Personal Assistance Services 

(WPAS) in the Workplace 

Accommodation and Compliance Series
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

1 

This document was developed and revised by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) 

in collaboration with the Center for Personal Assistance Services at the University of 

California, San Francisco. JAN is a service of the Office of Disability Employment 

Policy, U.S. Department of Labor. The Center for Personal Assistance Services is 

funded through a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation 

Research (NIDRR). 

Preface 

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a service of the Office of Disability 

Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. JAN makes documents available 

with the understanding that the information be used solely for educational purposes. 

The information is not intended to be legal or medical advice. If legal or medical advice 

is needed, appropriate legal or medical services should be contacted. 

JAN does not endorse or recommend any products or services mentioned in this 

publication. Although every effort is made to update resources, JAN encourages 

contacting product manufacturers/vendors and service providers directly to ensure that 

they meet the intended purposes. This guarantees that the most up-to-date information 

is obtained. 

The following document is not copyrighted and reproduction is encouraged. Section 105 

of the Copyright Law provide that no copyright protection is available for works created 

by the U.S. Government. Therefore, all works created by JAN fall under this provision. 

While individuals may use such work with impunity, individuals may not claim copyright 

in the original government work, only in the original material added. Individuals may 

access the full text of the law from the U.S. Copyright Office 

http://www.loc.gov/copyright. Please note that specific information cited by JAN may be 

copyrighted from other sources. Citing secondary sources from a JAN publication may 

violate another organization's or individual's copyright. Permission must be obtained 

from these sources on a case-by-case basis. When using JAN materials, JAN asks that 

the materials not be reproduced for profit, that the tone and substance of the information 

are not altered, and that proper credit is given to JAN as the source of the information. 

For further information regarding this or any other document provided by JAN, please 

contact JAN. 

Authored by Louis Orslene, Linda Carter Batiste, Carmen Fullmer, and Mandy Gamble 

with assistance from Sue Stoddard. Updated March 29, 2010. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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WORKPLACE PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES (WPAS) 

Introduction 

JAN's Accommodation and Compliance Series is designed to help employers determine 

effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA). 

The Accommodation and Compliance Series is a starting point in the accommodation 

process and may not address every situation. Accommodations should be made on a 

case-by-case basis, considering each employee's individual limitations and 

accommodation needs. Employers are encouraged to contact JAN to discuss specific 

situations in more detail. JAN can be reached at (800)526-7234 (V/TTY). 

For information on assistive technology and other accommodation ideas, visit JAN's 

Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR) at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/soar. 

This publication discusses personal assistance services (WPAS) in the workplace. It 

provides frequently asked questions regarding WPAS including its use as an 

accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); examples of WPAS to 

accommodate job applicants and current employees with limitations due to sensory, 

cognitive, physical or mental health impairments; a list of WPAS resources; and a 

glossary of WPAS-related terminology. 

Information about WPAS 

What is workplace WPAS? 

Workplace Personal Assistance Services (WPAS) include work task-related 

assistance, such as the use of a reader for business documents not otherwise 

available electronically, a sign language interpreter for company meetings or 

trainings, and help lifting or reaching work work-related items. WPAS may 

include personal care-related assistance such as helping an employee to access 

the restroom, eat or drink at work, or travel for business purposes. 

Who uses WPAS? 

Job applicants, employees with disabilities and employees returning to work after an 

injury or illness may experience a variety of limitations that interfere with their ability to 

perform work-related tasks or meet their personal care needs in the workplace. In some 

cases, these limitations can only be overcome with WPAS. WPAS can be used to 

insure the employability of a person with a disability. While there is an extensive history 

of the provision of Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for people with disabilities in the 

home setting, the use of WPAS in the workplace is a relatively new innovation. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Why is there a distinction made between work task-related WPAS and personal 

care-related WPAS?

Assigning responsibility for the provision and funding of WPAS primarily drives this 

distinction. Task-related WPAS is most often covered by the employer. Most employers 

leave personal care-related WPAS to the employee. One exception to this distinction 

often highlighted is business travel. If an employee requiring WPAS needs to travel for 

business purposes, the employer may need to consider providing assistance both for 

personal care-related tasks and work task-related WPAS for the employee during travel. 

What does “formal” and “informal” WPAS mean? 

Simply put, formal WPAS means that someone is paid to provide the WPAS. On the 

other hand, informal WPAS is voluntarily provided by a co-worker, family member, or 

friend. 

Is the use of assistive technologies in the workplace considered WPAS? 

Assistive technologies such as closed caption television, text messaging, screen 

magnification, and reaching devices complement WPAS. Assistive technologies are not 

WPAS. 

What kind of WPAS is most often requested by employees? 

JAN surveyed employers about which type of WPAS was most often requested by their 

employees. Employers responded that sign language interpreters were most frequently 

requested. 

Where do employers find interpreters to provide WPAS in the workplace? 

Employers can find sign language interpreters in the “Registry of Interpreters for the 

Deaf” database available at: www.rid.org. For a more comprehensive discussion of 

deafness in the work place go to JAN’s publication WORK-SITE ACCOMMODATION 

IDEAS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING available at: 

www.jan.wvu.edu/media/Hearing.html 

What other impairments result in requests for WPAS? 

Employers report that most often, WPAS is requested by employees with physical 

impairments to meet their personal care-related needs in the workplace. Examples of 

personal care-related WPAS are: accessing the restroom, eating lunch, or traveling for 

business purposes. In addition, employees with physical disabilities request WPAS for 

work task-related assistance such lifting, filing, or moving work-related items. 

Must an employer hire another person to provide task-related WPAS? 

Employer should take into account the employee’s need for WPAS, the organizational 

capacity to meet this need including the willingness of co-workers to assist on a 

continual basis before deciding how to provide task-related WPAS. For a better 

understanding of the employer’s obligation under the ADA, see page 6. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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I have been volunteering to help a co-worker with physical impairments to access 

the restroom. However, this has recently become more challenging as his 

impairment worsens. How can I help this situation? 

