caregiver

direct care worker

direct support professional

employment specialist

licensed practical nurse

Ability Beyond

     I had high hopes for this company- the mission is great, and the recruiter painted a very pretty picture. From the first phone interview I was told that there are 3 day weekends and that it was a salaried position.
     On my first day of work (after a 2 week virtual training process that included information for their residential program, NOT career development) I was informed that pay would be hourly and that the 3 day weekends would possibly be available after a year.
     Ability is a non-profit, and they’re quick to point that out whenever the topic of compensation is brought up. It seemed that no matter how much responsibility was piled on (this is easily a 60-70 hour a week position) the compensation would remain the same.
     The position is advertised as a Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30 position. However, you are expected to be open to provide job coaching at any hour, any day of the week. In order to prevent employees from working overtime, Ability expects employees to flex their time. For example, if I have to job coach someone for 5 hours on Saturday, I would need to somehow work 5 less hours from Monday-Friday of that week. You can see how this doesn’t really allow someone to have 2 days off in a week. 
     One should also expect to have multiple “bosses” outside of the company - employment specialists report regularly to counselors from the state, and are usually the first to get thrown under the bus if something goes wrong along the bureaucratic chain. 
     Work really does get piled on, turnover is high, and pay is low.
     This company does score high for culture and   overall camaraderie- I made some incredible connections and friendships that I will value for a long time.  

This company is varied by location and work site. I spent almost 6 years at the company, and the agency is definitely diverse. They care about their individuals very much, but they lack empathy for their employees (once again, varies by work site). If you work in the Danbury area, it's a terrific experience, and the management fits perfectly for each house. The main office interacts quickly with the houses there for any sort of issue.

The same can not be said if you work in the Bristol area houses. The office there, is chaos, and aloof. The management at a few houses is downright awful. They are never around to assist in any way, should an issue arise, and they seem to be uninterested if there is an issue. There are a couple houses where management truly shone. The manager at one specific house, checked in constantly, and was genuinely empathetic of how the staff was. She would go above and beyond to make sure things were ok.

 However, at another house, this was a polar opposite. The manager there would not respond to texts or calls, and never showed up more than once a week. When an issue arose with me, their response wasn't one that helped, but rather "There are other houses you can work at". This was my breaking point with the agency. Had I died at that house, I could be replaced in a second. The manager had no personality, and was very unenthusiastic. They also fell back on their word, and lied about an interaction.

All in all, if you live/work in the Danbury area, you'll love the company. If you live/work in the Bristol area, you will have a very rough time, and become burnt out VERY quickly.

I have been in my position at Ability Beyond give or take two years now. During the interview process I remember being so passionate, excited, and eager about the position. Because of their mission in helping countless individuals I was willing to overlook the low-pay.

 Two years into the position and I am frustrated, overworked, and severely underpaid. I feel patronized by the top executives that brag about pay increases that amount to mere cents, meanwhile, ALL of them are raking in $150,000+ per year (and that’s based off of figures from 3 years ago). The health insurance packages offered are atrocious, the vacation time is minimal and must be accrued, and the 503(b) plan isn’t matched.

 After a while you start to realize that the individuals we serve are not the main focus of this organization. How can Ability Beyond expect us to care for others when they themselves do not even care for their employees? The turnover rate is so high here that HR is literally begging for referrals on a daily basis. Why beg when all you have to do is revamp the compensation and benefits package? It’s not a hard a puzzle to solve, and yet nothing is done.  

The company culture is also meh. Eventually you start to see your co-worker’s true colors and you’ll realize that this non-profit is no different than any bureaucratic corporation. Do not expect better treatment here just because their mission is righteous. You will be spoken down to, you will be underpaid, and you will be taken advantage of.

The organization operates with a very traditional, corporate, top‑down management style. Decision‑making is centralized, and direction is typically given without much interest in understanding the day‑to‑day responsibilities or expertise of individual contributors. Feedback and guidance tend to reflect management’s personal opinions rather than collaborative discussion or subject‑matter input from staff.
Collaboration is limited, and there is little opportunity for team members to contribute their professional knowledge to strategy or process improvement. Roles are largely siloed, and cross‑functional engagement is not actively encouraged. Employees looking for a hierarchical structure with clearly defined authority may find this environment familiar.
This culture contrasts strongly with a nonprofit or mission‑driven environment where team members are encouraged to bring their expertise to the table, contribute meaningfully to strategy, and feel valued at all levels of the organization. Collaboration, shared problem‑solving, and mutual respect for different skill sets are not a central part of this company’s operating style.
Overall, this workplace may be best suited for individuals who prefer clear top‑down direction and minimal collaboration. Those seeking a more inclusive, team‑oriented, and engaging work culture may find the environment less fulfilling.

There are several great things to say about Ability. They are very client focused, and each of the managers takes the specific time to learn your caseload and who you see every week. Upper management of Ability is very connected, holding an ALL staff meeting every month to update the company. Everyone is very friendly, and it is a great job for those trying to break into the field of human services. 

