The Ticket to Work Program offers services to help Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities become employed. These services can include:

• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Training
• Job Coaching
• Career Counseling
• Job Placement Assistance
• Referrals for places to find a job

For example, you might get help from a job counselor with finding jobs to apply for, advice on improving your resume, or instruction on how to successfully interview for a job. The Ticket to Work Program can also coordinate resources to help you get training, education, and assistive technology.

Eligibility for the Program

Under the Ticket to Work Program rules, all adult beneficiaries aged 18 – 64 who get SSI or SSDI cash benefits are eligible. You can participate in the Ticket to Work Program immediately or wait until a later time when you might be more ready to work. The Ticket does not have an expiration date.

Signing Up for the Program

There are a few ways to get started:

• You can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TDD).
• You can go to the Ticket to Work website.
• You can contact your local Work Incentive Consultant at Ability360.

How the Program Works

By using the Ticket to Work Program, you can access employment services offered by Ticket service providers called Employment Networks (ENs) or by the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). ENs can be employment agencies, employers, or other types of organizations. The Rehabilitation Services Administration is an Arizona state agency that helps persons with disabilities reach greater independence and gainful employment.

You can work with any Employment Network instead of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, so long as they agree to work with you. You can change your EN at any time if you are not satisfied with the services they offer. It is also possible to get services first from the Rehabilitation Services Administration, and then switch to an EN to get personalized support once you start working. However, tickets in use with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) may not be assigned to an EN until VR services are complete or your VR case is closed.

You and your EN will decide which services you need to reach your employment goals. Your EN will then create an Individual Work Plan (IWP) for you. If you work with the Rehabilitation Services Administration, this document will be called an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). The 2 types of plans are very similar documents and serve the same purpose – they map out the steps you’ll need to take to become employed.

As long as you are following your plan and making timely progress, Social Security will not subject you to a medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR).

Who They Are

A variety of organizations can serve as Employment Networks (EN), including:

• Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration
  
• Centers for Independent Living
  
• Community rehabilitation programs
• Nonprofit organizations
• For-profit employment agencies
• Developmental disability agencies
• Mental health agencies
• One-Stop Job Centers
  
• Staffing and placement agencies
• Employers

Choosing the EN That Is Right for You

Services vary from EN to EN. Be sure to contact the ENs in your area and the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) for a description of the services they offer. For a listing of the ENs in your area, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TDD). You can also go to the Ticket to Work website and use their Resource Map. A Work Incentive Consultant may also be able to recommend ENs actively accepting tickets.

Ask the Employment Networks about languages spoken and the types of disabilities they have experience working with. Some ENs may be strong in certain areas (for example, job search and placement assistance), but not as strong in others (for example, Work Incentives Planning). Some ENs may assign you a counselor or caseworker; others may not.

When you talk to an EN, try using this worksheet offered by the Ticket to Work program. The worksheet will help you remember what questions to ask and what the EN's answers were.

Ticket holders should contact ENs and Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration to discuss your needs and decide what services each organization is able to offer. You may speak with as many ENs as you like. You are not obligated to assign your Ticket to an EN, simply because you have spoken with them. You may choose to reassign your Ticket if you are not satisfied with the services you get from an EN or the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration. However, tickets in use with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) may not be assigned to an EN until VR services are complete or your VR case is closed.

Using a Different EN

If you decide you want to work with a different EN, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TDD). You will have 3 months to assign your Ticket to a new EN or vocational rehabilitation agency. During these 3 months, your Ticket keeps its in-use status. Your Ticket is considered to be assigned to the new EN when you sign your Individual Work Plan (IWP) with the new EN.

If you have any problems changing from one EN to another, Disability Rights Arizona can offer mediation services.

The Roadmap to Employment

You and your Employment Network (EN) will work together to develop an Individual Work Plan (IWP). Your IWP will contain the following information:

• Your employment goals, including the type of work you want to do
• All services your EN will offer
• Your responsibilities working toward your goals
• What you can do if you are not satisfied with your EN or your plan
• How you can change your plan if you need to

Your plan begins when you and the EN’s representative sign it. There is no waiting period and no approval required from the Social Security Administration (SSA). If you choose to work with the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), you will have an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) instead of an IWP. Both serve the same purpose — they outline your employment goals and offer a plan of action for reaching these goals.