At this point, if the employer is not involved, they need to be. We suggest that your coworker with impairments request an accommodation. An accommodation may include 

widening the restroom doorway or making other modifications to the workplace. 

Removing workplace barriers can help the employee with an impairment to become 

more independent at work. 

I have a valued employee with multiple sclerosis (MS) who needs help with using 

the restroom. We have widened the restroom doorway and installed grab bars but 

this is not enough. Where can I find help in retaining this employee? 

Talk to the employee to clearly understand their needs and in order to collaborate with 

them on a solution. See page 8 for list of questions to consider. Possibly they will only 

need assistance occasionally, e.g. for a half of an hour twice a day. By contacting a 

local nursing program or emergency medical technician program, you may find that they 

have students that could assist the employee on a voluntary basis (informal WPAS). 

Possibly, the employee has a family member who is more comfortable in providing 

assistance. Let the employee know if this arrangement is agreeable to you. 

Where can I find funding to pay for my personal care-related PAS? 

If informal WPAS is not possible, then you may want to explore a number of other 

options. WPAS might be paid for by the employer as an accommodation under the 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) e.g. paying for a personal attendant while 

traveling for business. Or, the personal care-related WPAS may be funded through 

various Federal and State sources. These funding sources may include Medicaid Title 

XIX PCS optional state benefit or the Medicaid 1915(c) HCBS waiver program. Often 

WPAS arrangements are “patched” together using unpaid assistance as well as paid 

assistance funded by various sources. It is important to note that level of service 

available and service provision requirements for WPAS varies from state to state. 

We would suggest that you begin the exploration of WPAS Federal and State funding 

options by contacting two organizations. These include the Center for Independent 

Living nearest you found at: http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html 

and your state vocational rehabilitation agency found at: 

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/TypeQuery.exe?902. 

While the primary funding source for formal WPAS is Medicaid through the 

aforementioned 1.) optional state benefit or the 2.) 1915 (c) HCBS Waiver, there are a 

number of other government programs that support personal care services in the United 

States including Title XX Social Security block grants, Title III Older Americans Act 

funds, State general funds, Department of Veterans Affairs Aid and Attendance 

Program and Title II, Section 203 of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives 

Improvement Act of 1999. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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For more information about agencies and resources available, by state, that may 

assistant with funding or arranging WPAS please go to: 

http://www.pascenter.org/workplace_pas/index.php. Once you reach this link, scroll 

down the page until you see a map of the U.S. and a heading called “State Resources 

for Employment of Persons with Disabilities”. Click on the hyperlink and then click on 

your particular state to find available programs and resources. 

 

Where can I find more information about PAS? 

The University of California at San Francisco through the support of the National 

Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has developed a national PAS 

research and resource center, the Center for Personal Assistance Services. Their 

mission is to provide research, training, dissemination, and technical assistance on 

issues of PAS in the United States. The Center fulfills its mission by exploring: 

• The relationship between formal and informal PAS and care giving support; 

• The role of assistive technology (AT) in complementing PAS; 

• Policies and programs, barriers and new models for PAS in the home and 

community; 

• WPAS workforce development, recruitment, retention, and benefits; and 

• Workplace models of formal and informal WPAS and AT at work. 

Access the Center for PAS at: http://www.pascenter.org/.
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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WPAS and the Americans with Disabilities Act 

Does the ADA require employers to provide WPAS? 

Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers with 15 or more 

employees to consider providing reasonable accommodation for employees who meet 

the Act’s definition of disability. A reasonable accommodation is a modification or 

adjustment to a job that enables a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal 

employment benefits and privileges as an employee without a disability. Reasonable 

accommodation can include WPAS in the form of work-related assistance, but generally 

does not include WPAS in the form of personal care-related assistance in the 

workplace. 

To read more about the reasonable accommodation responsibility under the ADA go to: 

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/links/ADAtam1.html#III. 

What does the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) say about 

work-related personal assistance services as a reasonable accommodation in the 

workplace? 

According to the EEOC, reasonable accommodation under the ADA can include 

providing work-related personal assistance to help an employee with a disability perform 

marginal job functions. The EEOC includes the following example in its Title I Technical 

Assistance Manual: 

“Some other accommodations that may be appropriate include . . . providing a personal 

assistant for certain job-related functions, such as a page turner for a person who has 

no hands, or a travel attendant to act as a sighted guide to assist a blind employee on 

occasional business trip.” (See Item 10 in Section 3.10 at 

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/links/ADAtam1.html#III). 

In addition, the EEOC states that employers may choose to go beyond the requirements 

of the ADA when providing job assistants. For example, “supported employment” 

programs may provide free job coaches and other assistance to enable certain 

individuals with severe disabilities to learn and/or to progress in jobs. These programs 

typically require a range of modifications and adjustments to customary employment 

practices. Some of these modifications may also be required by the ADA as reasonable 

accommodations. However, supported employment programs may require modifications 

beyond those required under the ADA, such as restructuring of essential job functions. 

Many employers have found that supported employment programs are an excellent 

source of reliable productive new employees. Participation in these programs advances 

the underlying goal of the ADA - to increase employment opportunities for people with 

disabilities. Making modifications for supported employment beyond those required by 

the ADA in no way violates the ADA.” 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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What does the EEOC say about personal care-related assistance in the 

workplace? 

According to the EEOC, employers are not required to pay for nor arrange personal 

care-related assistance in the workplace because employers are not required to provide 

accommodations primarily related to personal needs. However, employers are required 

to consider allowing employees with disabilities to bring their personal assistants into 

the workplace. Thus while the employer is not obligated to pay for nor arrange personal 

care-related assistance for their employees, they are obligated to consider providing 

space so that the employee’s personal needs (i.e. eating, drinking, toileting, etc.) are 

met.

This guidance is based on section 1630.9 of the EEOC’s regulations for Title I: 

The obligation to make reasonable accommodation is a form of 

non-discrimination. It applies to all employment decisions and to 

the job application process. This obligation does not extend to the 

provision of adjustments or modifications that are primarily for 

the personal benefit of the individual with a disability. Thus, if 

an adjustment or modification is job-related, e.g., specifically 

assists the individual in performing the duties of a particular 

job, it will be considered a type of reasonable accommodation. 

