The Transformative Role of a Vocational Assessment for People with Disabilities
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time to recognize the contributions of disabled individuals in the workforce and highlight the benefits employment brings to their lives. It is also an important time to identify the vocational resources that are available to support disabled individuals as they seek employment.
According to the Pew Research Center, there are approximately 42.5 million Americans with disabilities ranging from hearing, vision, cognitive, mobility, self-care, and independent living challenges. Some individuals are born with disabilities, while others acquire them from catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, soft tissue injuries, burns, neck and back injuries, and amputations that can be life-altering. In such cases, a vocational assessment can help to determine precisely how the injury has impacted the individual's capacity to work and earn an income.
Why Employment Matters for Individuals with Disabilities
Employment holds significant importance for individuals with disabilities. It not only offers financial gain but also contributes to their social well-being, personal growth, and empowerment. Many people with disabilities strive for employment opportunities to demonstrate their skills, talents, and abilities. Employment can help improve independence while showing that a person’s disability does not have to be a barrier to reaching their career goals.
Unlocking Career Opportunities with a Vocational Assessment
At MacKenzie Life Care Planning, we understand the importance of empowering individuals with disabilities through employment. Our vocational experts provide comprehensive vocational assessments to determine an individual's ability to increase workplace participation and enhance their overall quality of life.
Why Vocational Assessment Matters After a Disability Injury?
A vocational assessment clearly explains how a worker’s skills and abilities have been impacted by their injury. It provides an objective analysis of how the individual's skills, abilities, and earning capacity have been impacted by their condition. It helps determine suitable jobs or accommodations needed to return to work. It provides professional evaluation and data to maximize their employment opportunities after the disability injury.
Vocational analysis includes:
Thorough Analysis
Providing a comprehensive analysis of an individual's education, work history, and wage records, a vocational analysis takes a holistic view of the individual to provide accurate guidance on their employment prospects. The analysis results in a full report summarizing the data, analysis, and recommendations for employment options, accommodations, retraining needs, and expected earnings.
Pre-Injury Earning Capacity
Pre-injury earning capacity determines an individual's earning capacity before a disability injury. Documenting pre-injury earning capacity metrics provides a baseline to then measure loss of earning capacity post-injury. Expert analysis by a vocational expert establishes a defendable figure for loss of earnings claims.
Calculating Past Lost Wages
Calculating past lost wages helps to determine the income lost since the date of injury up to the expected date of trial or return to work date by calculating the number of days lost and multiplying it by the pre-injury earning capacity. Thorough documentation supports the calculation of past lost wages..
Transferable Skills
Identifying the skills that can be transferred to new employment opportunities examines abilities from past education, work experience, and interests that could be utilized in new occupations. The transferable skills still intact after injury enable the individual to expand employment options and earnings potential despite limitations imposed by disability.
Post-Injury Earning Capacity
Post-injury earning capacity evaluates an individual's earning capacity after disability injury. This includes medical limitations, suitable alternate jobs, earnings potential in those occupations, and projected annual earnings given the disability. Quantifying remaining earning ability helps determine overall loss of earning capacity due to the injuries sustained.
Labor Market Research
Research into the labor market within a specific geographical area enables experts to analyze job availability, salary ranges, and wage projections, considering factors like economic trends, competition, and local dynamics.
Future Loss of Earning Capacity
Assessing future loss of earning capacity predicts and assesses any potential future loss of earning capacity post-injury. Future loss of earning capacity is calculated from the date of trial until retirement by determining any difference between the pre-injury earning capacity and the post injury earning capacity.
A vocational assessment after a disability injury provides a structured approach to assessing an individual's abilities, limitations, and opportunities in the context of employment. It serves as a valuable tool for personal and professional development, rehabilitation, legal proceedings, and ensuring individuals with disabilities can access meaningful and sustainable career paths.
Vocational Experts Can Make a Difference
Vocational support for disabled individuals is essential for improving quality of life. The experienced vocational experts at MacKenzie Life Care Planning can help.
Kacy Turner, MS, CRC, CVE, CLCP
Kacy Turner is a Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP expert) and certified rehabilitation counselor and vocational evaluator with over 30 years of experience in rehabilitation and court testimony. As a rehabilitation consultant, Kacy has an innate desire to help people after an accident or injury. Her goal is to assist those with limitations in finding employment as well as to recommend the equipment and supplies needed to improve their independence.
John Maier, MA, CRC, CCM
John Maier is a certified rehabilitation counselor and expert witness with 26 years of experience working with people with disabilities. His primary goal when creating a vocational assessment is to maximize the person’s independence, help them excel in their vocational pursuits, and achieve financial stability. Notably, before venturing into the field of litigation, John served as a vocational counselor in both North Carolina and Arizona, accumulating valuable experience and expertise along the way.
A Brighter Future for Individuals with Disabilities
As we reflect on NDEAM this October, we acknowledge the value that individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce and the significant impact their participation has on their personal lives and society. In the wake of a disability injury, a person deserves the opportunity to pursue their career aspirations and autonomy, and a vocational assessment can play a crucial role in supporting that journey.
At MacKenzie Life Care Planning, our dedicated vocational experts provide a wealth of experience and knowledge, making them well-equipped to help disabled individuals regain their independence and achieve employment success. They contribute to improving the quality of life for those facing the challenges of disability, turning these challenges into opportunities for a brighter future.
For anyone in need of a vocational assessment or seeking answers to their questions, please call MacKenzie Life Care Planning at 903-595-6777 or visit us online at www.mackenzieclcp.com.
