Other Job Supports

There are many other job support services for people with disabilities during their transition back to work and participation in the workforce. These include Personal Assistance Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, job coaches, and other long-term supports.

Personal Assistance Services (PAS)

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) are services that another person offers to a person with a disability. These services can include help with:

• Home activities, such as bathing, dressing, cooking, toileting, and remembering things;
• Community activities, such as shopping, going to the doctor, and help getting around; and
• Work activities, such as reading, sign-language interpretation, and lifting or reaching.

Personal Care Assistance Program

Minnesota’s Personal Care Assistance program helps pay for personal care assistants for people with disabilities who need help with day-to-day activities in their own homes.

In general, this program does not offer personal assistance at work. However, depending on a person’s disability, it may be a reasonable accommodation to allow the personal care assistant to come to the workplace to give assistance for personal needs, such as help with toileting. If you do require this type of assistance at your workplace, it is important to tell your employer and discuss your needs and the limit of that accommodation.

To be eligible for the personal care assistance program, you must:

• Be eligible to receive
  • Medical Assistance (MA),
  • Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD), or
  • MinnesotaCare Expanded for pregnant women and children.
    
• Need services that are medically necessary and ordered by a physician
• Be able to make decisions about your own care or have someone who can make decisions for you

You must also need help specifically with:

• Activities of daily living, such as eating, toileting, grooming, dressing, bathing, transferring, mobility, or positioning;
• Health-related procedures and tasks;
• Other common activities, such as meal planning and preparation, managing finances, shopping for essential items, performing essential household chores, communication by telephone and other media, and getting around and participating in the community; and/or
• Paying attention to and learning how to change your own behavior.

To find out if you are eligible, contact your local county or tribal human services office .

Workplace Personal Assistance Services

You can use workplace Personal Assistance Services (PAS) to help you perform the essential duties of your job. If you need PAS services, they may be considered a reasonable accommodation under the ADA and your employer would have the responsibility to offer PAS services if you request them.

Funding for Workplace PAS

Workplace PAS are often paid for by an employer when they are considered a reasonable accommodation. Additional funding may also be available from the following sources:

• Vocational Rehabilitation Services or State Services for the Blind
• The Department of Veterans Affairs
• Workers' compensation coverage

Resources for Workplace PAS

• Virginia Commonwealth University’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports and Job Retention has the Personal Assistance in the Workplace: A Customer-Directed Guide Manual.
• The Job Accommodation Network's Accommodation and Compliance Series answers a series of common questions about workplace Personal Assistance Services and provides links to numerous PAS resources.