On the other hand, if an adjustment or modification assists the 

individual throughout his or her daily activities, on and off the 

job, it will be considered a personal item that the employer is 

not required to provide. Accordingly, an employer would generally 

not be required to provide an employee with a disability with a 

prosthetic limb, wheelchair, or eyeglasses. Nor would an employer 

have to provide as an accommodation any amenity or convenience 

that is not job-related, such as a private hot plate, hot pot, or 

refrigerator that is not provided to employees without disabilities. 

(http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/adahandbook/FREG1.txt.) 

What does the EEOC say about personal care-related assistance for travel away 

from the worksite? 

According to the EEOC, employers may have to pay for personal care-related 

assistance for employees who travel away from the work site for business even though 

employers are not required to pay for personal care-related assistance in the office. This 

is because employees often incur additional costs for personal care for travel and it is 

this extra cost that employers must consider paying. 

For additional information on reasonable accommodation under the ADA, visit 

Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship (EEOC Guidance) at 

http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Accommodating Employees Using WPAS 

How can employers determine when WPAS might be an effective 

accommodation? 

The following questions can help employers determine effective accommodations 

options, including WPAS: 

1. What limitations is the employee experiencing? 

2. How do these limitations affect the employee and the employee’s job performance? 

3. What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations? 

4. What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems? Are all 

possible resources being used to determine possible accommodations? 

5. Has the employee been consulted regarding possible accommodations? 

6. Once accommodations are in place, would it be useful to meet with the employee to 

evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations and to determine whether 

additional accommodations are needed? 

7. Do supervisory personnel and employees need training regarding Personal 

Assistance Services (WPAS), other disability areas, or the Americans with Disabilities 

Act? 

What types of WPAS might useful for people with 1) Sensory, 2) Cognitive, 3) 

Mental Health and 4) Motor Impairments? 

1) Sensory Impairments

Sensory impairments include blindness, low vision, deafness, and difficulty 

hearing. The following discusses WPAS that may be useful for individuals who 

are blind or visually impaired:

3⁄4 Qualified Readers 

A qualified reader recites written information that is not otherwise accessible with 

technology. A reader does not interpret information or perform essential job 

functions. There is not currently a requirement for certification of readers. A 

reader may be someone on staff, a volunteer, or someone hired specifically to 

work as a reader. The term “qualified reader” simply means that the person is 

capable of clearly reading the information and is familiar with the terminology of 

the subject matter. 

Situation: A contract attorney who is blind had no difficulty accessing text 

material using screen reading technology, but could not read handwritten 

correspondence. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Solution: An existing legal secretary at the law firm was trained to read the 

handwritten correspondence to the lawyer. A schedule was arranged for reading 

so to meet the productivity needs of the department, the lawyer, and the legal 

secretary. 

3⁄4 Scribes 

A scribe writes or types information that is communicated to him by another 

person. A scribe does not interpret information or perform essential job functions. 

There is not currently a requirement for certification of scribes. A scribe may be 

someone on staff, a volunteer, or someone hired specifically to work as a scribe. 

The term “qualified scribe” means that the person is capable of clearly writing the 

information and is familiar with the terminology of the subject matter. Providing a 

scribe during the pre-employment phase may assist an individual complete a job 

application or answer questions on a pre-employment exam. A scribe may assist 

an employee perform tasks such as completing a report or preparing for a 

presentation. 

Situation: An individual who is blind applied for an entry-level position in an 

insurance company. He was required to complete a pre-employment test (on 

paper), but could not read or fill in the answers to the test. 

Solution: The employer provided a qualified reader who also acted as a scribe 

to write the applicant’s responses on the pre-employment test.. 

3⁄4 Job Assistants 

A job assistant performs various tasks, including, but not limited to, serving as a 

sighted guide to assist an employee who is blind in work-related travel; gathering 

material, accessing resources, and assisting with completing handwritten 

paperwork; and describing what is occurring in a classroom environment for an 

educator. 

Situation: An account executive in New York City, who is legally blind, is 

required to attend work-related training in a strange city and feels he will have 

difficulty navigating the area. 

Solution: The employer provided a travel assistant to be his sighted guide on the 

trip. 

The following discusses WPAS that may be useful for individuals who are deaf or 

hard of hearing: 

3⁄4 Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) Services 

CART is verbatim translation of verbal communication into text by using a 

stenotype machine, notebook computer, and real-time software. The text is 

displayed on a computer monitor or other display for immediate translation so 

that the individual who is deaf or hard of hearing is able to follow the 

communication (e.g., in a meeting, training, classroom). A professional trained to 

use the equipment can provide the service on site or in some cases, remotely. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Situation: An employee who is deaf does not know sign language fluently, but 

must communicate with staff during monthly meetings. 

Solution: The employer hired a stenocaptioner to perform CART during the 

meeting. 

For more information on CART services and resources, go to: 

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/OrgQuery.exe?Sol491. 

3⁄4 Qualified Interpreters 

An interpreter translates spoken language into sign language and sign 

language into spoken language. A “qualified” interpreter is someone who can 

effectively and accurately translate the sign language system of the individual 

who is deaf into English and then translate the verbal communication back into 

sign language. Experienced interpreters are usually specially trained and may 

be certified by a professional interpreting organization or state or local 

commission serving people who are deaf. 

Situation: An employer has an applicant for a proofreader position. The 

applicant is deaf and uses American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. The 

applicant contacted the employer using voice-carry-over relay service to set up 

the interview and also to request an accommodation. 

Solution: The employer hired a qualified interpreter for the job interview. 

