Jayme Pendergraft >> Good afternoon. My name is Jayme Pendergraft, and I would like to welcome you to today's Ticket to Work webinar; Ticket to Work and Reasonable Accommodations. In two days, we commemorate the 34th anniversary of the signing with the Americans with Disabilities Act and a law that provides protection for people with disabilities in the workplace and other areas of their lives. And one of the things we're going to talk about this afternoon is what reasonable accommodations are, how to ask for them and how the Ticket to Work Program can help you connect with those reasonable accommodations through various resources and our service providers. 
To start off, we're going to talk about managing your audio. And to do so you can manage your audio using the audio option at the top of your screen. The audio option is an icon that looks like a speaker. Choose select speaker from the menu options as noted in the device speaker image on the screen. Next, please note that all attendees will be muted throughout today's webinar. Sorry, just one second. I apologize. Hold on just one second. When asked; how do you want to join the meeting's audio, please select the device speaker option. This will enable the sound to be broadcast through your computer. 
Make sure your speakers are turned on and your headphones are plugged in to access the sound. If you don't have sound capabilities on your computer, or prefer to listen by phone, please dial -- I apologize. Let me just slides up here for just a second. So if you would like to access the webinar by phone, you can call our toll free number at 1-800-832-0736 and you access code 4189148#. And if you didn't catch that you can take a look at your email confirmation that you should have received for this webinar. 
The platform we use today is called Adobe Connect. And now we're going to do a quick review of that platform. First, you'll notice different boxes on your screen. These boxes are called pods. We have the Presentation pod, and this is where the slide deck appears. At the largest portion of your screen, below that, there's an open space available if you need to place the Closed Captioning pod there. And the top right corner is the Q&A pod. And below that is our Web Links pod. And we'll talk about all these in more detail shortly. But first we want to discuss accessibility. 
If you do need assistance navigating Adobe Connect, an accessibility user guide complete with a list of controls is available at http://bit.ly/adobe-accessibility. The link is also available in the Web Links pod in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. It's labeled Adobe Accessibility User Guide. Real-time Captioning is available to attendees today and it is displayed in the Captioning pod, which can be placed below the slides. You can show or hide the Captioning pod display and you can also choose the text size and text color combinations to best meet your vision preferences. To open the closed captioning, select the CC option from the top menu bar. The captioning link can also be accessed in the Web Links pod under the title Web Captioning. You can access those captions online in a separate video viewing window. The choice is completely up to you and how you prefer to view those captions. 
If you're fluent in American Sign Language, or ASL, and would like support during today's webinar, we developed a resource that provides instructions on how to connect with an interpreter through the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, Video Relay Service, also known as VRS. Our ASL User Guide can be found in the Web Links pod under the title, ASL User Guide. We're here today to answer questions about the Ticket to Work Program, and also Reasonable Accommodations, which our presenter is going to get into more detail about in just a little while. You can send your questions to us anytime during the webinar by typing them into the Q&A pod. We'll then direct the questions to our speaker during the Q&A portions of our webinar. We do want to encourage you not to ask very specific questions. Unfortunately, we really can't get into a great level of detail during this event just because there's no way for us to really provide all of the information that you may need. So we do try to answer as many questions as we can, but if we're not able to answer your question, we'll give you some information about how to get those answers a little later on in the webinar. We'll address questions at two different points during the presentation, so please remember to send in your questions using that Q&A pod. Like I said, we'll do our best to get to as many as possible. 
If you're listening by phone and aren't logged into the webinar, you may also ask questions by emailing them to webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. Another available resource that will help -- you'll find very helpful, is our Web Links pod, which I've mentioned a couple of times. The pod is in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen and lists the links to the resources covered in today's webinar. To access these resources, please select the topic of interest and access the resource file to learn more. It will open a new window in your browser, and you'll be able to view the resource that you've selected. 
If you're listening by phone and not -- or not logged into the webinar, you can email webinars@choosework.ssa.gov for a list of available resources. And if you are logged into the webinar and just want that list of available resources, you can send an email there as well. Please note Social Security cannot guarantee and is not responsible for the accessibility of external websites. One of our most frequently asked questions is always, "Will this webinar be recorded? And can I get a copy of it later?" And the answer is, yes. Today's webinar is being recorded and a copy of it will be available within two weeks on the Choose Work website at http://bit.ly/WISE_OnDemand. Again, that link is in the Web Links pod in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen and it's titled Wise Webinar Archives. There you'll see a couple of years' worth of webinar archives, so if there's another topic that interests you, I encourage you to go ahead and check those out. Of course, after today's webinar. 
