Supported Employment: Applying for an individual company qualification for people with disabilities

If you need special assistance in integrating into working life and are currently unable to complete any training or further education due to your disability, you can receive individual in-company qualification as part of Supported Employment.

The individual in-company qualification within the framework of Supported Employment is intended to offer you vocational prospects for participation in working life through individual qualifications directly in the company. If your employment agency is the responsible rehabilitation agency, it will assume the costs.

You are given the opportunity to take up employment in the general labor market that matches your skills and wishes, even without formal qualifications.

According to the motto "first place, then qualify", you will be placed in a company as quickly as possible. You will expand your personal skills, develop your social competence and acquire further knowledge.

For this purpose, a qualification trainer is at your side. This person works for a provider who implements and accompanies your measure. It is also their task to look for the company qualification places with you. The provider has a large regional network and many employer contacts.

The individual in-company qualification is divided into 3 phases:

• Entry phase: you try out vocational interests and test your skills in one or more companies if required. Together with your qualification trainer, you look for suitable qualification positions and determine in which areas you need support and qualification.
• Qualification phase: You will receive a practice-oriented qualification and will be trained in one or more qualification positions. In addition, you will be taught the cross-occupational skills you need for your work on project days at your provider.
• Stabilization phase: This begins as soon as you fill the job that is tailored to you, your qualification trainer determines that you no longer need qualification and the company holds out the prospect of taking you on. You will practice your tasks and competencies in detail in your everyday work and strengthen and consolidate your independence. In addition, all participants are intensively prepared for your employment.

How long the individual phases last depends on your individual requirements.

The individual in-company qualification lasts up to 24 months.

In individual cases, it can be extended by a maximum of 12 months. The aim is for you to obtain employment subject to social insurance contributions as a result of the in-company training.

During the individual in-company qualification program, you will be covered by health, nursing care, accident and pension insurance. You are also entitled to either training allowance or transitional allowance.

Please ask your advisor what documentation you will need when you contact him or her.

Forms available: No
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: Yes
Online services available: Yes

• You have a disability and your rehabilitation provider is the Federal Employment Agency.
• Your prospects of participating or re-participating in working life are not only temporarily significantly reduced due to the nature or severity of your disability and you therefore need assistance to participate in working life.
  • Or: You are threatened with a disability with the same occupational consequences.
• You can work in the general labor market, but you need special support because of your disabilities and other measures cannot currently help you sufficiently to participate in working life because of your disabilities.
• You do not need special offers from a workshop for disabled people or another service provider.

Appeal to the employment agency that issued the decision. Further information on how to file an appeal can be found in the respective notice.

In order for you to receive individual in-company qualification as part of Supported Employment, you must contact your employment agency:

• To do this, make an appointment with the Vocational Rehabilitation and Participation Team at your employment agency.
• If you do not yet have a personal contact person at your employment agency, make an appointment via the service hotline of the Federal Employment Agency.
• In a personal meeting, you will clarify together whether this measure is suitable for you.
• If your advisor determines that the support will help you participate in working life, you will either be registered with a provider who implements the measure on behalf of the Employment Agency or advised on possible alternatives (benefit as a personal budget).
• Your advisor will also discuss with you the forms you need to fill out. You can also fill out the documents online.
• Once the date for the start of your participation in the measure has been set, you will be informed.

Processing usually takes several weeks. After approval of the service, the measure should begin as soon as possible in coordination with the provider.

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