Auxiliary Aides and Services
At Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend, we have reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities as required by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are dedicated in working hard to assure that those with disabilities are not discriminated against and that we are accessible to you.
Auxiliary Aids and Services at Our Career Centers
| Accessible Workstation – At least one computer workstation is universally accessible for customers with disabilities. Accessible workstations include height-adjustable tables for use by wheelchair users. |
| Large Monitor – A 19 to 21-inch monitor is available for people with low vision, providing increased character size and a clearer image. |
| Screen Enlargement Capability – The accessible workstation has software installed that allows users with low vision to enlarge the print on the monitor’s screen |
| Voice Output Capability – For people with visual disabilities and reading limitations, the accessible workstation has software installed that can “read” text on the screen and convert the text into voice output. The computer has a headphone jack and headphones (available upon request). |
| Trackball – The accessible workstation has a trackball as an alternative to a mouse. |
| Large Print Keyboard – For people with a variety of disabilities, the accessible workstation has a large print keyboard. |
| Customer Access – Customers have universal access to center presentations, discussions and workshops. |
| Equal Opportunity Officer – This Workforce Center has an Equal Opportunity Officer who is a senior level employee as required by WIOA regulations. Services, programs and facilities are reviewed at least annually to ensure that our Workforce Center and its services are nondiscriminatory and provide equal opportunity for customers with disabilities. |
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
| We will secure a qualified sign language interpreter, where necessary, in a timely manner. |
| Designated employees know how to use a TDD/TTY and the telephone relay service. |
Blind and Visually-Impaired
| Materials are available in electronic format in order for them to be accessed through a screen reader or magnifier such as ZoomText. |
| Documents can be enlarged for individuals who prefer documents with larger prints. |
| ZoomText Reader/Magnifier software has been installed in the accessible workstation computer. |
| The accessible workstation computer has a large Large Print Keyboard. |
Cognitive Disabilities
| We will offer assistance with and/or extra time for the completion of forms and written instructions. |
| We will repeat instructions, provide information in a slower voice, use simple sentences and words and use graphics, e.g., symbols, pictures. |
| We will provide a quiet environment for people to read materials. |
Mobility Impairments
| We will provide a clipboard as a writing surface if counters or reception desks are too high and come around to your side of the desk/counter during interaction. |
| The accessible workstation computer has a trackball. |
Speech Impairments
| If we do not understand something, we will not pretend to understand. We will ask you to repeat what you said and then we will repeat it back. |
| We will ask questions that require only short answers or a nod of the head. |
If we have difficulty understanding you, please let us know if you prefer writing or sitting at a computer screen as an alternative. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I tell staff at the Career Center about my disability?
It is your personal decision whether to tell staff about your disability. There may be advantages and disadvantages so you need to decide what is best for you. Under the ADA, Career Centers can ask if you have a disability to determine if you are eligible for certain services. However, disclosing your disability and information about it, is strictly voluntary. Disclosing your disability can have some real benefits. By doing so, you can receive the accommodations and assistance you need to fully benefit from the services of the One-Stop Center. By disclosing, you may also become eligible for special programs available for people with disabilities.
As a person with a disability, how can I advocate for myself to get the services I want from a Career Center?
During your initial visit at the Center ask for any assistance you need to help you understand the range of services the Career can provide. Some accommodations that might be helpful include: an individual meeting rather than group orientation; help with filling out any registration forms; brochures, flyers, and other information in an alternative format such as a different language, Braille, or large print; sign language interpretation; using a tape recorder to remember information.
Bring a friend or family member with you to help you use the books and computers in the resource library in order to check job openings, compose your resume and cover letters, fax applications, etc. You can also bring a staff person from another agency with which you are working.
Gain an understanding of all of the Core Services, classes, and other free resources and activities (such as computer lab) that are part of using at a One-Stop.
Request an individual meeting with Center staff to develop a plan or a list of ideas that can help you make the best use of the services and opportunities available at the One-Stop.
Stay informed about ongoing activities such as employer interviews or presentations held at the Center, as well as workshops and “hot job” leads. Look for flyers, posters, newsletters, etc.
Get to know the front desk staff. You will then feel comfortable asking them for helpful general information including what current events and activities are happening or coming soon.
Other important people to get to know are the resource library staff. They can be extremely useful in answering your questions as you use the resource library (career books, magazines, newspapers, job postings, fax and copy machine) and the computers and internet.
As you settle into using the Career Center, be sure to ask for any accommodations you may need such as: a larger/accessible work station at the computer; resources in a different language; Braille, large print, TTY, interpreter services, etc.; assistance using information you don’t understand; adaptive equipment to use computers and phones.
your personal decision whether to tell staff about your disability. There may be advantages and disadvantages so you need to decide what is best for you. Under the ADA, Career Centers can ask if you have a disability to determine if you are eligible for certain services. However, disclosing your disability and information about it, is strictly voluntary. Disclosing your disability can have some real benefits. By doing so, you can receive the accommodations and assistance you need to fully benefit from the services of the One-Stop Center. By disclosing, you may also become eligible for special programs available for people with disabilities.
Can I use a Career Center if I am already receiving services from another agency?
Yes. If you are receiving employment services from another agency you can also utilize core services of the Career Center. In fact the core services may be helpful to you and your current service provider. In addition, you can utilize core services any time in your career. If your employment services provider helps you become familiar with how to use the Career Center now, you may be able to use the Center on your own in the future if you want to change jobs. You may also want to speak with your counselor at the other agency about whether you are eligible for some of the special projects at Career Centers. They could refer you to the Center and help you get these services.
How would services through the Career Center supplement what I am getting from another agency?
Access to computers. Using a computer can help you develop a professional looking resume and cover letters. In addition you can use the Internet at Career Centers to help you find out about job openings, to submit your resume to a number of different resume banks, and to learn more about companies where you would like to work.
Workshops. Many Career Centers offer some workshops as part of the core services. Workshop topics may include resume writing, interview skills, introduction to the Internet, job search skills and information about industries that have a demand for new employees. While the agency helping you find a job may also offer support in these areas, you may want to review the workshop calendar for the Center you are using to determine if any offering would be useful in your job search. Participating in the workshops may also allow you to meet fellow job seekers who can provide support and advice.
Job Referral. The staff at the Centers work with employers to help them find qualified applicants for job openings. While they will not provide individualized job development as part of the core services, they may have job leads that you will not learn about through other sources. If you find out about a job through the Career Center, the Center staff and your employment service provider can work together to make sure you receive the individualized assistance you need to follow-up on the job lead.
Should I let my counselor know that I am working with the Career Center?
Yes. If you are also working with a Vocational Rehabilitation agency and/or with a private employment program to help you with your job search, let them know about your involvement with the Career Center. Everyone can then be working together to best meet your employment goal.
Personal Responsibility
As you are using the services of a Career Center, keep the following in mind: Centers have a wide array of resources that help you to obtain and succeed in employment; you have the absolute right to use these services, and to be treated in a welcoming and respectful manner. While hopefully your experience will be a completely positive one, if you have concerns about how the services of a Career Center are being provided, remember that it’s your responsibility to make the Center aware of your concerns, and to educate and advocate in a positive and effective manner, so that your needs, and the needs of all people with disabilities are met. The most effective way that Career Centers can learn how to meet the needs of people with disabilities is by people with disabilities going out and actually using the services of a Career Center.
We encourage you to go visit your local Career Center, and find out what it has to offer. The use of Career Centers by people with disabilities, combined with education and advocacy, will ensure that this new service system is able to fully deliver on its potential for helping people with disabilities succeed in employment.