Supported Employment

• The employer must be licensed to operate in Ontario.
• The employer must comply with all applicable federal and provincial legislation, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Employment Standards Act, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
• The employer must maintain appropriate Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) or private workplace safety insurance coverage.
• The employer must have adequate third-party general liability insurance.
• The job or work experience must be provided in Ontario.

Who is eligible?

• Ontario-licensed employers seeking to hire supported employment participants
• Organizations operating in compliance with federal and provincial legislation (e.g., Occupational Health and Safety Act, Employment Standards Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act)

Eligible expenses

• Salaries, wages, and benefits for staff and management directly involved in program delivery.
• Hiring and training of staff, including professional development.
• Marketing and outreach costs (e.g., signage, print/web ads).
• Facility costs such as rent and interest on mortgage payments.
• Accounting services and auditor’s fees related to program operations.
• Direct operating expenditures necessary for delivering supported employment services.
• Job-related skills enhancement or onboarding training for participants, including costs associated with temporary reduction in productivity and increased supervision for new hires.
• Workplace anti-stigma training and employer training on best practices for inclusion and supervision of people with disabilities.
• Participant financial supports to address temporary barriers, such as transportation, work clothing or uniforms, safety shoes, tools and special equipment, emergency or infrequent child care, language skills assessments, and translation of academic documents.
• Specialized diagnostic assessments required to determine employment capacity when not available through other services.
• Purchase or cost-sharing of assistive devices and adaptive technology for the workplace (e.g., mobility aids, communication tools).
• Job-specific communication skills training (e.g., ASL, Braille, remedial writing).
• On-the-job supports such as sign language interpreters, readers, or note takers.

Eligible geographic areas

• Ontario

• Service provider performance against the Provincial Service Quality Standard (SQS), including customer satisfaction, service coordination, and employment outcomes.
• Achievement of improvement targets as set out in annual business plans.
• Evidence of organizational capacity, including planning, resourcing, administrative processes, and community coordination.
• Compliance with all agreement terms and service guidelines.

• Service providers may contract out delivery of certain program components, such as job coaching, if they lack specific expertise, but remain fully accountable for outcomes.
• Participants who exit the program can be re-admitted if they require further employment assistance due to job loss or changing circumstances.
• Employers must have appropriate workplace safety and liability insurance to participate as hosts for job placements or trials.
• Service providers are required to regularly monitor participant progress through site visits and ongoing follow-up, including satisfaction and outcome surveys.