Timely Progress

You Must Stay On Track and On Time

If you participate in the Ticket to Work Program, you must make timely progress towards reaching your employment goals — that is, you must follow your work plan and meet deadlines specified by the program. As long as you follow your work plan, you will not be subject to a medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR) by Social Security. The Ticket to Work rules changed the requirements for timely progress in 2008. If you were using your Ticket prior to July 21, 2008, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TDD) for information on the requirements that apply to you.

The Ticket to Work Program defines timely progress this way in the first year. You must:

• Complete 3 months of work with gross earnings of at least $1,160 per month, or
• Complete your high school diploma or the equivalent, or
• Complete 60% of a full-time course load for an academic year in a college or technical/trade/vocational training program, or
• Complete some combination of this work and education requirement.

Reviewing Your Progress

At the end of each 12-month period that you are working with your EN and using your Ticket, the Ticket to Work Program will do a timely progress review. The review will check if you have fulfilled the timely progress requirements of the last 12 months. If so, then you are fine and can continue to use your Ticket. If not, then your Ticket will remain active and you can continue with your plan, but you will lose the CDR protections until you meet the timely progress requirements. Not meeting timely progress status does not automatically trigger a medical CDR. Social Security decides when to do a medical CDR based on a number of factors. If you disagree with the decision about your timely progress, you can request an SSA review of the decision within 30 days. While waiting for the SSA review, you will be exempt from CDRs. While you continue to work on your employment goals, if you make timely progress, your CDR protections will be reinstated.

The requirements for timely progress go up each year. In the second year you must:

• Work 6 months with gross monthly earnings over $1,160 each month, or
• Complete 75% of a full-time course load in a college, trade school, or vocational training program.

In the 3^rd year, you must:

• Work and earn more than $1,620 in at least 9 months of the 12, or
• Complete a full year of college, trade school, or vocational school.

To see the complete timely progress requirements for each year in the Ticket to Work Program, see Social Security’s guidelines.

In-Use Tickets and Inactive Status

If you are temporarily unable to work toward the employment goals in your Ticket to Work Individual Work Plan because of health difficulties, or if you have an approved IPE with the Rehabilitation Services Administration, you can contact the Ticket to Work Program and ask them to put your Ticket on hold by placing it in inactive status.

When you are able to resume working or attending school, contact the Ticket to Work Program to reactivate your Ticket (switch it back to in-use status).

While your Ticket is in inactive status, you do not have to meet the timely progress requirements. Also, any months in which your Ticket is in inactive status do not count toward the 12-month period for assessing your timely progress. When you reactivate your Ticket, you can start again where you left off in the 12-month period without penalty. In other words, you will not lose credit for previous work you did to accomplish your work goals.

Remember, Social Security will not do medical CDR when your Ticket is active (in use); that is, when you are working on your employment goals with the help of your assigned EN (or with Rehabilitation Services Administration). When you reactivate your Ticket, your protection from CDRs will resume.

Along with the Ticket to Work Program, other programs and organizations help persons with disabilities with their employment.

Benefits 2 Work Arizona

Benefits 2 Work Arizona has Work Incentive Consultants who can help you make informed choices about work. Benefits 2 Work Arizona is run by the Ability360. Explore their website to see all they have to offer. They can give you the list of Employment Networks (ENs) serving Arizona. They also offer information on how health coverage, such as Medicare and AHCCCS, will be affected by employment.

Work Incentives Seminar Events (WISE)

Check out Work Incentives Seminar Events (WISE) that can supply you with information about Employment Networks and advise you on how to assign your Ticket. These seminars will give you the opportunity to learn more about other SSA work incentives and meet with representatives from your local Rehabilitation Services Administration and Employment Networks. To learn more about a WISE event near you, go to the WISE Registration page on the Ticket to Work website. Some of the events are done via webcast, so you will not miss the opportunity if you live too far away to come in person.

Rehabilitation Services Administration

The Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) offers programs and services that are available statewide. A variety of specialized services may be offered to persons who have physical, mental, or emotional impairments which create barriers to employment. A vocational rehabilitation counselor will assist you in figuring out an appropriate employment goal and getting the services and supports necessary to reach that employment goal.

One-Stop Job Centers

One-Stop Job Centers offer many free tools, resources, and services that can help you find employment or training and get help with other work-related needs.

There are more than 60 One-Stop Job Centers statewide. Each has a knowledgeable staff that can guide you and give you important tools to make your job search a success. They also have assistive technology to help you use their services and resources.

Find a local ARIZONA@WORK One-Stop Job Center.

