Rehabilitation Assistant - Ames

Location: 819 Wheeler St., Suite 6, Ames IA

Schedule: Full-time, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Hybrid telework and alternate schedules available after six months of employment and training.

About the role

The Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Team at Iowa Workforce Development supports job candidates through vocational rehabilitation services. This role involves direct interaction with job candidates, employers, and counselors to facilitate employment outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide general agency information at orientations for job candidates to support new referrals.
• Complete agency referral/application materials to support job candidates as necessary.
• Schedule intake interviews for referrals.
• Facilitate job candidate orientation, Job Seeking Skills Training (JSST), Job Club, and mock interviews through direct one-on-one contact, small group presentations, or written communication.
• Conduct initial interviews with new applicants to gather personal data, complete agency paperwork, explain rights and responsibilities, and outline available vocational rehabilitation services.
• Develop partnerships with job candidates focusing on employment throughout the rehabilitation program; explain employer and rehabilitation team expectations.
• Instruct job candidates in acceptable social, interpersonal, and work-related behaviors to improve success in work environments.
• Redirect inappropriate or disruptive behavior to improve job candidate success in vocational training.
• Instruct job candidates one-on-one to perform simple tasks and provide feedback to achieve desired behavior.
• Provide Job Seeking Skills training to assist job candidates in finding employment.
• Instruct job candidates on jobs and follow up with employers to identify and resolve issues; collaborate with counselors, job candidates, and employers.
• Complete monthly progress reviews as requested by counselors.
• Contact employers to develop jobs and monitor/update the area office employer development account.
• Answer public inquiries about vocational rehabilitation services.
• Review occupational projections, salary expectations, and labor market trends; research job leads and accommodations/medical information as requested by counselors.
• Maintain monthly contact with job candidates seeking or in employment (statuses 20 and 22) to meet goals, as directed by counselors.
• Accompany job candidates to job interviews and provide limited job coaching as directed by counselors.
• Observe and interact with job candidates and business representatives in diverse work settings to identify needed work skills and behaviors; provide coaching.
• Review job candidate on-the-job performance and report information to counselors.
• Follow job maintenance plans developed by counselors, job candidates, and employers.
• Support clerical processing, including opening, transferring, and closing case records.
• Process and track confidential releases of information and related case data in compliance with agency standards.
• Process Social Security Administration verification requests.
• Enter data into the case management system and maintain files, including creating, amending, canceling, billing, and tracking.
• Type and process letters pertaining to case services.
• Process mail and deliveries using USPS or UPS/FedEx as needed.
• Use copiers/scanners to copy, scan, download, and upload information into the agency case management system.
• Work with software, hardware, and electronic forms required for position responsibilities; compose case notes documenting work provided in case records.
• Ensure tasks are completed thoroughly with professionalism, attention to detail, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Assist service staff in adhering to regulatory time frames (e.g., 60 days for eligibility, 90 days for plan development, annual reviews, goal dates, and 90 days for stabilization).
• Serve as front desk receptionist, providing coverage for visitors, answering calls, routing inquiries, and managing appointments.
• Document changes in case records and send notifications to job candidates and team members as applicable.
• Treat internal and external customers with respect and establish good rapport.
• Review and respond to voicemail messages as appropriate.
• Attend agency staff meetings and support work activities based on provided information.
• Provide backup coverage for other clerical team members during absences or work priorities.
• Support special projects and tasks to meet office/agency needs.

Requirements

The successful candidate must pass a criminal background check conducted by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements:

• Two years of full-time work experience in a human services field involving customer service, public contact to compile or provide information, organization/management of confidential information, or scheduling appointments.
• Two years of full-time work experience as a legal assistant/paralegal, medical office assistant, or job coach.
• A combination of two years of education and full-time experience (as described above), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework equals one year of full-time experience.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch, including eighteen months of full-time work in direct client/customer service in a clerical or administrative support capacity.

About Iowa Workforce Development

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) is a state agency dedicated to providing exceptional employment services and connecting employers with skilled workers. With a focus on continuous improvement and aligning services with workforce demands, IWD supports job seekers and employers through a statewide network of IowaWORKS Centers.

Benefits

• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off, including nine paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave with no cap on sick leave accrual.
• IPERS retirement package and an optional deferred compensation retirement plan.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care.
• Free life and long-term disability insurance with the option to purchase additional coverage.
• Employee Assistance Programs and Discount Programs for support.