2026 Award Opportunities
Supported Employee of the Year
Purpose: To confer statewide recognition on a supported employee for outstanding personal achievement in employment, including self-employment.
Eligibility: Nominees must have a minimum of 1-year paid competitive integrated work experience, including self-employment.
Criteria: Nominees must exemplify quality employment and personal achievement. The type of work must be explained in the application.
Employment Specialist of the Year
Purpose: To confer statewide recognition on an employment specialist, job coach, job developer, or other employment-services professional for outstanding professional achievement and adherence to best practice.
Eligibility: Must have a minimum of 2-years experience providing employment services directly working with individuals to find paid competitive integrated employment.
Criteria: Trustworthiness, respectfulness, supportiveness, and innovation with supported employees and others.
Employer of the Year
Purpose: To confer statewide recognition of an employer who has demonstrated exemplary commitment to enhancing competitive integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Eligibility: Must employ youth or adults with disabilities at a competitive wage in an integrated setting in the State of New Jersey, as well as demonstrating openness to promoting natural supports and reasonable accommodations.
Criteria: Consistently shows commitment to employing people with disabilities and fully including them in the fabric of the workplace.
The Rebekah Novemsky Advocacy Award for Competitive Integrated Employment
Established in memory of Rebekah Novemsky, a fierce and fearless advocate for inclusive employment, this award honors her lasting impact on advancing Employment First in New Jersey. As a former NJAPSE board member, professional advocate, family mentor, and parent of an individual with significant support needs, Rebekah championed the belief that all means all — that every person with a disability, including those with the most complex support needs, can make meaningful contributions in the workplace and deserves opportunities for competitive integrated employment with fair compensation.
Rebekah was selfless in her work with individuals and families, helping people achieve their employment goals even when doing so meant challenging long-standing assumptions that individuals with disabilities should not work. She believed that meaningful systems change requires elevating the voices of self-advocates and families and ensuring they are central to decision-making and service design.
Purpose: To confer statewide recognition on a person whose advocacy has advanced systems change and strengthened New Jersey's commitment to Employment First.
Eligibility: Nominees' efforts must have created a significant positive impact on the advancement of competitive integrated employment in New Jersey.
Criteria: Nominees must embody Rebekah's unwavering dedication to inclusive employment, family engagement, and ensuri
