(a) The division may provide an applicant in
a trial work experience or extended evaluation, or an individual determined
eligible for VR services with an occupational license, tools, equipment,
initial stocks, and supplies for employment or self-employment, consistent with
the individual's needs and, as appropriate, the individual's informed choice in
accordance with section 17-401.1-12, when necessary to determine the
applicant's eligibility for VR services or when necessary for the eligible
individual to achieve an employment outcome.
(1) "Occupational licenses" are any license,
permit or other written authority required by a state, city, or other
government unit to be obtained in order to enter an occupation or a small
business such as a chauffeur license, food service license, realtor license, or
business license.
(2) "Tools" shall
be limited to those types needed or required by the VR applicant or eligible
individual during training or for entry into employment and customarily
required for the job and normally possessed by workers in the same or similar
trade or profession. Special tools may be provided in cases where they are
required by the individual to perform normal tasks because of the individual's
disability or functional limitations.
(3) "Equipment" refers to pieces of
occupational fixtures normally found in places of business for use in carrying
out the requirements of the particular business and which are needed to provide
for an efficient operation.
(A) Generally,
equipment includes apparatus, machinery, and appliances that are usually of a
stationary nature during the time of use.
(B) Equipment which have no connection with
the actual functions of a business, trade, or profession but are required
because of the nature of the individual's disability may be provided.
(C) "Shelter" to house a self-employment
business venture is included as equipment if customarily furnished by an
operator of a like undertaking, occupying premises under a short-term lease.
Shelters which are normally portable, easily dismantled, moved, and reassembled
with a minimum loss of value, are differentiated from buildings, which are
excluded as rehabilitation service to individuals based on permanency of
structure.
(D) Automobiles, trucks,
vans and other like vehicles shall not be considered as equipment.
(4) "Initial stocks and supplies"
may be provided only to individuals entering self-employment.
(A) "Initial stock" includes the initial
inventory of merchandise or goods necessary for direct resale or for further
preparation for direct resale either on a wholesale or retail basis.
(i) The amount of such goods to be provided
as an initial stock shall be determined by the amount considered necessary to
enable the individual to initially open business. When a turnover of the
primary operation stock occurs, the individual should have adequate income to
replenish the depleted stock for the first time in addition to having the
necessary income to meet daily living needs.
(ii) The initial purchase of livestock
necessary for the establishment of a base stock of animals or the purchase of
initial supplies of seed, fertilizer, fuel, and other supplies for a farming or
agricultural self-employment venture may be provided as a rehabilitation
service.
(B) "Supplies"
are expendable items necessary to enable the individual to carry out the
day-to-day operations of the self-employment business and are consumed on the
premises such as:
(i) Stationery, pencils,
pens, stamps, and other office supplies for a business office;
(ii) Soap, shampoo, hair tonic, and other
barber supplies for a barber shop; and
(iii) Wrapping paper, string, stationery, and
other supplies for a retail store.
(b) Occupational licenses, tools, equipment,
and initial stocks and supplies are subject to the use of comparable services
and benefits provisions of section 17-401.1-13 and the use of personal
resources (financial needs test) provisions of section 17-401.1-14.
(c) The division shall retain title to all
tools, equipment, shelters, initial stock and supplies, including livestock
provided to an applicant or eligible individual, until the individual with a
disability is vocationally rehabilitated and on condition that tools,
equipment, shelters, and initial supplies, including livestock, are still
needed or required for continued employment. An inventory of items provided
shall be maintained in the division's record of services for the
individual.
(d) Disposition of
items on inventory shall be clearly indicated in the division's record of
services for the individual, including justification for action taken, and
other details to account for its whereabouts and other status of
possession.
