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Employing people with intellectual disability
MAC objective 4: Special employment measures to employ people with intellectual disability
What can we do?
APS agencies have a significant role to play in increasing the participation of people with intellectual disability in employment, including setting an example for other employment sectors by putting in place initiatives to employ people with intellectual disability.
1. Use special employment measures
Agencies may wish to consider developing strategies to employ people with intellectual disability, as part of their workplace diversity programmes, for example, by utilising the special employment measures (under clause 4.2(6)(b)(ii) of the Public Service Commissioner’s Directions74).
Special measures provisions are available to assist individuals from a recognisable group to achieve employment outcomes. They enable non-SES employment opportunities to be advertised as restricted to applicants who have an intellectual disability. The use of this provision is only available for people with an intellectual disability and cannot be used, more broadly, to target potential employees with disability.
For more information see Commission Circular 2006/6.75
2. Use the Supported Wage System
When agencies are developing strategies to employ people with intellectual disability, it may, in some cases, be appropriate to consider the use of the Supported Wage System.76 This system is discussed in more detail in 'Creating a supportive work environment' in this toolkit.
74 http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/instruments/0/26/pdf/2004072601.pdf
75 http://www.apsc.gov.au/circulars/circular066.htm
76 http://www.jobaccess.gov.au/JOAC/ServiceProviders/Employer+incentives/supportedwagesystem.htm
