Disabled Floridians with some form of assistance that are willing and able to work, have certain vocational rehabilitation rights afforded to them under state and federal law. On a state level, those rights are spelled out in Social Welfare Statute 413.30. A person’s federal level rights, on the other hand, are clearly listed in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504. In general, they collectively ensure that every reasonable effort is made to provide eligible individuals with the assistance that they need to obtain and maintain gainful employment.
In Florida, disabled individuals looking to enter the workforce generally start by making contact with one of two state run agencies. They are the Division of Blind Services and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Once contact is made, individuals have the right to confidentiality and may appeal any decisions made by the agencies that they feel are unjust. They also have the right to request mediation services and question what they believe to be discriminatory practices on the behalf of those involved in the vocational rehabilitation process.
Each organization also affords applicants and program participants with additional rights. For example, Floridians who make contact with the state’s Division of Blind Services are entitled to receive an official response regarding their program eligibility within a set period of time. In the case that the individual is denied services, he or she also has the right to know why. Furthermore, individuals put on the state’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation’s waiting list have a right to know what category they’ve been placed in. The category determines what position the applicant holds in line.
Clearly, understanding one’s vocational rehabilitation rights and the rules that impact a person’s path towards gainful employment may prove challenging for some. That’s where we can help. At DDB Law Attorneys at Law, we offer free case evaluations to Floridians who feel that their vocational rehabilitation rights have been infringed upon. To learn more, please contact us at our Lakeland location today.