Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work Program Being Revamped

The Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work program is an employment program for employers that are interested in hiring people who are beneficiaries – individuals with disabilities who are receiving Social Security benefits (SSI and SSDI). Many of these beneficiaries are either returning to work from long absences or are exploring work for the first time. They offer employers a very large labor pool to fill positions, especially those that are entry-level, apprentice, or term. Under the program, an employer can also receive financial incentives – actually transforming their human resources divisions into profit centers – for employing and assisting beneficiaries in developing new job skills. Recently, SSA approved regulations that will make the Ticket to Work program even more attractive to employers.

In the past, the EN payment process was fairly complex and EN incentives were not paid until a beneficiary was employed for a fairly significant amount of time. Under the new regulations, the payment process has been simplified and employers can receive payments based on various phases and milestones, beginning within two weeks after a beneficiary has been hired. Figure 1 provides a breakdown of how the proposed payment system will work for Phase 1.

The proposed changes to the Ticket to Work program are currently being evaluated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). SSA anticipates that the changes will be approved by Spring 2008. For more information on how the Ticket to Work program can benefit your company, contact Emily Malsch at <emalsch AT cessi.net> or 703.448.6155 ext. 203.