Title 34

SECTION 397.20

397.20 What are the responsibilities of a designated State unit to youth with disabilities who are known to be seeking subminimum wage employment

§ 397.20 What are the responsibilities of a designated State unit to youth with disabilities who are known to be seeking subminimum wage employment?

(a) A designated State unit must provide youth with disabilities documentation upon the completion of the following actions:

(1)(i) Pre-employment transition services that are available to a student with a disability under 34 CFR 361.48; or

(ii) Transition services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), such as transition services available to the individual under section 614(d) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d));

(2) Application for vocational rehabilitation services, in accordance with 34 CFR 361.41(b), with the result that the individual was determined -

(i) Ineligible for vocational rehabilitation services, in accordance with 34 CFR 361.43; or

(ii) Eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, in accordance with 34 CFR 361.42; and

(A) The youth with a disability had an approved individualized plan for employment, in accordance with 34 CFR 361.46;

(B) The youth with a disability was unable to achieve the employment outcome specified in the individualized plan for employment, as described in 34 CFR 361.5(c)(15) and 361.46, despite working toward the employment outcome with reasonable accommodations and appropriate supports and services, including supported employment services and customized employment services, for a reasonable period of time; and

(3)(i) Regardless of the determination made under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the youth with a disability has received career counseling, and information and referrals from the designated State unit to Federal and State programs and other resources in the individual's geographic area that offer employment-related services and supports designed to enable the individual to explore, discover, experience, and attain competitive integrated employment.

(ii) The career counseling and information and referral services provided in accordance with paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section must -

(A) Be provided by the designated State unit in a manner that facilitates informed choice and decision-making by the youth, or the youth's representative as appropriate;

(B) Not be for subminimum wage employment by an entity defined in § 397.5(d), and such employment-related services are not compensated at a subminimum wage and do not directly result in employment compensated at a subminimum wage provided by such an entity; and

(C) Be provided within 30 calendar days of a determination under paragraph (a)(2)(i) or (a)(2)(ii)(C) of this section for a youth known by the designated State unit to be seeking employment at subminimum wage.

(b) The following special requirements apply -

(1) For purposes of this part, all documentation provided by a designated State unit must satisfy the requirements for such documentation, as applicable, under 34 CFR part 361.

(2) The individualized plan for employment, required in paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A) of this section, must include a specific employment goal consistent with competitive integrated employment, including supported or customized employment.

(3)(i) For purposes of paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(B) of this section, a determination as to what constitutes a “reasonable period of time” must be consistent with the disability-related and vocational needs of the individual, as well as the anticipated length of time required to complete the services identified in the individualized plan for employment.

(ii) For an individual whose specified employment goal is in supported employment, such reasonable period of time is up to 24 months, unless under special circumstances the individual and the rehabilitation counselor jointly agree to extend the time to achieve the employment outcome identified in the individualized plan for employment.

(Authority: Sections 7(5), 7(39), 12(c), 102(a) and (b), 103(a), 113, and 511(a) and (d) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 29 U.S.C. 705(5), 705(39), 709(c), 722(a) and (b), 723(a), 733, and 794g(a) and (d))