Sydney Employment Development ServiceSydney Employment Development Service (SEDS), is the employment arm of The Spastic Centre of NSW. SEDS Open Employment Program is an employment service for people with physical and multiple disabilities, or an acquired brain injury.
SEDS provides employment and training support for SEDS clients and employers in your workplace. This is done through
- Productivity Assessments
- Quality control checks
- Co-worker training
- Job Instruction Training (if applicable)
- There are a range of incentives that encourage the employment of a person with a disability such as financial, social and corporate benefits.
Supported Wage System (SWS)
This is a Federal government program which is designed to give people with disabilities who can not work at an award standard an opportunity to work at a percentage of that award.
SEDS would access the SWS on behalf of an employer.
This would involve:
- Our client being employed by a company or organisation.
- A pre-assessment would be negotiated between SEDS, our client and an employer.
- A pre-assessment period of up to 12 weeks would be commenced
- Before the 12 weeks is completed an independent assessor would be nominated by the government to conduct a Supported Wage Assessment.
- The assessment would determine our client's productivity level as a percentage and accordingly, the employer would agree to pay that percentage of the award to our client.
- The independent assessor would review our client's productivity on an annual basis.
Benefits of Employing a Person with a Disability
Enhanced Public Image
- Meet EEO requirements
- Improve community image
- Improve image amongst other employers
- People with disabilities use services/ products of companies who recruit people with a disability
Training by Agency
- Free training and support for new employee
- Training to staff on disability issues
- Co-worker training in training techniques
- Better, more efficient workplace methods
Productive Employee
- Motivated
- Reliable
- Trained
Employer is in control
- Can choose employee, eg. via interview
- Use of work-trial
- Employer has normal employer/employee relationship
- Possible use of Supported Wage System
Ongoing Assistance
- Increased tenure
- SEDS can provide on-going support
- Retraining as required
- Mediating/Conflict resolution
Increased Morale of Co-workers
- Motivated employee - increase morale of workplace
- Co-worker trainer's morale increased
Financial
- Access to subsidies
- Low recruitment costs
- Save costs of releasing staff to train
- Lower turn over = lower costs
- Save time = lower costs
- Better image = more sales
- Productivity maintained by trainer
- Improved work-site procedures
- Workplace modifications available
- Routine tasks can be deleted from higher paid workers' duties
Why use SEDS?
Our high quality service has resulted in establishing many successful long term placements and proven to be very beneficial to both employers and employees. SEDS clients with a disability have a wide range of skills, qualifications and experience . Some have abilities at work entry level, whilst many have tertiary qualifications such as TAFE certificates, diplomas and university degrees.
We can also assist the employer by assessing work requirements , undertaking job design and recruiting the right person for the position. Job carving like this can free up other staff to do more important tasks, saving time and money for the employer as well as creating employee job satisfaction.
For more information, please contact us.
Already have a position in mind? Register it now and a SEDS Consultant will phone you within a few days.