The Ticket to Work is a free and voluntary program from Social Security that is available in all 50 states to assist disabled individuals find, enter, and maintain employment. An individual becomes eligible to participate in the Ticket to Work program when he or she starts receiving SSDI or SSI benefits based on disability.
There is no penalty for not using the program, but there are several benefits for those who choose to enroll. First, a Ticket allows a disabled individual to obtain services from a state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency or another approved provider of their choice – these approved providers are called “Employment Networks”. An EN is an entity that contracts with Social Security to provide or coordinate the delivery of necessary services to disability beneficiaries. The EN can be a single individual, a partnership/alliance (public and/or private) or a consortium of organizations collaborating to combine resources to serve Ticket-holders.
Second, the program allows a disabled individual to continue receiving benefits and maintain Medicaid/Medicare coverage during the transition back into the workforce. Third, the program allows individuals to select part-time or work-from-home alternatives. Fourth, Social Security will not perform a medical review of a disability claim so long as the claimant is making “timely progress” with the use of a Ticket to Work.
For more information on Ticket to Work, including a list of approved Employment Networks, call 1-866-YOURTICKET (1-866-968-7842). For a list of approved ENs, please visit https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/en-directory.
