Alabama Labor Laws for Sheltered Employees

• Sheltered employment assists those with disabilities.woman at desk #13 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
  
  Employees working under a sheltered employment program are those individuals not capable of working in a normal employment setting. Sheltered employment programs in Alabama refer to segregated vocational and nonvocational activities such as sheltered workshops, activity centers and day treatment centers. In 2001, the Alabama Department of Education adopted the federal Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program that amended the definitions for sheltered employment.
  
  

Transitional Employment

• Transitional training prepares individuals for work settings.an employment image by Ivan Hafizov from Fotolia.com
  
  Nearly all types of sheltered employment in Alabama are classified into two types -- transitional and extended employment. Transitional employment programs provide the necessary training to individuals to give them the experience for transition into a competitive employment environment. This training is conducted in segregated centers to enable individuals to acquire the skills necessary to succeed when placed in a sheltered employment role. Recognized vocational and nonvocational agencies direct the transitional training and assist with placement. These agencies are regulated by the Alabama Department of Labor.
  
  

Extended Employment

• Extended employment programs strive for long-term employment.the business woman. image by Yuri Bizgaimer from Fotolia.com
  
  The second type of sheltered employment in Alabama is the extended employment program. Extended employment programs prepare individuals for permanent placement and long-term employment. These programs allow individuals to extend their existing abilities through segregated workshop settings. The Alabama Department of Education recognizes both transitional and extended employment programs as an initial step to compliance with the federal Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program. Extended employment programs are also regulated by the Alabama Department of Labor.
  
  

Recognized Sheltered Employment Agencies

• The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program funds state agencies.law courts image by Peter Helin from Fotolia.com
  
  Alabama uses the funding from the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program to support an individual's placement in transitional or extended employment settings. Organizations such as Workshops Inc. strive to provide sheltered employment training in central Alabama. The debate exists that even with funded and recognized sheltered employment programs and organizations, the employment settings fail to offer meaningful outcomes and yield low earnings for individuals. As a result, the sheltered employees continue dependency on state and federal benefits.