2) Cognitive Impairments 

Cognitive impairments include mental retardation, learning disabilities, brain injuries, 

and epilepsy. The following discusses WPAS that may be useful for individuals with 

cognitive impairments: 

3⁄4 Qualified Readers 

A qualified reader communicates written or typed information that is not 

otherwise accessible with technology. A reader does not interpret information or 

perform essential job functions. There is not currently a requirement for 

certification of readers. A reader may be someone on staff, a volunteer, or 

someone hired specifically to work as a reader. The term “qualified reader” 

simply means that the person is capable of clearly reading the information and is 

familiar with the terminology of the subject matter. 

Situation: A retail employee with dyslexia had difficulty reading print material. 

Solution: The employee's supervisor, who was familiar with the industry’s 

terminology, served as a qualified reader. The reader met with the 

individual regularly to read the company's monthly staff meeting minutes and 

quarterly newsletter. 

3⁄4 Scribes

A scribe writes or types information that is communicated to him by another 

person. A scribe does not interpret information or perform essential job functions. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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There is not currently a requirement for certification of scribes. A scribe may be 

someone on staff, a volunteer, or someone hired specifically to work as a scribe. 

The term “qualified scribe” means that the person is capable of clearly writing the 

information and is familiar with the terminology of the subject matter. Providing a 

scribe during the pre-employment phase may assist an individual complete a job 

application or answer questions on a pre-employment exam. A scribe may assist 

an employee perform tasks such as completing a report or preparing for a 

presentation. 

Situation: An applicant with mental retardation was having difficulty completing a 

job application for a bagger/cart return position at his local grocery store. 

Solution: To accommodate the applicant’s limitations in writing, the store trained 

a current employee to be a qualified scribe. This scribe wrote the applicant’s 

responses on the job application. 

3⁄4 Job Coaches

A job coach performs various tasks, including providing guidance on appropriate 

interpersonal skills and work behaviors, assisting with one-on-one job training at 

the work-site, problem-solving as needed, and helping acclimate an employee 

with a disability to the work environment. As the employee with a disability 

develops job skills, the interaction with the job coach decreases or “fades.” The 

fading process can foster autonomy by gradually transitioning the employee as 

he or she learns how to perform the job independently. 

Situation: A factory worker with a head injury was reassigned to a new position 

when the employer restructured its production department. The employee 

became easily frustrated by the numerous, complicated tasks in her new job. 

Solution: The employer accommodated her by allowing the State Vocational 

Rehabilitation Office to provide a job coach for the first six months of the new 

position. During the first two months, the job coach worked daily with the 

employee. For the next two months, the job coach assisted on Mondays and 

Fridays. During the final two months of assisting the individual, the job coach 

gradually faded his services until the factory worker contacted him only 

occasionally on an as-needed basis. 

3⁄4 Drivers

A driver operates a motor vehicle for individuals who cannot drive because of a 

disability. If an employee with a disability travels to various locations to perform 

job tasks and activities during the work day, the employer may need to consider 

providing a driver or an alternative accommodation (e.g., teleconferencing) 

unless it causes an undue hardship. An employer generally is not required to 

provide a driver to transport an employee with a disability to and from work 

unless the employer provides transportation to and from work for employees who 

do not have disabilities. However, the employer may need to consider providing 

an accommodation (e.g., a modified schedule or modified policy) to eliminate a 

barrier that interferes with the employee’s ability to commute to work. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Situation: A customer service representative with epilepsy and a driving 

restriction used public transportation to get to and from work. However, he did not 

have transportation to attend a required training seminar 15 miles from the facility. 

Solution: The employer allowed a co-worker to serve as a driver so the employee 

could attend the training session. 

 

3) Mental Health Impairments

Mental health impairments include bipolar disorder, depression, attention deficit 

hyperactive disorder, agoraphobia, and other psychiatric impairments. The following 

discusses WPAS that may be useful for individuals with mental health impairments: 

3⁄4 Natural Supports in the Workplace 

Natural support means support from supervisors and co-workers occurring 

naturally in the workplace. It is called natural because it includes supports 

already provided by employers for all employees, including mentoring, 

supervision (ongoing feedback on job performance), training (learning a new job 

skill with a co-worker), and co-workers socializing with employees with disabilities 

at breaks or after work. 

A natural support person can offer guidance on appropriate interpersonal skills 

and work behaviors, assist with one-on-one job training at the work-site, problemsolve as needed, and help acclimate the individual to the environment. As the 

employee with a disability develops job skills, the interaction with the natural 

support person decreases or “fades.” The fading process can foster autonomy 

by gradually transitioning the employee as he or she learns to perform the job 

independently. A natural support person is similar to a job coach. However, a job 

coach typically is provided by an outside agency to assist the employee. 

Situation A newly hired Geography teacher with bipolar disorder had difficulty 

developing her work routine and at times would become very disorganized in the 

classroom environment. 

Solution A co-worker teaching in the same department agreed to serve as a 

natural support person. The co-worker included the new employee by 

encouraging conversation while taking breaks in the employee lounge and 

participation in school activities of interest. The natural support person served in 

a mentoring capacity by meeting with the new teacher at the beginning of the 

year and periodically throughout the semester. The meetings were used to 

establish a routine and organize weekly lesson plans. Together the teacher and 

her natural support person reviewed time and stress management techniques, 

discussed various organizing techniques and tools, and developed strategies for 

adjusting to change. As the teacher increased her confidence and skills in the 

classroom, her use of the natural support person decreased to an occasional asneeded basis. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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3⁄4 Qualified Readers 

A qualified reader communicates written or typed information that is not 

otherwise accessible with technology. A reader does not interpret information or 

perform essential job functions. There is not currently a requirement for 

certification of readers. A reader may be someone on staff, a volunteer, or 

someone hired specifically to work as a reader. The term “qualified reader” 

simply means that the person is capable of clearly reading the information and is 

familiar with the terminology of the subject matter. 

Situation: A newspaper columnist with attention deficit hyperactive disorder 

(ADHD) used assistive technology to access text documents. However, he had 

difficulty concentrating when reading handwritten documents. 

Solution: The newspaper regularly provided internships for journalism students 

attending a nearby university. One responsibility of the student interns became 

reading any handwritten correspondence to the columnist. 

