Accessibility Services
Work assistance
If employees encounter barriers in the workplace that cannot be overcome either by individual work design or by support from colleagues, work assistance may be an option. Work assistants compensate for disability-related disadvantages in a competitive labor market and prepare the ground for the assistant to develop professionally.
Assistants compensate for functional impairments of the employee by taking over tasks that the employee cannot perform on a permanent basis. This includes, for example, typing dictated correspondence for physically disabled people or assisting people with hearing impairments to take notes.
They do not take over the complete work from the assistant. Rather, the severely disabled employee must complete the core content of the contractually agreed tasks him/herself.
A professor in need of assistance must be able to hold his or her own courses, supervise students and pursue his or her academic work. The work assistance can carry out supporting activities, e.g. in case of a physical functional impairment of the teaching staff, instructors, lectures, create digital learning spaces, procure literature from the library, etc.
Assistants are therefore usually only financed by the Integration Office if the employee can actually perform the main tasks him/herself. A caretaker with tetraplegia would probably not be granted an assistant, except for pure office work, while a teaching staff, instructors, lectures with tetraplegia can usually perform the core tasks themselves.
Who is eligible?
Employees with a severe disability (GdB of at least 50) can claim to have the costs for a work assistance paid if the following additional requirements are met:
All priority benefit options for participation in working life of SGB IX have been examined and exhausted, especially with regard to work design and possible support of the employee by colleagues.
The employment must comprise at least 15 hours per week. These can also be distributed over several activities.
The livelihood is secured by the employment and is above the current level of basic security.
The employee can carry out the main activities of his/her contractually agreed work him/herself. The work assistance only provides supporting activities.
The employer must agree to the employment of a work assistant and confirm this in writing.
Request
A work assistance falls under the services for participation in working life. The financing of a work assistance to ensure employment falls under the responsibility of the integration offices. University employees apply directly to the responsible integration office in Münster.
A work assistance is to be distinguished from a personal assistance, which e.g. helps with everyday care. Work assistance, as the name suggests, provides support at the workplace and is financed for this area of responsibility. Mixed forms of personal assistance and work assistance are also conceivable. These are financed within the framework of a cross-carrier budget.
Profiles of work assistants
Information Assistants:
They provide job-required information in accessible formats. This is done, for example, by converting documents to HTML or Braille, transferring text to large print, explaining graphics, conducting literature searches, or taking notes on presentations.
Mobility Assistants:
They are travel companions and assist in getting to a local destination, for example, when going on symposia or business trips. Typical tasks here are operating ticket machines, calling cabs, describing the surroundings and navigating in unfamiliar places.
Communication assistants:
They bring their*assistants and target persons together. Symposia, meetings or sessions are common situations where communication assistants provide support. The assistant establishes contact with the target person, informs the recipient about the current situation the target person is in. He/she is attentive and pays attention to whether other staff, people are looking for contact with the recipient of the assistance. She acts discreetly and withdraws as soon as necessary.
Organizational Assistance:
She assists with organizational and daily tasks. This includes, for example, the printing of documents or mobility assistance in the preparation of emails, texts, presentations, etc. (e.g., by typing in the documents). (e.g. by typing on the computer).