Other Resources

DB101 offers several other articles about finding work that can get you started. You may also want to read:

• Programs that Support Work to find out how you can find a job and protect your benefits once you've started working
• Getting Past the Myths to find out the truth of how working will affect your disability benefits and your health care coverage
• Plan to Achieve Self-Support to find out how you can save money for a work-related goal while getting SSI benefits

Manny's Story

Manny is a bright 23-year-old who has had several health problems in recent years that have made it difficult for him to work or go to school regularly. He would like to work as a computer programmer but needs training. He’s never really done a job search and is a bit intimidated by the idea of it. Where should he look for jobs? What should he include on his resume? How can he discuss his health issues in an interview?

He goes to lunch with his friend Jessica and they begin talking about his concerns. Jessica is a few years older than Manny. She also has a physical disability. She knows what Manny is going through because she remembers how overwhelmed she felt when she began looking for a job. She suggests Manny look into the Ticket to Work Program.

“Ticket to Work. I’ve heard of that,” says Manny. “What’s the program all about?”

“Well, the Ticket to Work Program is designed to help people with disabilities reach their employment goals,” says Jessica. “It offers all sorts of employment services like training, job counseling, and job referrals.”

“No kidding,” says Manny. “How do I find out if I’m eligible for it?”

“You should call the Ticket to Work Program Help Line,” says Jessica. “And it’s your lucky day, Manny, because I happen to have a business card with their phone number right here. It's 1-866-968-7842.”

“Very cool,” says Manny. “Do you think I’ll qualify?”

“Probably. The program is for Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities who are 18 – 64 years old. Do you get SSI or SSDI?”

“Yeah, I get an SSI payment every month,” says Manny.

“Sounds like you’ll qualify,” says Jessica. “But you should call just to be sure.”

“Okay, I will,” says Manny. “So tell me about this program. What will it do for me?”

“Well, the Ticket to Work Program addresses the kind of things you say you’re worried about — getting job training, finding work, even writing a resume,” says Jessica. “After you find out if you qualify, you have to get hooked up with an Employment Network or the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration.”

“What’s the difference between those 2 agencies?”

“They both serve the same basic purpose under the Ticket to Work Program: they offer services to help you find work. Organizations like job placement agencies, Centers for Independent Living, and employers can be Employment Networks. The Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration is a state agency that helps people with disabilities become employed. I worked with an Employment Network myself, but I know others who have worked with the Rehabilitation Administration. Who you work with kind of depends on the services you need.”

“Okay,” says Manny. “So how did the Employment Network help you with your career?”

“They helped with everything. They directed me to get the basic computer training I needed. They sent me job listings via email. They helped me write my resume and posted it on their website,” says Jessica. “I’ve heard the services vary from Network to Network, so you should be sure to research your options carefully. In your case, it would be important to find one that can help you to get training in computer programming. I think the Rehabilitation Administration can also help with training.”

“That would be great,” says Manny.

“If you work with an Employment Network, you’ll work with them to draft an Individual Work Plan that outlines your employment goals and the services they will offer. If you work with the Rehabilitation Administration, you’ll draft something similar, called an Individual Plan for Employment. In order to keep your Ticket ‘active,’ you have to make sufficient timely progress towards your employment goal,” says Jessica. “One of the main benefits of the Ticket program is that as long as you’re making adequate timely progress, Social Security will suspend medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs).”

“Why is that so important?”

“Well, when Social Security does a medical CDR, they decide whether or not you still qualify as medically disabled by their definition. If they decide you are no longer disabled, you will lose all your Social Security benefits.”

“Really?” says Manny.

“Yeah. So the fact that CDRs are suspended if you’re making timely progress under your Ticket plan is a real perk,” says Jessica.

“How do they decide if you’re making adequate timely progress?” Manny asks.

“Well, your progress is reviewed every 12 months. You need to work for a certain number of months earning a certain amount each year. Or, if you’re in school, you need to complete enough courses in the year,” says Jessica.

“That sounds a little scary,” says Manny.

“It’s not too hard. In the first year, you only need to work 3 months out of the year and make over $1,160 in those months. You can work more if you want to. Or you can be in school 60% of the time. I was able to do it – by the 3^rd year, I was working full-time. It was so nice to be earning my own money and supporting myself.”

“Sounds fantastic,” says Manny. “I want to get involved right now. I’m going to call the help line to make sure I qualify.”

“That’s a good idea,” says Jessica. “I hope the program works as well for you as it did for me. Good luck!”