3⁄4 Drivers

A driver operates a motor vehicle for individuals who cannot drive because of a 

disability. If an employee with a disability travels to various locations to perform 

job tasks and activities during the work day, the employer may need to consider 

providing a driver or an alternative accommodation (e.g., teleconferencing) 

unless it causes an undue hardship. An employer generally is not required to 

provide a driver to transport an employee with a disability to and from work 

unless the employer provides transportation to and from work for employees who 

do not have disabilities. However, the employer may need to consider providing 

an accommodation (e.g., a modified schedule or modified policy) to eliminate a 

barrier that interferes with the employee’s ability to commute to work. 

Situation: A public administration worker with agoraphobia had limitations in 

driving long distances and driving on high traffic routes. The employee had a 

modified work schedule that allowed her to drive to work using a quieter scenic 

route while avoiding rush hour traffic. Twice a year, the employee was required to 

attend a meeting in the state capital, which was a three hour drive from her 

home. 

Solution: The employee’s family member served as a driver for the bi-annual 

event. The employer, who had a policy of paying travel mileage for extended 

trips, reimbursed the driver for this expense. 

4) Motor Impairments

Motor impairments include medical conditions that effect physical movement. Examples 

include quadriplegia, paraplegia, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral 

sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. The following discusses WPAS that may be useful 

for individuals with motor impairments: 

3⁄4 Personal Care Attendant 

A personal care attendant provides assistance with personal needs such as 

toileting, grooming, and eating. There are no current certification requirements to 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

14 

be a personal care attendant. A personal care attendant maybe a family member, 

a friend, or a person hired to perform personal attendant care. 

Situation: An employee with quadriplegia could not independently go to the toilet 

during working hours. 

Solution: The employer allowed the employee to bring his personal attendant 

into the workplace to perform this function at scheduled break times. 

3⁄4 Travel Attendant 

A travel attendant performs various tasks during job-related travel, including 

carrying luggage and work materials, helping navigate in unfamiliar cities, and 

sometimes providing personal attendant care. There are no current certification 

requirements to be a personal care attendant. A travel attendant can be a coworker or a person hired solely to serve as a travel attendant. 

Situation: A sales representative with muscular dystrophy who used a 

wheelchair had to travel by air to annual meetings in various cities. She had 

difficulty carrying her product samples. 

Solution: The employer hired a travel attendant to accompany the sales 

representative on work-related trips to help her carry product samples. 

3⁄4 Job Assistant 

A job assistant performs various tasks, including, but not limited to, clerical 

assistance, page turning, and retrieving work supplies and materials. 

Situation: An attorney with multiple sclerosis had difficulty manipulating files due 

to numbness in her fingers. 

Solution: Her employer provided a clerical assistant to file and retrieve the files 

for her. 

3⁄4 Personal Care Assistant/Attendant 

A personal care attendant provides assistance with personal needs such as 

toileting, grooming, and eating. There are no current certification requirements to 

be a personal care attendant. A personal care attendant maybe a family member, 

a friend, or a person hired to perform personal attendant care. 

Situation: A certified public accountant with Parkinson's Disease is unable to eat 

and drink without assistance during breaks and lunch. 

Solution: The accountant’s co-workers rotate assistance to the employee during 

breaks and at lunch. 

For more information on accommodation ideas for individuals with disabilities, go to JAN 

by Disability A to Z at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/atoz.htm. 

 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Resources

Job Accommodation Network

West Virginia University 

PO Box 6080 

Morgantown, WV 26506-6080 

Voice Toll Free: (800)526-7234 

TTY Toll Free: (877)781-9403 

FAX: (304)293-5407 

E-mail: jan@askjan.org 

Web: http://askjan.org 

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a free consulting service that provides 

information about job accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and 

the employability of people with disabilities. 

Center for Personal Assistance Services

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences 

School of Nursing, University of California 

3333 California Street, Suite 455 

San Francisco, CA 

Voice/TTY Toll Free: (866)PAS-9577 

E-mail: WPAS@itsa.ucsf.edu 

Web: http://www.pascenter.org/home/index.php 

The mission of the Center for Personal Assistance Services is to provide research, 

training, dissemination and technical assistance on issues of personal assistance 

services (WPAS) in the United States. The Center’s extensive website lists and 

describes programs available in each state including WPAS state plans and waiver 

programs as well as the Department of Aging programs. 

Office of Disability Employment Policy 

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S-1303 

Washington, DC 20210 

Voice Toll Free: (866)633-7365 

TTY Toll Free: (877)889-5627 

FAX: (202)693-7888 

E-mail: infoODEP@dol.gov 

Web: http://www.dol.gov/odep/ 

For WPAS information, see: http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ek97/personal.htm 

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is an agency within the U. S. 

Department of Labor. ODEP provides national leadership to increase employment 

opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities while striving to eliminate barriers to 

employment. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

16 

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies 

Every state has VR services available to people with disabilities. The mission of these 

services is to ensure gainful employment for people with disabilities. In addition to job 

placement, services may include but are not limited to counseling, vocational 

evaluation, assessment, and on-the-job training. VR can be a resource for trying to 

locate WPAS services such as interpreters and readers. Contact information can be 

found in local telephone directories under state government, or go to: 

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/TypeQuery.exe?902 

Other Resources: 

American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) Center for Workers with 

Disabilities 

810 First Street, NE 

Suite 500 

Washington, DC 20002 

Voice: (202)682-0100 

FAX: (202)289-6555 

E-mail: mnewsom@aphsa.org 

Web: http://www.nasmd.org/disabilities/ 

American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) Center for Workers with 

Disabilities is a technical assistance center for states enhancing or developing 

employment supports programs for working persons with disabilities; most of the thirty 

plus states support by the Center are supporting employment supports development 

with Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funds established under the Ticket to Work 

and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-170). 

