As part of Maine Calling's series "Ready & Able: Living with a Disability in Maine," this show will be streamed on Maine Public's YouTube channel and Maine Calling's Facebook page, with ASL interpretation.
Are today's workplaces inclusive enough? For individuals with disabilities, having a good, productive job is tied to how well their workplace provides the accommodations that are required by law. It also means that they don't face discrimination or other obstacles. We examine what it takes for people living with disabilities to find meaningful work in a supportive environment.
Panelists:
David Webbert, employment and civil rights attorney, Johnson & Webbert; president, Maine Employment Lawyers Association
Lisa Sturtevant, employment coordinator, Office of Aging and Disability Services, Maine Department of Health & Human Services
Kile Pelletier, person with a disability; outreach coordinator, Disability Rights Maine; co-chair, Maine Developmental Disabilities Council
VIP Caller:
Samantha Fenderson, director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Maine Department of Labor
Links to information mentioned during the program:
Benefit Counseling Services- MaineHealth Vocational Services has Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWICs) that help Maine people understand how working affects their Social Security disability and other public benefits. This service is provided at no cost to Maine residents 14 or older who receive Social Security disability benefits, are considering or currently working, and have questions about how working impacts benefits. For more information, to get support or to connect to a Benefit Counselor https://www.mainehealth.org/healthy-communities/vocational-services/benefits-counseling-services or Call us at 1-888-208-8700 if you have trouble accessing the referral packet or do not have access to a printer so we can mail the paperwork to you.
ABLE Accounts- Living with a disability is often associated with significant amounts of extra costs. That’s why individuals and families can now contribute to ABLE accounts — tax-advantaged accounts that can fund disability expenses without impacting means-tested benefits eligibility. https://www.bangor.com/personal-banking/checking/able-home/ and https://www.maine.gov/treasurer/ABLE-MAINE
Office for Family Independence (OFI) plays a key role in determining eligibility for essential support programs such as food and healthcare assistance, with a focus on families with children, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities. Access to healthcare is especially vital for individuals with disabilities to maintain employment. One important MaineCare option—Working Disabled coverage—supports employed individuals who meet the Social Security disability standard by allowing for higher income limits. Applicants are automatically evaluated for all applicable MaineCare categories, so no special request is needed to be considered for this coverage. Below is a link to the resource on our public OFI website that reviews MaineCare’s Working Disabled eligibility requirements in future detail: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/inline-files/2025%20WD%20Brochure%20v2.pdf
More information on the Office for Family Independence programs can be found at: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi
To apply for assistance with food, healthcare, and other supports please visit www.mymaineconnection.gov
Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) A job provides many positive outcomes: money, benefits, a place to belong, and a chance to learn new skills. For individuals with disabilities, there are supports available that can help you prepare for work, get a job, and keep that job. https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oads/get-support/employment-services
Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) For most of us, work is part of our identity, and for many people, work is an important part of the recovery process. Experience and research have shown that mental health consumers want to work and can work. Resources to support finding and keeping a job can be found here: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/obh/support-services/employment-services
DOL’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation: also known as "VR," is a Department of Labor program that helps people who have disabilities to find and keep a job. VR helps people who have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. https://www.maine.gov/rehab/dvr/vr.shtml
Disability Rights Maine- Work should be competitive, integrated, and free from discrimination. There are laws that protect people with disabilities at work. For more information and support call 1 800 452 1948 (V/TTY) or visit https://drme.org/resources/know-your-rights/employment/
