Rehabilitation Assistant - Ames

About the role

The Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Team at Iowa Workforce Development is accepting applications for a full-time Rehabilitation Assistant role in our Ames, IA Vocational Rehabilitation office.

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.
• Facilitates job candidate orientation, Job Seeking Skills Training (JSST), Job Club, and mock interviews through direct one-on-one contact with job candidates, presenting to small groups, or in writing.
• Conducts initial interviews with new applicants to gather personal data, complete agency paperwork, explain rights and responsibilities, and explain available vocational rehabilitation services.
• Develops partnerships with job candidates focusing on employment throughout rehabilitation program; explains employer and rehabilitation team expectations.
• Instructs job candidates in acceptable social interpersonal, and work-related behaviors to improve success in work environments.
• Redirects inappropriate or disruptive behavior to improve job candidate success in vocational training.
• Instructs job candidates one-on-one to perform simple tasks and provides feedback to achieve desired behavior.
• Provides Job Seeking Skills training to assist job candidates to learn to find employment.
• Instructs job candidates on jobs and follows up with employers to identify problems and issues; works with counselors, job candidates, and employers to resolve issues.
• Completes monthly progress reviews as requested by counselors.
• Contacts employers to develop jobs.
• Maintains monthly contact with job candidates who are seeking or in employment (statuses 20 and 22) with ongoing plans to meet goals.
• Accompanies job candidates to job interviews as directed by counselors.
• Provides limited job coaching as directed by counselors.
• Observes and interacts with job candidates and business representatives in diverse and varied work settings.
• Identifies work skills and behaviors needed and provides coaching to candidates.
• Reviews job candidate on-the-job performance and reports information to counselors.
• Fulfills job maintenance plans developed by counselors, job candidates, and employers.
• Supports clerical processing and workload that includes opening, transferring and closing case records.
• Processes and tracks confidential releases of information and related case data complying with agency standards.
• Processes Social Security Administration verification requests.
• Enters data into the case management system.
• Maintains files. This includes creating, amending, canceling, billing and tracking.
• Type and process letters pertaining to case services.
• Processes mail and deliveries utilizing USPS or UPS/FedEx services as needed.
• Uses copiers/scanners to copy, scan, download/upload information into the agency case management system.
• Works with software, hardware and electronic forms needed for position responsibilities and compose case notes documenting work provided in case record.
• Ensures tasks and assignments are thoroughly completed and performed in a business/professional appearance with special attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation usage, accuracy, fact checking, attention to detail and completed in a timely manner.
• Affords support to service staff in adhering to regulatory time frames such as 60 days for eligibility, 90 days for plan development, annual reviews, goal dates and 90 days for stabilization.
• May serve as front desk receptionist, providing coverage for visitors.
• Announces arrival of visitors in a timely manner and follow up if visitors have been waiting too long by finding alternate contact.
• Answers incoming calls politely and clearly, determining nature of the call and routing the call to the appropriate person and route complex issues to area office supervisor or Secretary 2.
• Takes messages as appropriate.
• Cancels and reschedules appointments as requested by staff.
• Documents changes in case record and sends notifications to job candidates and assigned team members as applicable.
• Treats internal and external customers with respect and establishes a good rapport.
• Reviews messages from voice mail and responds when appropriate.
• Attends agency staff meetings utilizing information provided to support and direct work activities.
• Provides backup coverage for other clerical team members when needed due to absences or work priorities.
• Supports special projects and tasks as needed to meet office/agency needs.

  Qualifications

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

  Benefits

  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 strong focus on continuous improvement and aligning services with workforce demands, IWD offers comprehensive support to job seekers and employers through a statewide network of IowaWORKS Centers.

  Employer Highlights and Benefits

  • IWD is focused on serving Iowans and providing outstanding customer service.
  • Our strength is driven by the skills and talents of our people.
  • IWD offers a rewarding team atmosphere, a flexible working environment, and a great total compensation package for our full-time employees, including:
    • Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance.
    • Generous paid time off, including nine paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave with no cap on the sick leave accrual.
    • Prepare for the future with the IPERS retirement package, as well as an additional 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.

  Pay

  The pay range for this position is $35,000 - $45,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.

  Schedule

  The schedule for this position is Full-time | Monday – Friday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Work Flexibility: Hybrid telework and alternate schedules available after six months of employment and training has been successfully completed.