O S E R SO S E R SO S E R SO S E R S

Telework ForumTelework ForumMay 21, 2007May 21, 2007

Rob GroenendaalRob GroenendaalProgram SpecialistProgram Specialist

Rehabilitation Services AdministrationRehabilitation Services Administration

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative ServicesOffice of Special Education and Rehabilitative ServicesU.S. Department of EducationU.S. Department of Education

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Goals of theGoals of theTelework ProgramTelework Program

• Increasing access to technology for Increasing access to technology for individuals with disabilities [through individuals with disabilities [through loans to purchase computers and other loans to purchase computers and other equipment, including adaptive equipment, including adaptive equipment]; andequipment]; and

• Increasing employment opportunities Increasing employment opportunities and competitive employment outcomes and competitive employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.for individuals with disabilities.

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What Is Telework?What Is Telework?

Telework includes work [as an employee Telework includes work [as an employee or contractor or to become self-employed or contractor or to become self-employed on a full-time or part-time basis] that can on a full-time or part-time basis] that can be effectively performed—be effectively performed—

• from home; or from home; or

• from designated sites away from the from designated sites away from the office, such as work on the road or at a office, such as work on the road or at a telework center.telework center.

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Purpose of TeleworkingPurpose of Teleworking

Teleworking should:Teleworking should:

““reduce or eliminate barriers reduce or eliminate barriers to employment experienced to employment experienced by individuals with by individuals with disabilities.”disabilities.”

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Purpose of Technical Purpose of Technical Assistance CircularAssistance Circular

• To give grantees the flexibility to design To give grantees the flexibility to design and implement the Telework program in a and implement the Telework program in a manner that will encourage applications manner that will encourage applications for loans.for loans.

• This is achieved by allowing grantees to This is achieved by allowing grantees to design and implement their own policy and design and implement their own policy and process to determine the appropriateness of process to determine the appropriateness of loan requests on a case-by-case basis.loan requests on a case-by-case basis.

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Case-by-CaseCase-by-CaseDeterminationDetermination

A grantee’s policy and process to examine A grantee’s policy and process to examine loan requests must be designed to establish loan requests must be designed to establish that:that:

1. A person experiences a disability1. A person experiences a disability

2. A person’s disability creates a barrier or 2. A person’s disability creates a barrier or barriers to employment barriers to employment

3. A person’s proposed work overcomes that 3. A person’s proposed work overcomes that barrier or barriersbarrier or barriers

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Case-by-CaseCase-by-CaseDeterminationDetermination ( (cont’d.cont’d.))

4. The proposed location is appropriate 4. The proposed location is appropriate based on its relationship to the proposed based on its relationship to the proposed workwork

5. The equipment to be purchased with 5. The equipment to be purchased with the loan is necessary to make that form the loan is necessary to make that form of telework possible at the proposed of telework possible at the proposed locationlocation

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Establish DisabilityEstablish Disability

1. A person experiences a 1. A person experiences a disabilitydisability

How do you determine or How do you determine or establish that an individual has a establish that an individual has a

disability?disability?

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Barriers to EmploymentBarriers to Employment2. A person’s disability creates a barrier or barriers 2. A person’s disability creates a barrier or barriers to employment. Common barriers include but are to employment. Common barriers include but are not limited to inadequate transportation, fatigue, not limited to inadequate transportation, fatigue, inaccessible work environments, or the need for inaccessible work environments, or the need for personal assistance.personal assistance.

How do you determine an individual’s barrier or How do you determine an individual’s barrier or barriers to employment?barriers to employment?

Is there a link between the person’s disability and Is there a link between the person’s disability and the barrier or barriers to employment created by that the barrier or barriers to employment created by that

disability?disability?

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Proposed Work Proposed Work Overcomes BarriersOvercomes Barriers

3. The person’s proposed work 3. The person’s proposed work overcomes a barrier or barriers to overcomes a barrier or barriers to employmentemployment

How can you determine if the type of How can you determine if the type of work proposed overcomes the work proposed overcomes the

individual’s barrier or barriers to individual’s barrier or barriers to employment? employment?

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Appropriate Appropriate Proposed WorksiteProposed Worksite

4. The proposed location is appropriate 4. The proposed location is appropriate based on its relationship to the proposed based on its relationship to the proposed workwork

If the proposed type of work overcomes If the proposed type of work overcomes a barrier to employment, how do you a barrier to employment, how do you

determine if the worksite or environment determine if the worksite or environment is appropriate?is appropriate?

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EquipmentEquipment

5. The equipment to be purchased with 5. The equipment to be purchased with the loan is necessary to make that form the loan is necessary to make that form of telework possible at the proposed of telework possible at the proposed locationlocation

If the worksite is appropriate, how do If the worksite is appropriate, how do you determine what is needed to make you determine what is needed to make

the proposed work possible?the proposed work possible?