Association for Persons in Supported Employment

1627 Monument Avenue 

Suite 301 

Richmond, VA 23220 

Voice: (804)278-9187 

FAX: (804)278-9377 

E-mail: tamara@apse.org 

Web: http://www.apse.org 

APSE was created to improve and expand integrated employment opportunities and 

services for persons with severe disabilities, including mental disabilities. 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a Federal agency within the 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

7500 Security Boulevard 

Baltimore MD 21244-1850 

Voice Toll Free: (877)267-2323 

TTY Toll-Free: (866)226-1819 

Web: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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On July 1, 2001, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) became the Centers 

for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare and Medicaid, enacted in 1965, 

originally provided health care coverage to Americans over the age of 65. In 1972, 

Medicare was expanded to Americans living with disabilities. The joint federal-state 

Medicaid program provides health care coverage to low-income families with children 

under 21. These programs were created in the Social Security Act and were 

administered by the Social Security Administration until 1977. That year, Medicare and 

Medicaid were transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services and to the 

Health Care Financing Administration. In 1997, the State Children's Health Insurance 

Program (SCHIP) was included in the Balanced Budget Act. 

Independent Living Research Utilization Program 

2323 S Shepherd, Suite 1000 

Houston, TX 77019 

Voice: (713)520-0232 

TTY: (713)520-5136 

FAX: (713)520-5785 

Web: http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/ilru 

ILRU program is a national center for information, training, research, and technical 

assistance in independent living. They operate the IL NETWORK with the National 

Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and organizations and individuals involved in 

independent living nationwide. A list of CILs can be found at ILRU’s website: 

http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html. 

Kelly Services Corporate Headquarters

999 West Big Beaver Road 

Troy, Michigan (USA) 48084-4782 

Voice: (248)362-4444 

Web: http://www.kellyservices.com/

Kelly Services, Inc. is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Troy, Mich., offering 

staffing solutions that include temporary staffing services, staff leasing, outsourcing, 

vendor on-site and full-time placement.

Manpower 

Headquarters

5301 N. Ironwood Rd. 

Milwaukee, WI 53217 USA 

Voice: (414)961.1000 

FAX: (414)961.7985

Web: http://www.manpower.com/mpcom/index.jsp 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the employment services industry, 

offering customers a continuum of services to meet their needs throughout the 

employment and business cycle. The company specializes in permanent, temporary 

and contract recruitment; employee assessment; training; career transition and 

organizational consulting services. 

The Nationwide Sign Language Interpreter Referrals 

Web: http://www.rid.org or go to: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/TypeQuery.exe?480 

U.S. Department of Transportation's Disability Resource Center (DRC) 

Disability Resource Center 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 7th Street, SW 

M-13, Room 2110 

Washington, DC 20590 

Voice: (202) 493-0625 

TTY: (202) 366-5273 

FAX: (202) 366-3571 

Headquarters Interpreting Service Voice: (202) 366-9433, TTY: (202) 366-6242 

Email: drc@ost.dot.gov Web: www.drc.dot.gov 

Web: http://www.drc.dot.gov 

The Department of Transportation's Disability Resource Center (DRC) is a 

comprehensive Department-wide program for DOT employees, supervisors, and job 

applicants. The Center opened in 1999 to ensure that employees with disabilities can 

participate fully in all aspects of the Department's work, programs, and services. 

For a copy of the DOT’s Personal Assistive Services as an Accommodation for 

Government Travel document, please go to: 

http://www.drc.dot.gov/personalassistance.doc 

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

1801 L Street, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20507 

Voice: (202) 663-4900 

TTY: (202) 663-4494

Web: http://www.eeoc.gov/ 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title I and Title 

V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which prohibit employment 

discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in 

state and local governments; and Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973, which prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities who 

work in the federal government. The EEOC also enforces a number of other nondisability related laws as well as providing oversight and coordination of all federal equal 

employment opportunity regulations, practices, and policies. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

19 

Selected WPAS Publications: 

1) Report of the National Blue Ribbon Panel on Personal Assistance Services. 

This publication can be found at: 

http://www.pascenter.org/publications/publication_home.php?id=120. 

2) Personal Assistance in the Workplace: A Customer-Directed Guide 

Edited by: Ed Turner, Grant Revell and Valerie Brooke, the guide provides practical 

information on using personal assistance in the workplace, finding and training a 

personal assistant, and finding funding to support a personal assistant in the workplace 

amongst other information. The publication can be found at 

http://www.worksupport.com/Main/pass.asp. 

4) Disability Benefits 101: Working with a Disability In California 

Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) is a website designed to helps workers, job seekers, 

and service providers understand the connections between work and benefits. DB101 

brings together rules for health coverage, benefit, and employment programs that 

people with disabilities use. These programs may be administered by the state, the 

federal government, or private organizations; here, we discuss them under one roof, in 

plain language. The site can be found at: http://www.disabilitybenefits101.org/. 

 

5) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Case Studies of Six State 

Personal Assistance Service Programs 

Funded by the Medicaid Personal Care Option by Jae Kennedy and Simi Litvak, World 

Institute on Disability, December 1991 

The report can be found at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/casestud.htm. 

6) WPAS InfoBrief from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability 

Youth 

This can be found at: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/info_briefs/infobrief_issue6.pdf. 

7) Personal Assistance Services: A Vital Workplace Support 

Written by Ed Turner, J. Michael Barcus, Michael West, and Grant Revell. 

 This can be found at: http://www.worksupport.com/Main/downloads/article11.pdf. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

20 

Glossary of PAS Related Terminology: 

Activities of Daily Living (ADL) - Physical functions that an independent person 

performs each day, including bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, walking or wheeling, 

and transferring into and out of bed. 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - Federal law that provides comprehensive 

civil rights protections for persons with disabilities. The Act defines disability as a 

physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. 

Title I of the ADA requires employers with 15 or more employees to consider providing 

reasonable accommodation for employees who meet the Act’s definition of disability. 

Assessment - Activities performed by at least one professional to determine a person's 

current functional abilities and resources in six areas: physical health, mental health, 

social support, activities of daily living, environmental conditions, and financial situation. 

Once the assessment is completed, activities related to developing and implementing a 

client service plan become part of case management. 

