Planning Your Employment Goals with the Ticket To Work Program

What is Social Security’s Ticket to Work program?

Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work.

This free and voluntary program helps people with disabilities achieve their employment goals and increase their financial independence by reducing their dependence on disability benefits.

Through the Ticket program, you work with a service provider to identify your employment goals, as well as the supports and services you need to succeed. You and your provider will develop an agreement called an Individual Work Plan (IWP), an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) or an Individual Employment Plan (IEP), depending on the type of service provider you choose. This agreement is a roadmap to success, describing specific employment services, vocational rehabilitation services and supports to help you toward financial independence.

What is in your work plan?

Every work plan must include:

Career Planning: You and your service provider will discuss short- and long- term employment goals that your service provider determines are reasonable.

This includes the amount of earnings when you start working and earnings you expect to earn when your plan ends.

Specific supports and services: Your service provider will describe short- and long-term supports they will provide to you. These may include career counseling, job search and job placement assistance, resume writing and benefits counseling. Once you start working, they can help you maintain employment, find another job or increase your earnings.

An agreement: Think of your work plan as a contract. Your service provider agrees to invest time and resources to help you become employable, find work, keep a job and maximize your earnings potential. You agree to follow the plan and make timely progress toward your goals. The work plan must be written and signed to show you both agree to the goals and services. Over time, if you’re not satisfied with your plan or the supports, you may consider revising your agreement or changing service providers.

What is timely progress?

Timely progress means actively pursuing your employment goals. Social Security reviews your progress regularly to determine if you are making progress toward your work goals within timeframes that your service provider explains to you. Timely Progress Reviews not only consider your work and earnings, but also any training or education you’ve received to help you find and maintain employment. If Social Security determines you are not making timely progress toward your goals, you are subject to a regularly scheduled medical Continuing Disability Review.

What are your responsibilities?

Your part of the agreement involves meeting responsibilities that your service provider will explain to you and help you meet. These differ for everyone depending upon your benefits and what is written in your plan. They include:

• Making timely progress in the program through a combination of education, training, and earnings
• Reporting your earnings to Social Security
• Reporting any change in status (employment, marital, living arrangements) to Social Security

Get started today

Equipped with clear goals, as well as the resources and supports you need, you can use your work plan as a roadmap to success. With your destination and route defined, you’re ready to get started!