Webinar: Self Employment

This session will focus on setting a foundation to move forward with self-employment as a defining characteristic of America’s economic landscape by addressing the concerns and questions routinely raised when proposing self-employment for and with individuals with complex disabilities. From those questions an outline will be presented of an approach to supporting prospective sole proprietors using discovery and the techniques of customized self-employment, one person at a time.  A survey of sole proprietors with complex disabilities completed by Griffin-Hammis Associates will be presented along with The U.S. DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) funded Start-Up/USAs’ research findings, and testimony to the U.S. Department of Labor, including examples from across the country. 

(Note: In keeping with the clarity of customized employment from the U.S. Department of Labor based only on one person at a time, and the definition of sole proprietorship as a for profit business with a single owner - no social enterprises, non-profits, cooperatives, or multi-owner approaches will be addressed.)

Self-employment clearly is a significant defining characteristic of America’s economic landscape. 1 out of 5 workers (20%) is self-employed as a sole proprietor. Sole proprietor by definition requires assisting one prospective self-employed worker with a complex disability to become successfully self-employed and then continuing based on one sole proprietor at a time. Our country’s sole proprietors’ total taxable earnings reported to the IRS make up 20% of the taxable earnings of all workers.  In a dramatic contrast, the ratio of self-employed workers with complex disabilities across the county is conservatively estimated at less than 1 out of 10,000. From an informed choice, social equity and social justice perspective we have a long way to go to move from 1 out of 10,000 to 1 out of 5.

If you are paying for this webinar please use the first button.  If you are wanting a stipend please use the second button. Stipends are for those that live and work in Washington State and are limited to the first 53 seats. Once these seats are full if you would like to take this training you will need to follow the Register and Pay link.