Y
EQ
OR
E
Q
UI P F
UALIT
CHECKLIST FOR USING YOUR
‘TICKET TO WORK’
EQUIP FOR EQUALITY, INC.
20 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 300
Chicago, Illinois 60602
1-800-537-2632 (V)
1-800-610-2779 (TTY)
Distributed by: The PABSS Project at Equip for Equality
(Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security)
PABSS
Breaking Down Barriers to Employment
This checklist was done in collaboration between the Work Incentive Support Center of Health
and Disability Advocates and the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS)
Project at Equip For Equality, Inc.
This publication was made possible by a grant from the Social Security Administration. The
contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official
views of Social Security.
Alternative formats are available upon request.
Ticket To Work And Work Incentives Improvement Act Of 1999
The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 was enacted on Dec.
17, 1999. This law:

Increases beneficiary choice in obtaining rehabilitation and vocational services to help
them go to work and attain their employment goals by:
o Distributing Tickets to Social Security Beneficiaries to enable them to chose
service providers in seeking employment. These service providers are called
Employment Networks (ENs);
o Creating agencies called Employment Networks, existing organizations that the
Social Security Administration designates as service providers where individuals
can place their Ticket. There are approximately 60 ENs in Illinois;

Assures that more Americans with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in the
workforce and lessen their dependence on public benefits.

Removes barriers that require people with disabilities to choose between health care
coverage and work by:
o Expanding health care protection under Medicare and Medicaid;
o Granting immunity from Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) while
individuals are using their Ticket;
o Allowing for Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits for people who are unable to
continue working due to their disability;
o Creating Benefits Planning Specialists through the BPA&O Program to educate
and assist people in planning how to maximize benefits when working; and
o Forming PABSS Programs to provide training, education, and advocacy services
to enable people to obtain, retain, and regain employment.
You have the right to use your Ticket to Work or to not use it. However, if you do not use
your Ticket, you will not be able to reap all the benefits listed above.
WHEN you CHOOSE to use your Ticket:

Understand the rules of the different programs that provide you with public benefits.
These programs may include:





Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Medicare
Medicaid
Housing
State, County or Municipal Benefits, such as, Food Stamps, Cash Assistance,
Housing, or Transportation Assistance

Meet with Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach programs to determine how
income received from working will impact your benefits.



In the City of Chicago: Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
(312) 746-5743 (V) (312) 746-5713 (TTY)
Around the rest of the state either:
Department of Human Services – Office of Mental Health (OMH)
(866) 390-6771
OR
Department of Human Services – Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS)
(800) 807-6962 (V) (866) 444-8013 (TTY)
Learn about ways to pursue work while protecting your cash and health care benefits.
The ultimate goal of the Ticket to Work Program is to end your eligibility for cash
benefits from Social Security:
 The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a number of employment supports and
incentives that allow beneficiaries to test their ability to work and gradually become
self-supporting and independent, while they continue to receive their cash and health
care benefits. You can find out more about these ways to protect your benefits when
you meet with a benefits planner from the Benefits Planning, Assistance and
Outreach programs, mentioned above.


The Ticket to Work Program seeks to give people with disabilities freedom of choice
in their pursuit of employment. Employment Networks (EN) are agencies under the
Ticket to Work Program that will assist you in formulating an Individualized Work
Plan (IWP) for returning to work. You are free to choose any EN that you desire or
to switch your EN at anytime. An EN is also free to accept your ticket or not.
Determine what employment services you will need in order to go to work at a level
where you will eventually become ineligible for cash benefits:









Determining a Vocational Goal
Career Exploration
Education or further training
Interviewing Skills
Job Development
Transportation
Assistive Technology
Job Coach
Professional, Peer or Natural Supports to help you to keep the job

Find the Employment Networks in Your Area

Online: You can search for Employment Networks by state, city, county, or zip
code. Visit the Ticket to Work Section of The Equip for Equality Website,
www.equipforequality.org. In the Ticket to Work Section, there is a link to the
Employment Network Directory located on the Social Security Administration’s
Website, http://www.ssa.gov/work/ServiceProviders/endirectory.html. In addition, a
listing of Employment Networks is available at the Maximus website,
www.yourtickettowork.com. Maximus is the National Program Manager for the
Ticket to Work Program.

By Telephone or TTY:
o Call the PABSS Project (Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social
Security) at Equip for Equality. (Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries
of Social Security). 1-800-537-2632 (V); 1-800-610-2779 (TTY)
o Call Maximus, the National Program Manager for the Ticket to Work
Program, at (866) 968-7842 and request a listing of all the Employment
Networks serving individuals in your geographical area. Make sure to request
a listing of all the networks and ask them to mail the list to you.