We hope that everyone has a wonderful experience during today's webinar. However, if you do have any technical difficulties, please use the Q&A pod to send a message, or you can email us at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. Again, my name is Jayme Pendergraft, and I would like to welcome you to today's webinar, Ticket to Work and Reasonable Accommodations. I'm a member of the Ticket to Work team and will be serving as the moderator for this webinar. 
We're also delighted to welcome Debora Wagner and Wendy Strobel Gower with us today as our presenters. Debora spent 25 years working with legal services and law school clinical programs. Throughout her career she's presented on benefits issues including post entitlement and return to work issues for attorneys, Vocational Rehabilitation professionals, agency staff, people with disabilities and their families. She's frequently invited to present on the intersection of VA benefits and Social Security benefits with a focus on how work impacts benefits for veterans. From 2016 to 2022, she led a statewide network of Work Incentives, training and technical assistance for benefits planners in Ohio. In December of 2021, Debora joined the Cornell staff where she continues to provide Work Incentives, training and technical assistance. She also designed and teaches a credential course on Work Incentives planning for veterans. And in addition to her expertise in the veterans' world, she also has quite a bit of experience both personal and professionally with the topics we're covering today. 
Wendy Strobel Gower is the Thomas P. Golden Executive Director at the Yang-Tan Institute. She leads the Northeast ADA Center, the Employer Assistance and Resource Network, and fee for service work to educate managers and supervisors about including people with disabilities. Wendy holds a Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University. She's worked extensively in the application and training of issues around employment and reasonable accommodations in the workplace for people with disabilities. She has gained valuable experience in project management and project direction over the past ten years. Other areas of interest include person-centered planning philosophy and tools, disability legislation and its impact on services, and the identification and accommodation of the functional limitations of disabilities across the lifespan. Thank you, Debora and Wendy. Those of you who have been listening to these for a while, we want to give a big welcome back to both of these presenters. And with that, I would like to thank them again for joining us today and hand it over to Debora. Thank you, Debora. Take it away.

Debora >> Thank you so much, Jayme. I'm so happy to be here today. And to be here with Wendy is a special treat. Going to start with an overview of the topics we're going to discuss today. We're going to start by talking about Social Security's Ticket to Work Program. Then I'll pass things off to Wendy and she'll talk to you about The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. She'll also talk about Reasonable Accommodations, which I know is a hot topic for people as they're thinking about returning to work. Then we'll look at Matt's Success Story to see an example of how using Reasonable Accommodations helped a beneficiary to successfully return to work. And we'll wrap up with some next steps and resources. 
So let's get started talking about the Ticket to Work. You may have heard of Social Security's Ticket to Work Program and you may have questions. First thing I want to make clear is that the Ticket to Work is available to people who get Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, and to people who get Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. SSDI is the insurance program for people who've worked and paid into the Social Security system and have earned enough credits to have insured status. For folks that don't have insured status, SSI can also provide a disability benefit for individuals who are low income and have limited resources. You can sign up for a my Social Security account at any time and I highly recommend it. I actually checked mine just this week. I wanted to see what my benefit amounts would be when I retire, and that's something I monitor and look at each year. So with the my Social Security account, you cannot only see these earnings histories and benefits information, but you can now also ask for a replacement Social Security card, get proof of Social Security benefits and estimate and apply for benefits in the future. Now, it's important to note that not everyone can open a my Social Security account. You have to be at least 18 years old, have a Social Security number, have a valid US address, and have an email address. 
So why choose work? Sometimes I have people say, "I spent years trying to get onto my Social Security benefits. Why would I go to work and risk that all?" And I certainly know that not everyone has the ability to go to work. But for those who can; work can be a pathway to financial independence, but it can also provide connections with the community and give people purpose in their daily lives. And once people understand that there are free services and supports available to help them in their employment journey, they find that the rewards from working are -- far outweigh any risks. 
So what is the Ticket to Work Program? Well, first of all, I want you to know that it's free. There's no cost for individuals who want to use the Ticket to Work Program. And the other important piece is that it's totally voluntary. You don't have to use the Ticket to Work if you don't want to. If you do, there are many benefits and we'll talk about those today. But if you opt not to use your Ticket to Work, that's absolutely fine and you'll continue to get your Social Security benefits as long as you continue to be eligible. If you use the ticket, you can get career development for people ages 18 through age 64 who also get a Social Security disability benefit who want to work. 
