Supported employee independence from the presence of job coaches at work sites

Abstract

This study investigated the presence of job coaches at supported employee work sites in Illinois over a 4-year period (1990–1994). A random, stratified sample of 111 supported employees was explored in relationship to their ethnicity, age, IQ, gender, wages earned, hours worked, months employed and the placement approach (i.e. group vs. individual). Findings suggested that job coaches do not decrease their presence at work sites over time, regardless of the supported employee's IQ and placement approach. Furthermore, the primary predictor of job coach attendance was the ethnicity of the supported employees; job coaches were present less frequently at the job sites of African-American supported employees than supported employees who were European-American.