Supportive Colleagues
Great Teammates to Work With
Department of Rehabilitation is one organization that anyone will like being around. It is an agency that helps people with disabilities obtain education and find jobs. Its surroundings are what I define as trust, support and collaboration exhibiting professionalism. The people I work with are happy, approachable, well informed and non-judgmental. My colleagues enjoy their work; they offer help and express gratitude amongst each other. They even joke around and don’t take themselves seriously. The best part is when a colleague is absent, we always step in to backup on another. DOR is an extraordinary agency.
My work mentor was generous and knowledgeable. Vivian trained me on the job, step by step. How to process an authorization(auth). What a non-Med meant, what it was. What a DSF is and how it is processed, what is a PA and when to use it. These auth had to be processed and pushed through to provide services to DOR consumers (Participants), to prepare them in obtaining esteemed positions in the work world. Vivan taught me how to deal with re-imbursements. She was patient and explained instructions thoroughly and even provided handouts for guidance. It really is a great and professional institution.
Now our company is helping consumers gradually in person, or virtually via zoom or Microsoft Teams because of understaffing, and hiring the right fit counselor is in progress, while still assisting Participants obtain their education through DOR’s vendors, so it’s been quite a journey. We are making headway and anticipating their success.
My interests moving forward are that DOR is potentially re-opening the orientation area of our department, which means diving into assisting consumers develop their resume, work on cover letters, and touching up on their employment application’s. I personally see that as a rewarding task when assisting them knowing we are building self-esteem, well-being and independence in their lives. It is immensely rewarding. We have had multiple success in retention rates and Participants landing permanent employment. They have been very grateful and happy with such an accomplishment having been served by DOR!
At DOR, bosses trust their employees and each other. We check in to clock in for the day. Start our workday, and anyone brews coffee for staff. It’s not just for one individual, but for whomever wants coffee. Staff brings pastries, or snacks. We each have our jobs to do, and yet if we don’t understand a scope of the work, we listen, meet and communicate issues, or our colleagues step up to fill in the gap. It’s amazing! No one judges. We’re not micromanaged and frankly, makes us more productive, and gets the job done.
I love my job so in closing, as we assist consumers daily, it’s extremely enriching. At the end of the day, I feel fulfilled because when consumers are happy, we’re happy. Our boss and Upper management is happy. We don’t stress each other out, ever. if anything, we encourage and lift each other up. That’s the healthy agency that DOR in Oakland CA is all about.