Assistive Technology – Device enabling an individual to be more independent and to 

accomplish a task. Examples of assistive technology include motorized wheelchairs, 

TTY communicators, print readers, computers, voice-activated devices, etc. 

Case Management - A system in which one individual helps the insured person and his 

or her family determine and coordinate necessary health care services and the best 

setting for those services. 

Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) - Formerly the U.S. Health Care Financing 

Administration, CMS is an element of the Department of Health and Human Services, 

which finances and administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Among other 

responsibilities, CMS establishes standards for the operation of nursing facilities that 

receive funds under the Medicare or Medicaid programs. 

Certificate of Medical Necessity - A document completed and signed by a physician 

to certify a patient's need for certain types of durable medical equipment (i.e. 

wheelchairs, walkers, etc.). 

Cognitive Impairment - A diminished mental capacity, such as difficulty with short-term 

memory. 

Community Alternative Program (CAP) - A Medicaid waiver program that provides 

community-based services to adults and children with disabilities and persons living with 

AIDS who meet the medical requirements for nursing home level care. CAP services 

may include traditional Medicaid home health services (nursing, physical therapy, home 

health aide, etc.), as well as services not generally available under Medicaid (home 

delivered meals, respite care, in-home aide services, etc.). 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

21 

Companion - A person who visits and may provide escorting, assistance with shopping 

and running errands. 

Consumer-Directed Personal Assistant Program - A client-driven personal 

assistance service available through the Medicaid program where the consumer 

recruits, hires, supervises, trains, and dismisses aides they have chosen. 

Cost Sharing - The concept of soliciting a portion of the cost of a service provided from 

the service recipient. 

Customized Employment – Customized employment is a process for individualizing 

the employment relationship between a job seeker or an employee and an employer in 

ways that meet the needs of both. It is based on a match between the unique strengths, 

needs, and interests of the job candidate with a disability, and the identified business 

needs of the employer or the self-employment business chosen by the candidate. 

Developmental Disability (DD) - Refers to a serious and chronic disability, which is 

attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical 

impairments. Those affected have limitations in three or more of the following areas: 

self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity 

for independent living, economic self-sufficiency. 

Disclosing a Disabling Condition – The disclosure of a disabling condition at the 

workplace will be necessary when requesting a reasonable accommodation. Disclosure 

may also be necessary if an employer asks disability related questions post job offer. 

Disclosure in the workplace is a personal choice. Making this choice particularly during 

the interview phase is challenging for many people. Yet, it is a choice that most people 

with a disability will face during their career. 

Exclusion - Any condition or expense for which a policy will not pay. 

Formal PAS - WPAS paid by both private sources (i.e. out of pocket or through 

insurance) and through governmental programs including Medicaid, Medicare, Title XX 

Social Security, and Title III Older American Act. 

Health and Human Services, Department of - An executive department of the federal 

government that is responsible for the oversight of the Medicare and Medicaid 

programs. 

Home and Community PAS (Personal Care-Related PAS) - Services that include 

such assistance as helping someone bathing, dressing, getting around, accessing a 

restroom, eating, shopping, remembering things, and other activities. 

Independent Living - Living on one’s own in the community outside of an institution. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

22 

Independent Living Centers - Independent Living Centers are typically non-residential, 

private, non-profit, consumer-controlled, community-based organizations providing 

services and advocacy by and for persons with all types of disabilities. Independent 

Living Centers also work to assure physical and programmatic access to housing, 

employment, transportation, communities, recreational facilities, and health and social 

services. Their goal is to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve their maximum 

potential within their families and communities. 

Informal PAS - Personal Assistance Services provided by a family member, co-worker, 

or community volunteer. 

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) - An index that measures a client's 

ability and degree of independence in cognitive and social functioning, such as 

shopping, cooking, doing housework, managing money, and using the telephone. 

Long-term Care (LTC) - Services that assist individuals with medical and personal 

needs. Long-term care may include medical services, physical therapy, custodial care 

and assistance with activities of daily living (dressing, eating, bathing, etc.). Long-term 

care may be provided at home, in the community, or in facilities, including nursing 

homes and assisted living facilities. 

Medically Necessary - Medical necessity must be established (via diagnostic and/or 

other information presented on the claim under consideration) before the carrier or 

insurer will make payment. 

Medicare - A Federal health insurance program for almost everyone age 65 or older 

and certain people with disabilities under 65. It is run by the Health Care Financing 

Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Social 

Security Administration offices across the country take applications for Medicare. There 

are two parts to the Medicare program: 

(Part A) Hospital Insurance - helps pay for in-patient hospital care, in-patient in 

a skilled nursing facility, home care and hospice care. If you are not eligible for 

premium-free Medicare Part A, you can buy Part A by paying a monthly 

premium. 

 

(Part B) Medical Insurance - helps pay for the doctor's services, outpatient 

hospital services, and durable medical equipment, etc. Most people do have to 

pay a monthly premium. 

Medicaid - A medical assistance program for low-income people of all ages who are 

unable to pay for care and who meet eligibility guidelines. Federal, state, and local 

funds finance it. Federal and state law sets the services that Medicaid covers. Older 

adults are expected to use their Medicare and private insurance first and to use 

Medicaid only for expenses not covered, such as prolonged nursing home, home health 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

23 

care and other exceptionally high medical costs not met by Medicare. Medicaid 

programs vary from state to state. 

Medicaid Buy In Program - The Medicaid Buy-In program offers Medicaid coverage to 

people with disabilities who are working, and earning more than the allowable limits for 

regular Medicaid, the opportunity to retain their health care coverage through Medicaid. 

This program allows working people with disabilities to earn more income without the 

risk of losing vital health care coverage. 

Medicaid HCBS Waiver Program - A program established with the passage of Section 

2176 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1981. This legislation 

created Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act, which authorized States to exercise 

the option of providing home and community-based alternatives to institutional care. 

