Demand Side Employment Initiative (DSEI)
The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) received a one-time appropriation of $10 million to fund strategic initiatives to increase the employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. This funding, which ended on June 30, 2024, allowed DOR to create the Demand Side Employment Initiative (DSEI), an employer incentive program that supported businesses in expanding or start hiring people with disabilities.
The DSEI consisted of four key elements:
EmployABILITY Business Grant
Empowering businesses to create inclusive employment opportunities.
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The EmployABILITY Business Grant offered small- and medium-sized businesses in California the opportunity to grow their businesses and upgrade their hiring.
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EmployABILITY Business Grant recipients, or EmployABILITY Champions, used grant funds to grow their businesses while creating meaningful career opportunities for individuals with disabilities by:
- Hiring individuals with disabilities
- Implementing training programs
- Renovating workplaces for accessibility
- Educating staff on disability inclusion
- Purchasing updated equipment
- And more!
Targeted Marketing Campaign
EmployABILITY grant recipients were highlighted in a customized media and marketing campaign.
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DOR launched a targeted media and marketing campaign supporting the recruitment and employment of individuals with disabilities.
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This strategic multimedia marketing campaign spotlighted the EmployABILITY grant recipient businesses who are champions for disability inclusive hiring in California.
Earn and Learn Opportunities
Three training programs were established to lead Californians with disabilities to employment.
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Three Earn and Learn programs were established and connected individuals with disabilities to industry-recognized, work-based learning experiences and career pathways in allied health, insurance, and child care.
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Programs partnered with employers and training providers to equip participants with essential job skills.
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Earn and Learn Participants
- Institute for Workplace Skills & Innovation (IWSI) America – Allied health sector
- NeuroTalent Works – Insurance industry
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East Bay Innovations – Child care sector
For more information, please reach out to DSEI@dor.ca.gov
Earn and Learn Programs:
Human Resources Training and Collateral
California specific certificate program for HR professionals for building inclusive workspaces.
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The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation created the California Employing Abilities at Work Certificate Program and is specific to California state policy, law, and cultural considerations.
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This California-specific certificate program aims to expand knowledge and awareness of building inclusive workplaces by engaging learners who are future and current HR professionals and learning managers.
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SHRM certifications increase pay for HR professionals, and this certification program is worth a minimum of 10 credits for current HR professionals’ recertification.
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SHRM developed the curriculum guide and lesson plan and partnered with community colleges, including MiraCosta College, Chaffey College, and Cosumnes River College, to implement this certification, strengthening HR professionals' knowledge, skills, and abilities to attract, hire, and retain Californians with disabilities.
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HR professionals and hiring managers gain knowledge and practical skills in disability inclusion in the workplace, driving large-scale, systemic change in equitable hiring opportunities.