Find an Employment Network that Fits Your Needs








Exercise Your Right to Choose Who Will Serve You!
Call all of the Employment Networks in your area. Some ENs may traditionally
have served individuals with certain types of disabilities but many have shown an
interest in serving people with disabilities that they have not traditionally served.
Ask to speak to a staff person dealing with the Ticket to Work Program and tell them
that you have a Ticket and may be interested in placing your Ticket with them.
You will be asked a series of questions to find out more about you and your
employment goals. They will be trying to determine if the services they offer match
your needs.
Take this opportunity to discuss your employment goals and ask them questions
about their services and how they can help you reach your goals.
You want to pick the EN that you feel comfortable working with and that you
believe can best serve you and help you reach your goals.
ENs involved in the Ticket to Work Program only get fully paid for working with
you if your work income makes you ineligible for cash benefits from SSA.
However, don’t be discouraged if an EN decides not to accept your ticket. There
may be many reasons why the EN chooses not to work with you and it may have
nothing to do with your ability to work. This is why it is important for you to contact
all the ENs serving your area.
If you choose ORS as your employment network, ORS can be paid as an EN or by
finding you employment so that you earn income at the substantial gainful activity
level ($800 in 2003) for nine months. ORS will decide if you are eligible to receive
services from them under the Rehabilitation Act.

Choose an Employment Network







Work Toward Your Goal



If you and the EN agree to work together towards your employment goals then
together you will both create an Individualized Work Plan (IWP).
This IWP spells out exactly what the EN will do and what you will do to get
employed.
ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS!
You have the power to decide with the EN what this plan will say, and to change or
modify this plan so that it is satisfactory to you!
Your Ticket is not officially placed with the EN until this plan is submitted to
Maximus! It cannot be submitted without your approval!
If you cannot agree with the EN on a plan, you can try to place your Ticket with
another EN.
Once your Ticket is assigned, concentrate on following your IWP.
As long as you are using your Ticket and making progress under your IWP, SSA will
not conduct a Continuing Disability Review (CDR) to determine whether you are
still disabled.
Understand your Responsibilities under the Ticket to Work Program






SSA will measure your progress under the IWP to see if you are using your Ticket.
There is no requirement to work during the first twenty-four months of the Plan.
You are only required to actively follow your IWP with the EN.
During months 25-36 of your plan, you must earn a gross income over the SGA
($800 in 2003) for 3 months out of a twelve-month period.
During months 37 through 48 of your plan, you must earn a gross income over the
SGA ($800 in 2003) for 6 out of the 12 months.
During months 49 – 60 of the plan, you must have a gross income that disqualifies
you from receiving SSDI or SSI cash benefits.
If you do not meet these goals of timely progress, it does not mean that you will be
withdrawn from the Ticket to Work Program or that you will lose your benefits. If
SSA decides that you have not met these goals, you could be subject to a Continuing
Disability Review (CDR). If SSA decides that you are no longer disabled through
this CDR, then you may lose your benefits.
Understand Your Right to Quality Services Under the Ticket to Work Program
You and the EN should be working together to reach your employment goal.
If you are dissatisfied, the PABSS Project at Equip for Equality may be able to assist
you in resolving the problem. In general, you have two options:
o First you may choose to utilize the dispute resolution system created by
SSA. If your EN is ORS, you may also exercise your right to file an
appeal under their pre-existing system (the CAP Program).
o Second, you can pull your Ticket from the EN that you assigned as your
provider. If you pull your Ticket you can try to place your ticket with
another EN. You can take as much time as you want to find another EN
but should try to do within 90 days. However, after three months, SSA
will consider your Ticket not in use and you may be subject to a CDR
until your Ticket is placed with another EN.

If you are dissatisfied with the services that an EN has provided to you, or are
thinking about changing EN, you should call Equip for Equality, Inc. at 800-5372632 (V) or 800-610-2779 (TTY). They will be able to assist you in using the
dispute resolution system or discuss with you the positives and negatives of changing
Employment Networks.
Y
EQ
Y
Q
UALIT
UI P F
OR
UI P F
E
E
Q


OR
EQ

UALIT
EQUIP FOR EQUALITY, INC.
20 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 300
Chicago, Illinois 60602
1-800-537-2632 (V)
1-800-610-2779 (TTY)
Distributed by: The PABSS Project at Equip for Equality
(Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security)
PABSS
Breaking Down Barriers to Employment