Because the 1915(c) HCBS waiver program was created to offer alternatives to 

institutionalization, program regulations require the HCBS waivers to be limited to those 

who are eligible for institutional placement. Moreover, the States are allowed to target 

HCBS waivers to particular populations. Consequently, they are not required to offer 

HCBS waiver services to all categorically or medically needy groups. States have the 

option of limiting HCBS waiver services to targeted geographic region. Finally, the 

States also must specify a limit on the number of individuals who may receive benefits 

for each HCBS waiver (42 U.S.C. 1396n, Section 1915(c) (4) (A)). 

Medicaid Title XIX PCS optional state plan benefit - Since 1975, states have had the 

option of offering personal care, often referred to as personal assistance, as part of their 

Medicaid benefit package (i.e., as an optional state plan benefit). As the name indicates, 

the Title XIX PCS optional state plan benefit offers only personal care, which has 

various definitions but typically includes assistance with activities of daily living (e.g., 

bathing, dressing, and eating) and with instrumental activities of daily living (e.g., 

shopping and cooking). Services falling under the headings of personal care or personal 

assistance are critical components of HCBS from any viewpoint; however, these 

services are especially significant to those living with chronic illness and disability 

because they help facilitate, on a long term basis, independent living and greater social 

participation. In essence, they enable many to avoid unwanted and unnecessary 

institutionalization. Under the state plan benefit, such services must be made available 

statewide and to all individuals meeting financial and need-based eligibility criteria. 

These criteria are less stringent than those used for waiver services. Unlike the 1915(c) 

waiver program, the PCS optional state plan benefit does not require that participants 

have care needs severe enough to mandate institutional placement. 

Medigap - Medigap policies cover costs not covered in the Medicare program. Medigap 

policies are supplemental to Medicare policies. This is private insurance (often called 

Medigap) that pays Medicare's deductibles and co-insurances, and may cover services 

not covered by Medicare. Most Medigap plans will help pay for skilled nursing care, but 

only when that care is covered by Medicare. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

24 

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) - Personal Assistance Services (PAS) refer to 

help provided to people with disabilities to assist them with tasks essential for daily 

living. These tasks include bathing, dressing, getting around, toileting, eating, shopping, 

remembering things, and other activities. WPAS, along with assistive technology such 

as wheelchairs, text readers, and hearing aids, help people with disabilities to 

participate in activities at home and in the community. 

Personal Assistant - A person who provides personal care related tasks such as 

bathing, grooming, and meal preparation; employment related tasks such as assistance 

interpreting, turning pages, driving a person with a disability in performance of job 

duties, and/or filing; and community related tasks such as driving to appointments, 

personal care while at recreational or social events, and/or shopping.

Provider - Someone who provides services or supplies, such as an agency providing 

personal assistants, a company providing assistive technology, a physician, a hospital, 

a home health agency, or a pharmacy. 

Reasonable Accommodation Request - An accommodation request does not have to 

be in writing. The ADA does not include specific guidelines or forms for requesting 

reasonable accommodation nor does it require specific language or format. Some 

employers have developed in-house forms. If so, employees should use the employer's 

forms for requesting accommodation. Otherwise, individuals with disabilities can use 

any method that is effective. The request can come from the employee, and from the 

employee’s medical provider. Applying reasonable accommodation rules is done on a 

case by case situation. Each employer and each employee who needs a reasonable 

accommodation can negotiate the terms under the law. 

Reasonable Accommodation - An adjustment or modification to a job or workplace 

that enables an employee with a disability to perform the essential duties of the job 

successfully. The reasonable accommodation does not change the essential job 

functions but is related to them. The employee must be capable of performing the 

essential duties of the job with or without the reasonable accommodation. Reasonable 

accommodation can include Personal Assistance Services (WPAS) in the form of workrelated assistance, but generally does not include WPAS in the form of personal 

attendant care at the work-site. However, in some situations, employers must consider 

providing personal attendant care for employees who travel away from the office. 

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) - A state program funded by the 

Federal government to give free health insurance counseling and assistance to people 

with Medicare. 

Supported Employment - Supported employment (SE) enables people with disabilities 

who have not been successfully employed to work and contribute to society. SE focuses 

on a person's abilities and provides the supports the individual needs to be successful 

on a long-term basis. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

25 

Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act - A Federal law that was 

enacted in 1999 to encourage states to adopt the option of allowing individuals with 

disabilities to purchase Medicaid coverage that is necessary to enable such individuals 

to maintain employment. The Act also establishes the Ticket to Work and SelfSufficiency Program that will allow individuals with disabilities to seek the services 

necessary to obtain and retain employment and reduce their dependency on cash 

benefit programs. The result of the latter has been the Ticket-to-Work Program. 

Vocational Rehabilitation - Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), a state-supported division 

of services, assists individuals with disabilities who are pursuing meaningful careers. VR 

assists those individuals to secure gainful employment commensurate with their abilities 

and capabilities through local job searches and awareness of self-employment and 

telecommuting opportunities. VR often can be a resource for short and long term 

workplace personal assistance services. 

Work - Physical or mental activity that results in earned income. 

Workforce Investment Act - A Federal law that was enacted in 1998 to consolidate, 

coordinate, and improve employment, training, literacy, and vocational rehabilitation 

programs in the United States, and for other purposes. The result of the Act had been 

the development of One-Stop Career Centers throughout the U.S. 

Workplace Personal Assistance Services (WPAS) - Workplace Personal Assistance 

Services (WPAS) include work task-related assistance, such as the use of a reader for 

business documents not otherwise available electronically, a sign language interpreter 

for company meetings or trainings, and help lifting or reaching work work-related items. 

WPAS may include personal care-related assistance such as helping an employee to 

access the restroom, eat or drink at work, or travel for business purposes.
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

26 

 

This document was developed by the Job Accommodation Network, funded by a 

contract agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment 

Policy (DOL079RP20426). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the 

position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, 

commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of 

Labor. The publication was developed by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) in 

collaboration with the Center for Personal Assistance Services (PAS) at the University 

of California at San Francisco. The Center for PAS is funded through a grant from the 

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).