Jason Bennington, an Employment Support Services Specialist with Utah Vocational Rehabilitation, told a virtual employer webinar that job coaching is a three-stage service that helps people with disabilities find and keep work. "Job coaches are just there to help support that individual," Bennington said, adding that the aim is to train and increase employee independence rather than performing the employee’s tasks for them.

The presentation broke job coaching into three parts: job development (resume help, interview practice and placement assistance), on-the-job support (on-site task training, accommodation identification and performance feedback) and ongoing supports that may be gradually reduced or "faded" as the employee grows more independent. Bennington said employers generally have little responsibility during the job-development phase but are expected to provide standard onboarding and workplace integration once an employee starts.

Why this matters: employers frequently raise practical questions about who pays for supports, how coaches interact with supervisors and whether accommodations or insurance liabilities change when a job coach is present. Vocational Rehabilitation staff stressed that job coaching often is paid for by Voc Rehab or other agencies and that community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) are required to carry insurance.

Bennington explained training and certification standards: people labeled "employment specialists" typically undergo more extensive training and ACRE certification, which the presenter said is commonly about 40 hours of nationally accredited instruction. Utah State University in Taylorsville was cited as running frequent ACRE courses to expand local capacity. He also described a Utah-specific 8-hour job-coach onboarding course CRPs can use to prepare on-site staff.

The webinar addressed common misconceptions directly. "The job coach is not there to do it for them," Bennington said, refuting the idea that coaches complete employees’ daily tasks. On the question of cost, he said Vocational Rehabilitation and other agencies (for example, the Division of Services for People with Disabilities) commonly fund job coaching so "there's really no cost to an employer for this service" in typical arrangements. He added that if a coach ceases services unexpectedly, employers can contact counselors or the CRP to resolve the situation.

The session also covered fading plans and natural supports: as clients meet performance standards, supervisors and coworkers increasingly assume training and oversight duties. Bennington said Voc Rehab can fund ongoing coaching for substantial periods when needed but generally aims to reduce on-site supports to promote independence. He urged employers and coaches to plan fading collaboratively to avoid surprises.

The presentation closed with a brief success-story clip showing a customized employment placement and confidence gains for a worker placed part time in an animal-care setting. Bennington encouraged employers to reach out to Vocational Rehabilitation with questions and noted a follow-up webinar on natural supports is planned next month.