Self-employment rehabilitation services unavailable for pre-existing businesses.

Judge upheld the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency’s (“GVRA”) decision to deny Petitioner services to enable her to open a business and thereby become self-employed.  The decision was based on a finding that Petitioner had established the business approximately two years prior to the GVRA’s review of her application and had incurred expenses each of those years, although she had earned no profits.  Thus, she was ineligible for GVRA self-employment assistance, which may only be supplied during the initial start-up phase of a business, not to exceed six months.