Employment
Everyone deserves the opportunity to find meaningful work
Overview
This page provides tools, programs, and guidance to help you prepare for employment, find a job, or start your own business.
Recent Legislative Actions
- Repeal of Minimum Wage Exemption for Workers with Disabilities (2022)
- Equal pay protections established
- Employment First Act (2014)
- Law prioritizing competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.
Key Employment Publications
Alaska Transitions Handbook Pathway to Adulthood & Employment
- A guide to help navigates many possible options to obtain employment. This acts as a resource to help understand the services that are available to successfully achieve employment and to provide a timeline to better assist focused planning of transition-related activities.
Empowerment Through Employment
- This resource was developed to help realize the vision of “Empowerment through Employment” for Alaskans experiencing a range of disabilities. This document includes many of those resources with web links to where you can find more information.
Alaska Work Matters Task Force
- The Alaska Work Matters Task Force was tasked to review and analyze existing policies, practices, and procedures, barriers, and workforce utilization data regarding the employment of people with disabilities in the State of Alaska and prepare a report that includes recommendations that should be adopted by the Governor.
Job Seeker Resources
Alaska Job Center Network
Alaska Job Center Network
The Alaska Job Center Network provides information on current employment opportunities available throughout Alaska. This AlaskaJobs system has replaced ALEXsys. If you need assistance with employment accommodations, please reach out to the Alaska Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
- Alaska Job Fairs: Provides information on job fairs, workshops, and employment seminars throughout Alaska.
- Youth Services: Available programs to assist students with career exploration, researching career training and postsecondary options, college and career applications, scholarship searches and applications.
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Each year, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) helps hundreds of Alaskans with disabilities prepare for, get, and keep good jobs. If you want to work or keep working and have a physical, intellectual, or mental condition that makes this hard, you may be eligible for vocational rehabilitation (VR) services.
- Provisional Hire: The program allows Alaska state hiring managers to hire qualified persons with a disability in a permanent or non-permanent position for up to 4 months of trial work without the requirement to hire as a permanent employee.
- On-the-Job Training (OJT): The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation offers an On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program that gives employers the opportunity to tap into a pool of workers who are good candidates for a job but may need additional training to be qualified.
JAN's Workplace Accommodation Toolkit
JAN's Workplace Accommodation Toolkit
JAN's Workplace Accommodation Toolkit is a free comprehensive online resource for employers seeking to move beyond basic compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in order to create more disability-inclusive workplaces.
Project Search
Project Search
Project Search is a unique program provides real-life work experience to help youth, with significant disabilities, make successful transitions from school to adult life.
- Watch overview video
- Watch Alaska program in action
- Local Sites: Anchorage, Mat-Su, Fairbanks
- Learn more at Project SEARCH
Start Your Own Business - Microenterprise Grant
Start Your Own Business - Microenterprise Grant
Get funding and support to start or grow a small business if you experience a disability. The Micro Enterprise Fund strives to increase access to Microenterprise and self-employment opportunities for persons with disabilities who are Trust Beneficiaries.