M AR C  G O L D  &  A S S O C I AT E S 
E M P L O Y M E N T  F O R  AL L 
w w w . m a r c g o l d . c o m 
w w w . e m p l o ym e n t f o r a l l . o r g 


Overview of Customized 
Employment 


Customized Employment is a strategy that provides 
persons with life complexities, and indeed other 
applicants with significant barriers to employment, 
with an alternative to traditional, competitive jobs. 
According to a new definition used by the US Department 
of Labor, Customized Employment refers to: 

Individualizing the employment relationship 
between employees and employers in ways 
that meet the needs of both. It is based on 
an individualized determination of the 
strengths, needs and interests of the person 
with a disability and is also designed to meet 
the specific needs of the employer. (Federal 
Register, June 26, 2002, Vol. 67. No. 123 pp 
43154-43149) 

Customized Employment relies on a negotiated 
rather than competitive approach to employers; 
therefore, job developers must be available to assist 
applicants to develop personalized proposals for employers. 


This approach to employment offers the promise 
of welcoming all persons with life complexities who 
wish to work into the generic employment system 
and into a job that fits their needs. If also defines the 
critical role of employment related services to support 
both the individual with a disability and the generic 
system to make employment a viable option for persons 
once thought to be unemployable. 

1. Discovery 

The discovery strategy uses discovery as a substitute 
to comparison-based testing procedures in 
that it utilizes alreadyÐexisting information rather than 
information developed through formal assessment 
methods. Discovery is used as a guide for customizing 
an employment relationship for an applicant with 
an employer. This process takes into account the 
applicantÕs entire life experiences rather than single 
instances of performance. 

The discovery process begins with a provider 
representative who meets with the applicant and 
family at the home of the applicant. These visits, 
along with other discovery activities, give the individual 
and family, as appropriate, information about 
their powerful roles in the process and allow the provider 
to compile basic information that is necessary 
to begin the process. 

The provider then schedules time to spend with 
the applicant during the activities that comprise the 
majority of typical days, as well as accompanying 
the applicant during planned community activities. 
This interaction allows the provider to get to know 
the applicant and to assist in identifying personalized 
preferences and conditions for employment as 
well as individual contributions to be offered to employers. 


2. The Narrative or Visual Profile 
Document: Capturing the Information of discovery 

This process uses a comprehensive format that 
describes the individual in a narrative manner is 
then developed. For students, this document becomes 
a work in progress during the transition years 
of the studentÕs school career passed on from 
teacher to teacher until graduation. The document 
is then passed on to adult employment service personnel 
to be used as a basis for job development 
and support, as appropriate. For adults, the descriptive 
document provides information vital to 
planning and can substitute for traditional, comparative 
vocational assessment procedures. In addition 
to sample profile formats for a written narrative, alternative 
format for capturing discovered information 
will be offered. 



Marc Gold & Associates Employment for All
or 
www.employmentforall.org 
Marc Gold & Associates 
4101 Gautier Vancleave Road, Suite 102 
Gautier, MS 39553 
Phone: (228) 497-6999 / Fax: (288)497-6966 
E-mail: micallahan@aol.com 
E-mail: Norciva@gmail.com 
E-mail: cooplind1@comcast.net 
Email: condon@ruralinstitute.umt.edu 
Email: Melmast@aol.com