Training Details
This training provides employment professionals a step-by-step guide in how to use Partners with Business paid coworker support to create workplace supports that benefit employees with disabilities, strengthen workplace teams, and reduce reliance on traditional job coaching.
Who Is This Training For: This training is designed for employment specialists, job coaches, supported employment providers, and others who help people with disabilities find and keep competitive integrated employment (CIE). Whether you are new to Partners with Business or looking to sharpen your skills, this training series has something for you.
Course Summary
Successful workplaces rely on teamwork. When someone learns a new job, they usually turn to the people around them — their coworkers. Partners with Business (PwB) paid coworker support builds on this natural workplace dynamic by recognizing and compensating coworkers who provide additional support to employees with disabilities. This approach helps people learn their jobs in a more integrated way while strengthening workplace culture and reducing the need for outside job coaching.
Instead of relying solely on an external job coach, PwB creates a partnership between employment professionals and employers to identify coworkers who can provide targeted, “above and beyond” support when needed. Employers are reimbursed for the additional time coworkers spend helping their teammate succeed, making this a practical and sustainable strategy for businesses.
In this training, you will learn how the Partners with Business model works, why it benefits both employers and employment programs, and how to successfully implement it. We’ll cover the core principles of paid coworker support, how to build partnerships with employers, and practical steps for setting up, negotiating, and managing PwB arrangements with employers.
You'll Be Able To:
- Explain what Partners with Business paid coworker support is and how the model works
- Describe who benefits from this approach and the advantages for employees, coworkers, employers, and service providers
- Identify when and where paid coworker support is an appropriate strategy
- Understand the service definition requirements, forms, and documentation needed to implement the service
- Calculate employer reimbursement amounts accurately
- Use practical talking points and scripts to introduce and discuss paid coworker support with employers
- Manage ongoing support, including follow-along activities and reimbursement processes
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