Director, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind.  The vocational rehabilitation case may only be opened upon approval of that request.   

If RSB hires a consumer who already has an open case, that case may remain open as long as planned services are being provided; however, the case must be closed upon completion of the employee’s probationary period as specified by the Rehabilitation Act and its implementing regulations.