TLDR: The job has the potential to burn you out quickly. 

With that being said, when I started here it was a bit rough. Yes, they provide quite a bit of opportunity for upward mobility but that often leaves the remaining staff disadvantaged and having to cover multiple jobs at once. There is no decisive 9-5, they state it is a flexible position, but the managers can be emailing and texting your work phone at all hours. They didn't provide much training that was relevant for the job, leaving you with a lot of questions and the need to fill in the gaps as you go. You are required to utilize your own vehicle for the position which can be straining due to the distance between some clients. They don't seem to care very much when something happens to the vehicle while on the clock. 

It may be the right job for the right person, and I wish you the best working here. 

I started this company in 2015, I absolute was in love with it the first 6 months. And when I say in love with it I mean I was so happy and please with every detail and I did my job proudly every day because this company was supposed to stand for what they preach. After awhile things started to get shifty, they got rid of the manager that had been there for so long, put in a new one that was nothing but horrible. They wanted nothing but to ruin a happy home. Long story short everyone that had been working in that house, for 15 years or more, left because of how poorly management was treating them. It's such a shame what this non-profit has become. I hear nothing but bad things about them now and when I see my old clients they look sick and tired of the abuse and neglect. The money is wonderful, but if you're really a good person you know that people's lives matter more and no one deserves to be treated badly: I hope you guys get it together. There's no reason why the things that are happening there should be happening. If you work here watch your back, do as the PAPER says not your manager cause half the time they know nothing. Be on time, be a happy wonderful person, and don't let them scam you.

Working here has definitely taught me a lot. It has taught me that I do love working with people with disabilities. It has also taught me a lot about what I don't like and what I don't want to see in the work place for the future. While working at ability I've learned very quickly that management simply doesn't care - at all - about their staff. Many times staffs concerns get swept under the rug and ignored.  Your voice does not want to be heard and it's almost as if they don't like self advocacy. Management is very dysfunctional in my opinion and doesn't communicate well, especially with their staff. Management is also very rude and disrespectful, they pick and choose what staff they like and what staff they don't, no real reason behind it, and you can definitely tell the difference. If management doesn't like you, they won't even look at you in the hallway, let alone say hello, but if they do they will make a way for your wants, even if it means putting multiple staff and issues on the back burner. Lastly this place is all about the money. They care very little about the wellbeing of both staff and clients (considering some of the staff that's been hired) and care a lot more about the money. Little credit is given and the pay does not equal the work load.

I love working at Ability. My issue with ability is the horrible pay. You have to work lots of hours to make ends meet, but over-time is frowned upon, so you can get bumped for shifts which makes it impossible to work one job. This hurts job performances from being burnt-out and over-worked. It also takes time away from home which could be detrimental to children because of the constant need to pick up shifts. It breaks my heart to spend more time at work than I can with my own child as a single parent. It would just be nice to be able to work 40 hrs and be able to feed your family without burning yourself out. Ability wants you to work hard for peanuts. ABILITY HAS NOT LIVED UP TO THEIR WORD, BUT I HAVE. I want my annual raise I was told I'd get that's all. I stay because I love the individuals and I love to help people, give back and make a difference. If you live with parents and/or in school with no children, and in need of pocket change, this is the job for you. If you have plans to purchase properties and live comfortably with kids with adult bills...I suggest you make Ability an pit-stop honestly.

A typical day consists of arriving to work and doing activities, anything to improve independence so meal preparation, assisting with dressing, assisting with showering, completion of puzzles and other activities.  What I've learned is that this has grown on me as a humbling experience, because I know they didn't ask to be placed in the situations they are currently in, however it is rewarding to be able to give back so the can live comfortably in the community and feel accepted across the board on all levels. Management is great they're on top of each individual making sure we're logging our activities throughout our shifts and fulfilling our duties required for those set days. The hardest part of the job is no one day is ever the same so you have to learn quickly to be prepared for any and everything that arises and know how to utilize proactive strategies to prevent behaviors from arising at the start.  The most enjoyable part of the job is seeing each consumer (client) happy and interacting with staff and people amongst the community.

Ability Beyond is great if your looking for an entry level position in the healthcare industry. the agency pays trainings, and ensures you're up to date with everything. Working with individuals with disabilities is great, but very challenging when it comes to responsibility. Most group homes require you to work long hours (up to 12 - but possibly more depending on call outs and/or weather conditions). Responsibilities include providing transportation, teaching or providing home economics, bathing, toothbrushing, financing/budgeting and medication administration, to name a few. Each group home has a different manager - mine was awesome. benefits include 401K, health care including medical and dental, PTO, holiday pay, time and a half.
Hardest part of the job is the demanding tasks when it comes to caring for immobile consumers, and mentally unstable individuals.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Caregiver 1 salary reported	$16.50 per hour
Direct care worker 11 salaries reported	$18.59 per hour
Direct support professional 2 salaries reported	$19.25 per hour
Employment specialist 1 salary reported	$42,640 per year
Licensed practical nurse 5 salaries reported	$30.90 per hour

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