 | | | Social Security's Ticket To Work Program: Frequently Asked Questions
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1) What is the Ticket to Work Program? |
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The Ticket to Work Program is a program of the federal Social Security Administration (SSA) designed to expand access to employment for Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities. |
2) How can the Ticket to Work Program help me? |
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As a Ticket To Work participant, you choose a service provider authorized by the Social Security Administration (SSA) who will assist you with job readiness training, vocational rehabilitation, job coaches, and transportation as part of a plan for reaching your personal employment goals. While you are using a Ticket and making timely progress towards your goals, SSA will not review your medical disability status. |
3) Who is eligible for the Ticket to Work Program? |
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The Ticket program is for people who are already awarded Social Security disability benefits under the adult rules and are receiving cash benefits. Most of the more than 10 million Social Security disability beneficiaries aged 18-64 are eligible. Beneficiaries eligible for the Ticket Program include:
See the DB101 Ticket program description for a number of exceptions to the above eligibility rules.
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4) What is a "Ticket"? |
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The Ticket is a piece of paper indicating your eligibility for the program. It looks like this: 
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5) How do I use my Ticket? |
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After receiving a Ticket, you may locate and choose an Employment Network (EN) from a list of organizations approved by the Social Security Administration (SSA). You may utilize only one EN at a time. You and the Employment Network discuss what services are needed to help achieve your employment goal. This is a key step in the Ticket Program. When you come to an agreement, you and the EN develop the plan into a written Individual Work Plan (IWP). After you and the Employment Network agree to work together, you both sign the IWP. At this point, Social Security considers the Ticket "assigned" to that Employment Network. |
6) What is an Employment Network (EN)? |
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An Employment Network is an entity approved by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide employment-related services under the Ticket Program. Employment Networks may offer a variety of services such as job readiness services, placement services, vocational rehabilitation, training, job coaches, transportation or other supports. A few examples of ENs are employers, the California Department of Rehabilitation , and One Stop Career Centers. |
8) Is an Employment Network the same as a job placement service? Will they find a job for me? |
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Some Employment Networks (ENs) are staffing or placement agencies, but others provide other employment-related services, such as training or transportation, or an array of services. When choosing an EN, you should carefully consider which services will be most useful to you in achieving your own employment goals. Even when an EN provides staffing or placement services, your active participation is needed in actually landing a job. |
9) What is an Individual Work Plan (IWP)? |
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Your Individual Work Plan is your formal agreement with your Employment Network detailing exactly how you will use their services in order to achieve your employment goals. The Plan includes specific steps and time frames and may span many years. |
10) How do I stay enrolled in the program and eligible for my Ticket? |
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In order to keep using the services made available by your Ticket - for the Ticket to be considered "in use" - you must demonstrate " timely progress" on your Individual Work Plan. Social Security defines timely progress differently during different time windows: - Active participation in the Individual Work Plan during the initial 24-month period, and
- Increased work activity and earnings during subsequent 12-month progress review periods.
These rules are more fully defined in the DB101 Ticket program description.
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11) What is a medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR)? |
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All Social Security disability beneficiaries normally undergo periodic medical reviews, called Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs). Social Security uses the CDR to determine if there has been medical improvement in your condition, or to determine whether you are still eligible for benefits. So long as you are making timely progress on your Individual Work Plan (IWP), Social Security will not initiate a medical CDR.
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12) How long can I receive services under the Ticket to Work Program? |
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You can receive Ticket program services for sixty months - 5 years - and sometimes longer. Full use of sixty months of services under current rules is allowed once during each period of a Social Security disability. |
13) Things aren't working out with my Employment Network (EN). Can I go elsewhere? |
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Yes. If delays or problems continue with the work plan or between you and the Employment Network (EN), you or the EN can end the relationship. You can then go to another EN with no questions asked, though you must document the change. Protection and Advocacy, Inc. can provide mediation services in these cases, if needed. |
14) Do my wages affect my eligibility for the Ticket to Work Program? |
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Earnings (wages) have the same affect on benefit eligibility whether you participate in the Ticket Program or not. The SSI work rules and SSDI work rules describe how wages affect these benefits. |
15) I'm eligible but I haven't received a Ticket. How do I get one? |
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To request a Ticket, call Maximus at 1-866-968-7842 (TDD: 1-866-833-2967). You can also contact them by email. |
16) What's in it for the Employment Network (EN)? How do they get paid? |
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Employment Networks are not paid on a traditional fee-for-service basis. The Employment Network gets paid when you succeed - that is, as your income increases and you stop receiving Social Security cash payments. |
17) How much does the Ticket cost? |
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The Ticket is free to all eligible individuals. |
19) What happens if I cannot make timely progress in the Ticket to Work Program due to illness or disability? |
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If you are unable to make timely progress on your Individual Work Plan (IWP) due to illness or disability, your ticket becomes temporarily "inactive" and the clock stops on the monthly progress review schedule. You will not be penalized for the delay. |
20) What happens if my medical condition improves while I'm using the Ticket? |
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Because Social Security suspends your periodic medical Continuing Disability Reviews while your Ticket is in use, your eligibility for the Ticket program and Social Security disability benefits will continue if there is an improvement in your medical condition. |
21) Can I be self-employed and still participate in the Ticket Program? |
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Full time, part time and self-employment goals can work in the Ticket Program. As with current work incentive rules, the amount of earnings Social Security considers is what affects the benefit rules, not whether the job is full time, part time or self-employment. |
22) Who manages the Ticket to Work Program? |
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Although the Ticket Program is a project of the Social Security Administration (SSA), responsibility for the day-to-day management of the program has been given to a private firm called MAXIMUS. As Program Manager, MAXIMUS provides outreach, recruitment, training, and processes payments for Employment Networks (EN) in the Ticket Program. The MAXIMUS website contains more information.
(866) 968-7842 (voice)
(866) 833-2967 (TTY)
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23) How can my organization become an Employment Network (EN)? |
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There is no cost to become an EN. The application process is free and MAXIMUS provides free consulting and technical assistance for any individual or organization requesting help in understanding or completing the EN Request for Proposal (RFP). For more information on becoming an EN, call toll-free (866) 968-7842 and ask to speak to an Employment Network Marketing Coordinator. |
24) Can I get financial help in setting up an Employment Network (EN)? |
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Yes. Many organizations may want to become an Employment Network but find they do not have start-up money. The Employment Network Capitalization Project addresses this need. The Capitalization Project provides training on alternative sources of funding for ENs. This project may enable more organizations to participate in the Ticket Program. |
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