Ticket to Work Works
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 3, 2016
If you’re currently receiving Social Security disability benefits and you think you are ready to work, our Ticket to Work program can help. Ticket to Work is our free and voluntary program that helps you get vocational rehabilitation, training, job referrals, and other employment support services.
This program is for individuals ages 18 to 64, who are receiving disability benefits and need support re-entering the workforce or working for the first time. While many disabled individuals are unable to work, we know that some of you want to try. Work incentives make it easier to work and still receive health care and cash benefits from Social Security while providing protections if you have to stop working due to your disability.
Social Security works with employment networks to offer beneficiaries access to meaningful employment. Employment networks are organizations and agencies, including state vocational rehabilitation agencies, that provide various employment support services. Some services they may help you with include résumé writing, interviewing skills, and job leads.
Ticket to Work gives you the opportunity to choose from several employment networks. You’re free to talk with as many employment networks as you want before choosing one. If you sign an agreement with an employment network, they’ll help you develop an employment plan. We’ll review your progress for achieving the goals of your employment plan every 12 months. If you’re making timely progress in your return to work plan, we will not conduct a medical review of your disability during the time you’re in the program.
Many people have successfully completed the Ticket to Work program, and are now enjoying fulfilling careers and earning more income for their families. If this sounds like your goal for the future, you may want to explore this program to see if it’s right for you.
If you are interested in the Ticket to Work program, please call the Ticket to Work Helpline toll-free at 1-866-968-7842 (TTY 1-866-833-2967). You can also get more information on the program online at www.socialsecurity.gov/work or www.choosework.net.
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Tags: Disability
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Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications
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Maria
I just received this Ticket to work letter. All it did was make me more depressed. I see a total of 8 doctors, take 15 types of medications. I’m always in pain, can’t drive, vision is always blurry because of meds. Taking pain medications causes me not to think properly or carry a conversation, I’ve had 3 back surgeries, I lost count of how many painful procedures and back injections doctors have given me. I need another back surgery. I can’t stand for more than 5 minutes because I start hurting, same for sitting, same for lying down. I can’t bend, can’t lift. I was a bookkeeper for 30 years. During my appeal to social security i lost everything my husband and I worked so hard for. My monthly pay was $3000. If I could go back to work I would but I can’t ! My husband is with me 24/7 taking care of me, take me to doctor appointments.
I am sorry this just really upset me. ?
R.F.
We apologize for any misunderstanding Maria. The Ticket To Work Program is a free and voluntary program available for individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. If you decide to participate in the Ticket to Work Program, you can get the help you need to safely explore work options without immediately losing your benefits. Again, the program is free and voluntary, meaning you do not have to pay for services received under the Ticket to Work program and there is no penalty for not participating. We hope this information helps!
Walter A.
Ticket to Work sounded like a great deal when I signed up but the protections that they tell you are available are made impossible to get. I went back to work on this program in September 2013 and Social Security continued my benefits for 9 months as they said they would. I was a computer programmer for over 30 years and was able to get back into my field without a lot of retraining and debt making 3 times my disability benefit. My biggest fear was what happens if I get sick and have to quit working. In August 2015 I had to leave my job as I was having health problems. I was able to recover quickly but went to Social Security on November 3, 2015 to request benefits under the EEP due to wages below the SGA. I won’t bore you wth the details but on April 17, 2016, I have not received a dime from Social Security. I have lost Medicare because I can’t pay for it, I lost my apartment and am living with family and bill collectors are constantly calling. I call Social Security on a weekly basis and am continually told that it is in the payment center and they need more time to process my claim. It has been almost 6 months. How much time do they need. I have disabilities and need to see a physician every 3 months. I need medication. I am an insulin dependent diabetic and without insurance this one Rx cost $700 a month which I don’t have. I feel like Social Security has completely abandoned me and must be hoping I will die and they won’t have to pay me another dime. Social Security is money that my employers and I paid. It is not welfare. I am approved for disability. They are not waiting for medical information to be submitted. They just need to turn my benefits back on. This is suppose to be one of the incentives to get you to go to work but if you’re going to loose everything you work for if something happens then why bother. I would also like to point out that at least in my state, if you are eligible for the Social Security benefits, you are not eligible for Unemployment benefits so save as much as you can while you are working as it may be all you have if you have to stop working.
R.F.
We are sorry to hear about your situation, Walter. Unfortunately, we do need some processing time to reinstate your payments and your Medicare benefits. We know your local office is doing the best they can to resolve your situation. Please continue to work with your local office, and if necessary, ask to speak with the manager to see how we can help to expedite your request. If you are unable to visit the local office, you can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778. Representatives are available Monday through Friday between 7:00a.m. and 7:00p.m. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later in the week.
