Principal Attorney
People with disabilities who receive Social Security disability benefits can pursue a path toward reentering the workforce and ending their dependency on disability benefits through the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program.
The Ticket to Work Program provides career development services for recipients aged 18 through 64 who receive disability benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income programs and want to return to work. The SSA established the Ticket to Work program to provide a pathway for Social Security disability benefits to transition off those benefits and potentially earn more income through gainful employment.
How Does the Program Work?
The Ticket to Work Program connects participants with free employment services to help them decide whether they can return to work, prepare them to return to the workforce, and find and maintain employment. Services offered by the program include career counseling, help with resume-building, vocational rehabilitation, job training, and work placement with authorized service providers like Employment Networks or a state vocational rehabilitation agency.
Participants must take specific steps outlined in their plan formed with their service provider and meet goals within the timeframes set by the Social Security Administration. These include completing educational or training programs, becoming and staying employed, working at a specific earnings level, and reducing and ultimately eliminating dependence on Social Security disability benefits.
Eligibility Requirements for the Ticket to Work Program
A person may pursue the Ticket to Work Program if they:
- Currently receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income payments
- Are between 18 and 64 years old
- Are willing to enter or return to the workforce or pursue self-employment
Benefits of the Program
Social Security disability benefit recipients may enjoy several advantages from participating in the Ticket to Work program, including:
- The Ability to Work Without Losing Benefits – Participants in the Ticket to Work Program can take on employment without immediately losing their Social Security disability benefits or Medicaid/Medicare benefits.
- Access to Job Training and Placement Services – The Ticket to Work Program offers job training, vocational rehabilitation, and work placement services to help disability benefits recipients get into the workforce.
- Protection from Continuing Disability Reviews – While in the program, individuals can avoid continuing disability reviews.
- Support During Return to Work – People in the Ticket to Work Program can also obtain other support services as they pursue an entry or return to the workforce, such as skills training, resume-building consulting, and workplace accommodations for disabilities.
- Ability to Return to Disability Benefits – The program has protections that allow individuals to return to receiving disability benefits if they ultimately cannot continue working due to their disability.
Common Misconceptions About the Ticket to Work Program
SSDI/SSI recipients may not consider the Ticket to Work Program due to various misconceptions about how it works. Some of the biggest concerns people may have about the program include:
- Recipients Immediately Lose Benefits by Entering the Program – Disability benefits recipients will continue to receive their cash benefits during the Ticket to Work Program.
- Social Security Disability Benefits Recipients Must Enter the Program if They Think They Can Work – Benefits recipients do not have to enter the Ticket to Work Program. The Social Security Administration offers it as an optional program for disability benefits recipients who want to increase their income and potentially improve their standard of living by trying to return to employment.
- Entering the Program Will Jeopardize Access to Medicaid/Medicare Coverage – Like disability cash benefits, a person who participates in the Ticket to Work program does not immediately lose access to Medicaid/Medicare benefits. This means they can continue to receive the health care and support services they need for their disability.
Contact a Social Security Disability Attorney Today
If you receive Social Security disability benefits and want to improve your earning potential, the Ticket to Work Program can give you the opportunity to get back into the workforce. Contact Disability Advocates Group today for an initial consultation with an experienced Social Security disability benefits lawyer to learn more about the program and your eligibility.
