California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) provides extensive information on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), including procedures and claim forms. Employers with questions about the program should call the WOTC Center at (866) 593-0173.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration provides information on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, including qualifications for new hires and employer participation in the WOTC program.

The Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network (EARN) is a free service that connects employers with skilled job seekers with disabilities. Their website includes tools and other useful information for both employers and job seekers.

The IRS provides detailed information on the WOTC, including information about target groups and qualifying wages.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a free consulting service designed to increase the employability of people with disabilities by: 1) providing individualized worksite accommodations solutions, 2) providing technical assistance regarding the ADA and other disability related legislation, and 3) educating callers about self-employment options.

The California Department of Rehabilitation works in partnership with consumers and other stakeholders to provide services and advocacy resulting in employment, independent living and equality for individuals with disabilities.

The American Association of People with Disabilities provides a national list of employment opportunities.

DisabilityInfo.gov is a comprehensive federal website of disability-related government resources and information for job seekers and businesses.

The World Institute on Disability’s Access to Assets (ATA) program provides training and technical assistance to asset building and disability organizations seeking to improve the inclusion of people with disabilities in poverty reduction programs. In addition, ATA provides information and referral services to individuals with disabilities and conducts federal and state policy analysis on related issues.

Proyecto Visión, the first national technical assistance center to increase employment opportunities for Latinos with disabilities, provides culturally and linguistically appropriate services to employers, service providers and jobseekers to address barriers that preclude Latinos from effectively utilizing disability services and connecting to work.

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth assists state and local workforce investment systems to better serve youth with disabilities. The website has a newsletter, a database on promising programs and practices in the workforce development system, and a listing of events, resources, and publications on topics surrounding youth with disabilities.

Various community-based organizations provide staff to work with people concerning a range of options on state, federal, public, and private health and income programs. Counseling about benefits, as a community service, is an emerging field of expertise with different levels of services available. Some organizations may work with specific populations while others work with individuals with any type of disability.

Goodwill Industries services range from personal evaluation and office skills training to career counseling, childcare, and transportation. Some of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity.

Find locations at http://www.goodwill.org, or by calling (voice) 800-664-6577.

The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers lists 29 centers serving individuals with all disabilities. Many of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity. Most independent living centers can refer callers to local benefit program information if they do not have these services.

Find the list of independent living centers at http://www.cfilc.org, or by calling (voice) 916-325-1690 or (TTY) 916-325-1695.

The AIDS Hotline database contains 1,300 organizations providing HIV/AIDS services throughout California. Some of these organizations offer case management, benefits planning, and benefits counseling services that can include assistance with public and private benefits programs.

Find the list of AIDS organizations at http://www.aidshotline.org, or by calling (voice) 800-367-AIDS (2437) or (TTY) 888-225-AIDS (2437).

Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (PAI), a federally funded program in all states, provides representation for consumers of public programs who are disabled. Website publications include topics on health care, benefit programs, and In Home Supportive Services. PAI’s Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) Program protects the legal rights of Social Security beneficiaries in their efforts to return to work.

The federal government pays benefits planners in communities around the country to help people think ahead about benefits issues. The Social Security Administration (SSA) replaced the Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Project (BPAO) with the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program in October of 2006.

The new program emphasizes work incentives over work supports for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Benefits planners who are funded by SSA and trained under this new program are called Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWIC's).

To find a benefits planner near you, use DB101's Benefits Planners Directory.