The Social Security Administration knows that there are many people who receive disability benefits who would like to work if they can. Greater understanding among employers of disabilities and the limitations they cause has led to many more places that are willing to accommodate even the most severely disabled person, if they are still willing and able to contribute to the workforce.
With that in mind, many California residents may have heard about the “Ticket to Work” program and wondered what it is and if it can help in their individual situation. For starters, almost anyone who receives Social Security Disability benefits is eligible to participate in the program – they just have to be between the ages of 18 and 64.
So, what does the program do? Well, getting involved in the program means that you will have access to vocational assistance that you may not have known even existed. For instance, being enrolled in the Ticket to Work program means that you could get access to career counseling and even job placement assistance – all within your local community.
The goal of the program is to help those individuals who are receiving SSD benefits to reduce their need to rely upon that income alone. This can be an exciting option for anyone who is looking for a way to get back into the workforce despite their disability. And this last point might be the most beneficial part of the program: you continue to receive your SSD benefits even if you are working, until you income goes above the applicable threshold for Social Security Disability – in other words, until you are actually making a living wage even with your disability.
Source: chooseworkttw.net, “How It Works,” accessed on Oct. 19, 2014
