Resources for Return to Work Able Accounts: Individuals who became disabled before they turned 26, can set up account that allow them to put money in these accounts that remain exempt or not counted in asset tests for benefits. People who became disabled before age 26 can accumulate funds for use for extra and significant costs of living with a disability. ie saving for a new wheelchair or accessible van. You can read more about how ABLE accounts can promote employment here: http://www.leadcenter.org/resources/report-brief/informationbrief-improving-employment-outcomes-able-accounts. This site provides a lot information, webinars etc. http://ablenrc.org/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): United Spinal Association provides excellent information on the ADA, including a free resource book for download, “Understanding the ADA.” https://www.unitedspinal.org/what-is-americans-with-disabilities-act/ Also the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has a great fact sheet regarding job applicants and the ADA that can be found here: https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/jobapplicant.html Bender Consulting Services hosts virtual job fairs for jobs with the federal government and private employers. Contracts with the federal government to place people with disabilities in jobs. http://www.benderconsult.com/ Benefits Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST) BEST helps you find out if you could get benefits that Social Security administers. Based on your answers to questions, this tool will list benefits for which you might be eligible and tell you more information about how to qualify and apply. http://www.benefits.gov/ssa. You can find your local Social Security office by inserting their zip code here: https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp Boerner, L.A. (2004) Job Seeking Skills Workbook. A book “for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.” Soup to nuts on applying for jobs, interviewing, tips about when to disclose a disability, Interview questions and how to answer them, etc. Available for download from http://www.uwstout.edu/svri/upload/Job-Seekers-Workbook.pdf. Medicaid Buy-In Program: The Medicaid Buy-In Program is an optional state program that allows workers with disabilities, who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, to purchase traditional Medicaid services. With the Medicaid Buy-in Program, you don’t have to choose between health care services and working. It allows people with disabilities to keep their “personal care services/attendant care services, which most employer- based or marketplace commercial health insurance plans do not cover. Not all states have Medicaid Buy-in Programs. See the Resources for Return to Work for resources for more information. You can find out more information about the Medicaid Buy-in Program here: https://nationaldisabilitynavigator.org/ndnrc-materials/fact-sheets/fact-sheet-15/ and https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/medicaid-eligibility-through-buy-in-programs-for-workingpeople-with-disabilities and from the WIPAs. (See Ticket to Work Homepage below) National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult (NCWD) provides training, technical assistance, policy analysis, and information to improve access for all in the workforce development system. Provides webcasts and other information to help you get employed http://www.onestops.info/ National Disability Rights Network: The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is a voluntary national membership association of protection and advocacy systems and client assistance programs. It assumes leadership in promoting and strengthening the role and performance of its members in providing legally-based advocacy services. The NDRN protection and advocacy agencies also do benefits counseling. You can find your local one here: www.ndrn.org The Red Book: This is a summary guide to employment supports for people with disabilities under SSDI and SSI from the Social Security Administration. There is a lot of good information in it. However, it can he overwhelming. A benefits counselor, from a WIPA, can explain things found in the book. You can download The Red Book from here: https://www.ssa.gov/redbook/ Ticket to Work Homepage: Webinars and resources on work incentive programs about returning to work if you are on SSDI or SSI. https://choosework.ssa.gov; This link describes the kind of assistance each provider or agency provides to people who seek to work: https://choosework.ssa.gov/about/meetyour-employment-team/index.html; This site helps you find the services, such as job coaching, job counseling, training, benefits counseling (the WIPAs) and job placement. The WIPAs counsel people with disabilities on how to return to work and keep as much of their benefits as possible https://choosework.ssa.gov/findhelp This is a good topic for discussion between Mentor and Peer. From Cobb, Leslie. (n.d.) Illegal or inappropriate interview questions. Available from http://www.gsworkplace.lbl.gov/DocumentArchive/BrownBagLunches/IllegalorInappropriateInterview Questions.pdf You can practice these interview questions between Peer and Mentor: Doyle, Alison Interview questions and answers: 120+ Job interview questions and best answers. Available at http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest.htm Peterson, Thad. 100 Potential interview questions. Available at: http://career-advice.monster.com/jobinterview/interview-questions/100-potential-interview-questions/article.aspx Difference between SSI and SSDI SSDI is an insurance program for people who have worked a certain number of quarters and paid into social security through FICA social security taxes via payroll deduction. SSDI is for people who cannot work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Benefits start 5 months after disability After a 2 year waiting period, people on SSI can get Medicare. SSI payments are based strictly on financial need only. There is an income test and an asset test. Benefits start on the first of the month a person applies for SSI People who quality for SSI, also quality for Medicaid Difference between Medicare and Medicaid Medicare Medicare is a federal health insurance program paid for by the Medicare tax you pay as part of your payroll deductions, and premiums paid by people who have Medicare coverage. Medicare generally covers people over 65, and people with disabilities who are under 65 and receive SSDI benefits. Medicaid Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, like nursing home care and “personal care services,” also called “attendant care services. Some people are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid If you