An analysis of employer evaluations of workers with mental retardation.

A critical component of supported competitive employment is the provision of long-term consumer assessment and systematic follow-along services. To date, there is a paucity of information that describes or validates the process of ongoing consumer assessment. In this article, written employer evaluations of workers with mental retardation were analyzed regarding their relationship to employment retention. Three factors were identified which related to employment retention: (a) workers' attendance, (b) punctuality patterns, and (c) consistency in task performance. These findings are discussed in light of their implications for curriculum design and habilitation efforts for persons with mental retardation.