Kathy
Ray Fernandez
What the hell is he supposed
to do while he sits with no income??
Gonzeles
This is so sad, 6 months, yet being told they are working as hard as they can? Can we all have jobs at soc security?
Bernice
I must say all that I read makes me even more embarrassed to know such inequity for poor/or disabled people exists. Sad sad state of affairs.
Robert T.
When reading this information about “Ticket to Work” I felt that it was misleading because it talk about people who get Social Security Disability and how they can use this program. The Ticket to Work program is program that can be used by both people who receive Social Security Disability and people who receive Supplemental Security Income. Ticket is one work incentive offered by SSA to find out about other work incentives visit our worksite at http://www.ssa.gov/work.
Steven K.
Unless you are an illegal or a Syrian refugee you will be left out to dry. Giving money and numbers to non citizens seems to be the norm. I mean they’ve contributed nothing to our society but what the hell, give it to them first. More bought votes for Democrats.
crawford
BEWARE !!!!!
If you find work while collecting social security do not make any extra pay ! If you
Make more money than you are expected
You will be raped of that overage plus the money you earn afteafterwards ! My wife was on social security, during the holidays she was called on to work a few extra hour’s to help, plus being the holidays and always need to gift 3 children 5 grandchildren plus divorced parents a token gift, buy extra food and all the minor things needed for the Christmas season a couple of extra dollars not hundreds but much less. We still with both incomes hers only I was looking for work so had no income. We still were impoverished. Wayyyy under. The kicker is all in all we end up being sued having a lien put on our financed home for OVER 9,000 $ !!! Rember she made a couple extra dollars not 9k ! Faaaaarrr from it! But when we questioned soc. Sec. We were told too bad you got overpaid so we are going to take everything back and you are on your own. Not for the overtime pay but for the months you got your 300 $ disability checks. So beware the rules change like the wind and unless you keep questioning you might end up paying for your disability. Even if you make 8.00 $ a hour and get paid x2 weeks. Social security has even changed its mandate from a couple years back. Originally the requirement was If you are unable to do the work you did most of your working days, you are considered disabled. Now if you can look at a monitor, answer a phone, speak English, or receive people YOU ARE NOT considered so. It matters not that work like this is non existent.
DHFabian
My own experience with this was quite hellish. I was significantly misinformed from the start, so that I found myself trapped into a very disability-inappropriate job. People need to be clearly informed about the “trial work period,” the impact of the “retrospective budgeting” policies, etc. They need to be informed about sub-minimum wages, and the different rules that apply in “sheltered workshops.”
Kathy
I tried working under the Ticket to Work program. All was fine until I reported it to the state. I lost all my food stamps and all the help with my Medicare premium and co-pays. On top of that since I live in HUD housing my rent almost doubled. I ended up giving 2 weeks notice after only 2 weeks. I realized that for a part time job making around $500 I was losing so many supports that I wouldn’t be able to live. I wouldn’t be able to pay the doctor co-pays that make it possible for me to seek employment.
I don’t think that is the way it’s meant to work but it is reality.
crawford
All the positive writing on this blog seems to be suspect. Or is it just me.
Trish
Kathy, I think what you wrote is EXACTLY how it is for so many of us! We can’t survive without extra income from work, but working causes us to lose the extra benefits like food stamps & medicare or medicaide co-pay assistance etc, affordable housing and so on. It feels like we end up penalized for even trying to work to survive on even a meager income. I am glad this program works for some, but for many, I think it just ends up making things worse. The system is definitely broken, and I don’t know the solution. I am most definitely caught in the cycle though 🙁
marie g.
does a person who is disabled physically and some mental, ,work part time for themselves,have to file a tax return.? and how much can they make without having to file a tax return.person on ssi and ssd
R.F.
Hi Marie. For income tax related questions, you will need to contact the IRS. Their toll-free number is 1-800-829-1040. Also, we recommend you read our publication “Working While Disabled – How We Can Help”, to learn more about the special rules that make it possible for people receiving Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to work and still receive monthly payments. Thanks!
Trice
I currently live in Dallas TX.. And was having a hard time with out a job…I now currently work for Goodwill industries.. It’s a great place to work and they hire disabled …and also apart of the ticket to work program.. Give them a call in your area… If your in the Dallas area go online our warehouse is currently hiring… Apply God bless and Good luck