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EquipmentEquipment ( (cont’d.cont’d.))

5. The equipment to be purchased with the loan 5. The equipment to be purchased with the loan meets the definition of equipment as established meets the definition of equipment as established by your programby your program

Your program’s definition must be based on the Your program’s definition must be based on the definition in the Education Department General definition in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR):Administrative Regulations (EDGAR):

““Equipment means Equipment means tangibletangible, , nonexpendablenonexpendable, , personal propertypersonal property having a having a useful lifeuseful life of more of more

than one year and an than one year and an acquisition costacquisition cost of $5,000 of $5,000 or more per unit. . . . ” (34 CFR 80.3)or more per unit. . . . ” (34 CFR 80.3)

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EDGAR Definition EDGAR Definition of Equipment (Part I)of Equipment (Part I)

• TangibleTangible

• NonexpendableNonexpendable

• Personal propertyPersonal property

• Useful life of more than one yearUseful life of more than one year

• Acquisition costAcquisition cost

• Grantee definitionGrantee definition

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TangibleTangible

• Items able to be touchedItems able to be touched

• Items having physical substance Items having physical substance or material existence or material existence

• Items having intrinsic monetary Items having intrinsic monetary valuevalue

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NonexpendableNonexpendable• Pertains to a supply item or piece of Pertains to a supply item or piece of equipment that is not consumed, and does not equipment that is not consumed, and does not lose its identity, in use, as a vehicle, machine, lose its identity, in use, as a vehicle, machine, tool, piece of furniture, or instrument tool, piece of furniture, or instrument

• Refers to supplies which are not consumed in Refers to supplies which are not consumed in use; and use; and

• Includes supplies which retain their original Includes supplies which retain their original identity during period of use, such as machines, identity during period of use, such as machines, tools, and equipment.tools, and equipment.

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Personal PropertyPersonal Property

• Includes all property other than land and Includes all property other than land and buildings attached to landbuildings attached to land

• Can be temporary or movable property (as Can be temporary or movable property (as distinguished from real estate)distinguished from real estate)

• Can include any asset other than real estateCan include any asset other than real estate

• May also be known as “movable property” May also be known as “movable property” and “movables”and “movables”

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Useful Life of Useful Life of More than One YearMore than One Year

• Typical operating service life of an Typical operating service life of an asset for the purpose it was acquiredasset for the purpose it was acquired

• The number of years that depreciable The number of years that depreciable business equipment or property is business equipment or property is expected to be in use expected to be in use

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Acquisition CostAcquisition Cost

• The price and all fees paid The price and all fees paid required to obtain a propertyrequired to obtain a property

• According to EDGAR: According to EDGAR: $5,000 or more per unit$5,000 or more per unit

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EDGAR DefinitionEDGAR Definitionof Equipment (Part II)of Equipment (Part II)

““Equipment means tangible, nonexpendable, Equipment means tangible, nonexpendable, personal property having a useful life of more personal property having a useful life of more

than one year and an acquisition costthan one year and an acquisition cost of of $5,000 or more per unit.$5,000 or more per unit.

A grantee may use its own definition of A grantee may use its own definition of equipment provided that such definition equipment provided that such definition

would at least include all equipment defined would at least include all equipment defined aboveabove.” (34 CFR 80.3).” (34 CFR 80.3)

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Grantee DefinitionGrantee Definitionof Equipmentof Equipment

A grantee may use the flexibility provided by A grantee may use the flexibility provided by EDGAR to develop a definition that meets the needs EDGAR to develop a definition that meets the needs of its telework program.of its telework program.

• The per unit acquisition cost can be less than The per unit acquisition cost can be less than $5,000.$5,000.

• The useful life can be less than one year.The useful life can be less than one year.

• If a program’s definition allows loans for training, If a program’s definition allows loans for training, inventory, supplies, etc., these MUST be attached to inventory, supplies, etc., these MUST be attached to a specific piece of equipment to be used for a a specific piece of equipment to be used for a specific telework job.specific telework job.

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Policies and ProceduresPolicies and Procedures

• Grantees should develop policies and Grantees should develop policies and procedures based on the technical procedures based on the technical assistance circular (TAC) to guide their assistance circular (TAC) to guide their decision-making about loans.decision-making about loans.

• These policies and procedures must be These policies and procedures must be submitted to RSA upon completion for submitted to RSA upon completion for review.review.

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Where to GoWhere to Gofor More Informationfor More Information

Rob Groenendaal, Program SpecialistRob Groenendaal, Program Specialist

202-245-7393202-245-7393

robert.groenendaal@ed.govrobert.groenendaal@ed.gov