A performance evaluation for students in transition from school to work.
Howard Rosenberg, Ed.D. and Michael P. Brady, Ph.D.

• Age Range: 15-adult
• Time: Less than 30 minutes

JOBS is an employee performance evaluation for use by educators, job coaches, rehabilitation professionals, and employers involved in the evaluation, training, and placement of secondary students or adults, with and without disabilities into the competitive workforce. JOBS is ideal for both supported and competitive employment, and sheltered employment settings.

JOBS meets the critical need for an instrument which is standardized, based upon realistic supported employment practices and expectations.

Use JOBS to determine:

• Quality of work performance; types of support needed
• Employee strengths and needs for future training

JOBS benefits everyone because it: Monitors employee growth and development over time; helps employees comply with state and federal anti-discrimination workplace mandates; is an objective and standardized evaluation of employees' work performance; reduces employee turnover in entry level positions by identifying support and training needs; enables students and adults in work training programs develop "employable behaviors" needed to obtain and maintain real jobs; targets employees' need for supports in the workplace and uses "real work" criteria as the standard for comparison of work performance.

The 30 items, which comprise the three JOBS subscales, are designed to represent critical patterns of performance in:

1. Work-required daily living skills
2. Work-required behavior
3. Work-required job duties

The complete JOBS Kit contains the Manual and one package of the Record Forms.

The JOBS System
Teachers, job coaches, rehabilitation specialists and employment professionals make a wide range of decisions that affect the current and future work status of students and adults with special employment needs. These decisions include choices in curriculum models, instructional strategies, career options, job settings and work experiences.

In the education arena, these decisions culminate in transitional Individual Education Programs (IEP) for every student between the ages of 16 to 21. Students must have the opportunity to participate in the development of their IEPs and transition plans from age 16.

In the vocational training arena, there is a requirement to develop Individual Rehabilitation Plans (IWRP) and Individual Support Plans (ISP) for adults with special employment needs. Accreditation bodies, such as CARF, require that employees have continual input into their plans and programs, in terms of training and support.

The JOBS System (JOBS and JOBS:OSD used together) incorporates both required models of vocational evaluation. The combination of these assessments allows professionals, students and adult employees to establish whether discrepancies or agreements exist, by comparing the various perceptions of the quality of work performance, and the type of support needed to maintain that work quality. The System allows for informed decisions regarding goals and objectives appropriate for IEPs, IWRPs and ISPs, as well as for workplace interventions.  

By combining and comparing the results from JOBS (employer rated) and JOBS:OSD (employee rated) these professionals can establish where discrepancies exist between the quality of an individual’s work, and the type of support needed to maintain acceptable quality.

Job Observation and Behavior Scale (JOBS) Research

Bennett, K., Brady, M. P., Scott, J., Dukes, C., & Frain, M.  (2010). Effects of covert audio coaching on the job performance of supported employees. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilitie3, 25(3), 173-185.

• A behavioral coaching intervention designed to improve employability skills was implemented with adults in supported employment settings. Employees were evaluated with JOBS prior to the study to summarize their employment skills and support needs.

Bennett, K., Frain, M., Brady, M.P., Rosenberg, H., & Surinak, T. (2009). Differences between employees' and supervisors' evaluations of work performance and support needs. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 44(4), 471-480.

• Shows importance of having supervisors as well as employees identify job performance, as often there are different views

Brady, M.P., Duffy, M.L., Frain, M., & Bucholz, J. (2010). Evaluating work performance and support needs in supported employment training programs: correspondence between teachers' ratings and students' self ratings? Journal of Rehabilitation, 76(3), 24-31.

• Shows that JOBS is useful to identify discrepencies between teacher and student views of performance.

Brady, M.P. & Rosenberg, H. (2002a). Job observation and behavior scale: a supported employment assessment instrument. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 37(4), 427-433.

• Shows that JOBS Scale is sensitive to employment evaluations for those in supported employment positions.

Brady, M. P., & Rosenberg, H. (2002b). Modifying and managing employment practices: An inclusive model for job placement and support. In K. Storey, D. Hunter, & P. Bates (Eds.), The road ahead: Transition to adult life for persons with disabilities (pp. 119-135). St. Augustine, FL: Training Resources Network.

• Chapter that summarizes strategies for supported employment. Concepts such as job-to-person match and occupational colleagueship are discussed.

Brady, M.P., Rosenberg, H., & Frain, M.P. (2008). A self-evaluation instrument for work performance and support needs. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals (31)3, 175-185.

• Summary of how JOBS Scale can help transition students into supported employment and reviews psychometrics of Scale

Bucholz, J. L., Brady, M. P., Duffy, M. L., Scott, J., & Kontosh, L. (2008). Using Literacy-Based Behavioral Interventions and social stories to improve work behavior in employees with developmental disabilities. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 43(4), 486-501.

• A behavioral intervention designed to improve employability skills. Employees were evaluated with JOBS prior to the study to summarize their employment skills and support needs.

Bucholz, J., & Brady, M. P.  (2008). Teaching positive work behaviors with Literacy-Based Behavioral Interventions: An intervention for students and employees with developmental disabilities.  Teaching Exceptional Children, 41(2), 50-55.

• A teacher-friendly description of an intervention for teachers and job coaches designed to improve employability. Employees were evaluated with JOBS and JOBS: OSD are described as a pre-assessment strategy to   summarize employment skills and support needs.

Richards, S., Brady, M. P., & Taylor, R.  (2015). Cognitive and intellectual disabilities: Historical perspectives, current practices, and future directions (2d ed.). New York: Routledge.

• Text that summarizes effective practices for people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. JOBS and JOBS: OSD are described as assessment systems that highlight performance and support measures.

Hall, K., Brady, M. P., Kearney, K., & Downey, A. (2017). Comparing different delivery modes for Literacy-Based Behavioral Interventions during employment training for college students with developmental disabilities. Manuscript submitted for publication.

• A behavioral teaching intervention designed to increase employability skills was implemented with college students with developmental disabilities. College students were evaluated with JOBS: OSD prior to the study to summarize their employment skills and support needs.

JOBS-Supplementary Information/Material

• JOBS Research Description
• JOBS Presentation