qualify for Medicaid in your state, you may automatically qualify for help to pay for Medicare premiums. Return to Work Incentives Several programs exist to encourage you and help you return to work. These programs allow you to go to work and keep some of your benefits. For example: You can keep your Medicare coverage for as long as you’re medically disabled. If you return to work, you won't have to pay your Part A premium for the first 8 ½ years. After that, you’ll have to pay the Part A premium. However, you may be eligible for premium assistance Ticket to Work Program (TTW) is a voluntary program for SSI or SSDI beneficiaries who want to work and participate in planning their employment The goal is to help you earn enough money so you can become independent of benefits. The TTW program helps you get vocational rehabilitation, training, job referrals, and other employment support services at no charge to you. Webinars that explain the TTW program are available. See, Work Incentive Seminar Event (WISE) webinar online at https://www.chooseworkttw.net/wise/jsp/wise.jsp Other Return to Work Incentive Programs There are some of the programs available to make your return to work easier. However, these programs are very complicated to understand. You can find out more information about them in The Red Book (See the Red Book above) or by speaking to a benefits counselor at one of the WIPAs (Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Programs). You can locate your local WIPA by checking the box labeled “Benefits Counseling (WIPA)” and searching here: https://choosework.ssa.gov/findhelp/result?option=directSearch Rehabilitation Act The Rehabilitation Act forbids discrimination based on disability by the federal government or federal government contractors or programs that receive or benefits from federal funds. Since federal government contractors (companies that contract with the federal government to provide goods or services) must take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain people with disabilities, these are good companies for people with SCI to look for employment. You can search to see if a company is a contractor here: https://www.usaspending.gov (make sure you do not check grants in your search) The federal government provides a preference for hiring people with severe disabilities including SCI. This is called the Schedule A Hiring Authority. Under Schedule A: You don’t have to go through the regular competitive process Don’t need a formal job announcement Can close the search early You do need a Schedule A letter that documents that you have a severe disability. You can get a schedule A letter from a medical professional (like a doctor, nurse, or occupational therapist), or a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (like a VR counselor), or any federal, state, District of Columbia, or US territory agency that issues or provides disability benefits is required to apply to a federal government job under Schedule A. (A sample of a Schedule A letter is on the last page of this guide) Americans with Disabilities Act Title I Prevents discrimination by private employers against qualified individuals with a disability in employment. Qualified means they: Meet the job’s requirements (education and experience) and Can do the job with or without a reasonable accommodation Employers can’t discriminate: in the job application process, the hiring process, your pay scale, job training, or any aspect of the job once they hire you. Employers must make reasonable accommodations that allow you to do your job. Reasonable accommodations include changes to the way work is performed, use of an assistive device, etc. Title II Prohibits state and local governments entities and those with whom they contract from denying qualified people with disabilities the right to participate in or benefit from the service, programs, and activities it provides to the public. Title II requires that local government provide people with disabilities with the same services and programs it provides to people without disabilities. Title II also extends most of the employment protections from Title I to employment with state and local governments. State and local governments are required to have an ADA Coordinator and a complaint process in place should you face discrimination. Title III Title III prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in places of public accommodation. Places of public accommodation are places people go to participate in everyday life. Example: Hotels, restaurants, doctors’ offices Resources to find employment: Indeed.com (www.indeed.com) GettingHired.com (https://www.gettinghired.com/en) EARN Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (http://www.askearn.org/) RecruitDisability.org (http://recruitdisability.org/) DisABLED Person (https://www.disabledperson.com/) ABILITY Jobs (https://abilityjobs.com/) Job Accommodation Network (https://askjan.org/) Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) (http://apse.org/) Hire Disability Solutions (http://www.hireds.com/index.php) Universal Abilities Employment Network (http://www.universalabilities.net/) Filing a Charge of Discrimination If you think an employer has denied you a job or an equal opportunity to apply for a job based on your disability, refused your request for reasonable accommodation, or has asked you illegal medical inquiries or required you to take an illegal medical examination, you should contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). A charge (complaint) of discrimination generally must be filed within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. You may have up to 300 days to file a charge if a state or local law provides relief for discrimination on the basis of disability. However, to protect your rights, it is best to contact the EEOC promptly if you suspect discrimination has occurred. You may file a charge of discrimination by contacting any EEOC field office, located in cities throughout the United States. If you have been discriminated against, you are entitled to a remedy that will place you in the position you would have been in if the discrimination had never occurred. This means you may be entitled to hiring, back pay, or reasonable accommodation. You may also be entitled to attorney's fees. To contact the nearest EEOC office, see our Field Office List and Jurisdictional Map. (If you are an applicant for federal employment and believe your rights have been violated under the Rehabilitation Act, then you must initiate EEO counseling within 45 days of the alleged discrimination with the agency's Equal Employment Opportunity office.) Please visit the EEOC website https://www.eeoc.gov for more information about how to file a charge.
