Post-placement outcomes in competitive employment: How do urban young adults with developmental disabilities fare over time?

The present study examined job retention and tracked changes in wages, hours, and benefits in competitive employment over a 24-month period for individuals with developmental disabilities living in a major urban center. Findings regarding job retention reveal that 28% of the individuals retained their jobs for 12 to 24 months and 72% changed jobs during the 24-month period. None of the predictor variables monitored (i.e., diagnostic category, gender, age, race/ethnicity, a measure of family economic status, whether the participant had experienced paid employment prior to entering the program, months before competitive employment, and training site location) were associated with job retention. Moreover, the 24-month analyses of wages, hours worked, and number of benefits indicate that almost everyone in the study will continue to need some form of public assistance, even if working full-time. These and other findings are discussed in terms of their programmatic implications.