Employers and the Workplace
Individuals with disabilities have a great deal to offer to the workplace. Yet many employers are overwhelmed by the various factors that surround hiring an individual with disabilities. What is and is not within the bounds of reasonable accommodations? How can the employer ensure that individuals with disabilities are supported by those around them?
While working with families of individuals with disabilities looking to join the workforce, Michele Leahy saw the need to help employers better serve their employees with disabilities.
As a result, Leahy Life Plan now offers a wide array of disability planning services to employers — including support to accommodate and retain employees with disabilities, sensitivity training, review and editing of HR policies, and navigating the intersection of workplace and government benefits. In addition, Leahy Life Plan works with employees with disabilities and their caregivers to bridge the divide between employer and employee.
One area families and employers frequently overlook: employer-sponsored benefits like a 401(k) and pensions can directly impact government benefits for employees with disabilities. Understanding those interactions before they become a problem is exactly what Leahy Life Plan is here to help with.
Leahy Life Plan blends and braids supports and services to best serve the workplace as a whole.
H2 There Are Different Challenges for Every Position
No two workplaces are the same — and no two employees with disabilities face identical circumstances. Leahy Life Plan addresses the full spectrum of workplace disability planning across three areas: support for management, support for employees with disabilities, and support for caregivers in the workforce.
[THREE-COLUMN TABLE SECTION — suggest Elementor 3-column layout with teal header bars]
Management Services
- Disability employee retention
- Sensitivity training — ongoing support
- HR policy assistance regarding disability
- 401(k) restrictions for employees with disabilities (letter trigger)
- Communication strategies regarding disability
- Reasonable accommodations guidance
- Utilize employer-focused disability government services (OVR, EN)
- Federal incentives
- Company benefit limitations
Benefits for Employees with Disabilities
- Navigating medical insurance
- 401(k) restrictions
- Work Incentive Planning Assistance Program (SSA recipient program)
- Reasonable accommodations
- Communication strategies regarding disability
- Confidential consultations between Leahy Life Plan and employee
- Employee Confidentiality (EAB)
Caregiver Benefits
- Special Needs Trust financing strategies
- Lunch & Learns
- 401(k) restrictions as parent funding a Special Needs Trust
H2 Blending and Braiding Supports in the Workplace
Every position within a business presents different challenges. Leahy Life Plan works across all levels of an organization — helping management build inclusive policies and practices, helping employees with disabilities understand and protect their benefits, and helping caregivers in the workforce navigate their unique financial and planning responsibilities.
The goal is a workplace where individuals with disabilities are genuinely supported — not just accommodated on paper.
H2 Why Employer-Sponsored Benefits Require Special Attention
For employees with disabilities who receive SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, or waiver services, the introduction of employer-sponsored benefits is not straightforward. A 401(k) contribution, a pension, or a change in health insurance can have unintended consequences on government benefits that the employee depends on.
Leahy Life Plan helps employers and employees understand these interactions before a problem occurs — not after. This includes:
- How 401(k) participation affects SSI asset limits
- How employer health insurance interacts with Medicaid coverage
- How changes in compensation affect SSI payment calculations and SSDI Trial Work Period status
- What federal incentives are available to employers who hire individuals with disabilities
- How the Work Incentive Planning Assistance (WIPA) program supports employees who receive SSA benefits
H2 About Michele A. Leahy, MS, CPWIC
Michele A. Leahy, the founder and CEO of Leahy Life Plan, has both professional and personal experience with disability-specific government programs. Her background spans the corporate and nonprofit sectors, and as a lifelong wheelchair user, Michele passionately advocates for a life full of possibility — open to all, regardless of ability level.
Michele coordinates with financial advisors, special needs estate attorneys, special education professionals, governmental and community agencies, and — most importantly — individuals with disabilities and their families. After establishing attainable goals, Michele bridges the gap between the various groups and agencies involved to help everyone reach them.
Now offering disability planning services in the workplace, including managing disability in the workplace, Employee Assistance Benefits (EAB) for employees with disabilities, and consultations for employees with disabled children.
H2 Ready to Build a More Inclusive Workplace?
Whether you are an HR director navigating a new accommodation request, a manager looking to better support an employee with a disability, or an employee trying to understand how a new job offer affects your benefits — Leahy Life Plan is here to help.
[BUTTON: Schedule a Consultation] [BUTTON: Download Our Employer Services Overview → leahy-business.pdf]
Serving employers and employees in Pennsylvania, the greater Philadelphia area, the New York City metro area, and nationwide via remote consultation.
Production notes for Elementor:
- The three-column services table is the visual centerpiece of this page — use an Elementor 3-column section with a teal/brand-color header bar on each column matching her existing PDF design
- Michele’s headshot from the Sibling PDF works well for this page if no employer-specific photo is available
- The PDF download button keeps the existing asset in play while the page itself does the SEO heavy lifting