So how can the program help you? What does that Ticket to Work do for you? Well, if you decide you want to work, it can help you figure out what type of work may be a good match for your unique skills and abilities. Also help you explore self-employment if that's something that you think would be best for you. They'll help you to prepare for work, whether that's getting additional training or maybe getting additional help with a resume, skills. Whatever you need, they can help you prepare. They can even help you find that work opportunity, and they can give you tools to help you be successful at work. And if you'd like to learn more about the Ticket to Work Program, you have a couple of links available in the Web Links in the bottom right-hand side of your screen. There's one called What is Social Security's Ticket to Work Program? And then there's also a self-guided tutorial available to you. 
So what kinds of service providers can you find under the Ticket to Work? Who can help you on this journey to employment? Well, you can connect with a variety of different providers and we're going to talk about some of them today. They can help you develop goals that are realistic that you can achieve and help you set out the steps that you need to take to not only find a job but to maintain employment. They can also help you identify the type of job that you might enjoy and help you identify any transferable skills that you can take with you into your next job opportunity. The first two types of ticket providers we're going to talk about are Employment Networks and your State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies. The Ticket to Work Program allows you to use either or both of these service provider options. 
So let's start by talking about those Employment Networks. They can be private organizations or public organizations like maybe a state agency. They enter into an agreement with Social Security; and under this agreement they're going to provide free employment support services to those people who are eligible for the Ticket Program. So remember that's age 18 to 64, you have to be getting a disability benefit from Social Security, and you have to want to go to work. Many of the state public workforce systems like your American job centers are Workforce Employment Networks. So that's one of the options you have when you're looking for an Employment Network. Now what benefits are there to working with an Employment Network? They can really help you to focus on what are your work goals, what types of work do you want to look for, how much are you able to work when you first start out? They can help you to write or update your resume, they can help you prepare for interviews, request Reasonable Accommodations, which Wendy is going to tell you a lot more about in just a little bit. And they can also provide benefits counseling. 
Now, I want to talk about two of these for just a minute. The preparing for Interview 1, I wanted to share a story with you. I had a client; really smart young man, well educated, he presented very well and he just kept going to interview after interview after interview, and he was never getting a call back. And I finally said to him, "So tell me what happens during your interviews." And he told me that he actually would have a panic attack while he was in the waiting room and had never actually made it into the interview room to finish one of these interviews. So I helped connect him with an Employment Network that actually helped him practice interviews and learn how to manage that anxiety that he was feeling so that he could successfully complete the interview process. And I'm happy to report that the very next job that he interviewed for, he got the job because he was able to stay and complete the interview part.
The other thing I want to talk about a little bit is benefits counseling. And I want to note that it's really intimidating if you spent years trying to get onto your benefits. The thought of losing those cash benefits and healthcare coverage that comes with those benefits can be a barrier to people when they're thinking about going back to work. I just want to reassure you that there are many special safety nets that are in place to help people who are returning to work. And if you work with a benefits counselor, they can help you to understand exactly which safety nets are available to help you and your journey to employment. 
Now, if you don't want to work with an Employment Network, you have another option and that is your State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. I want to note that some of these agencies will have a separate agency or a separate division specifically for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. So if you are blind or visually impaired, you want to check with your state agency to see if there's a separate entity that can help you with services that are specifically designed for individuals with visual impairments. Now, State VR agencies also provide a wide variety of services. They can help you return to work or find new work if you're already working. They offer vocational rehabilitation, training and education. 
So what's in it for you? What will working with VR do to help you? Well, usually they can provide maybe more significant services maybe for an individual who has more complex barriers to employment, they may provide training, education and rehabilitation. For example, I'm in Ohio and I know that our state agency can help pay for college degrees or specialized technical training. They can also provide you with services similar to an Employment Network including career counseling, job placement, help and count. Again, that benefits counseling piece so that you understand what's going to happen to your Social Security disability benefits and your healthcare coverage when you start working. 
So if you're interested in finding one of these ticket service providers, how do you go about doing that? I'm going to give you two options today. One is that you can call the Ticket to Work Help Line, and the other one is an online search option. So let's start with the Ticket to Work Help Line. You can call them at 1-866-968-7842. Or if you use TTY, you can call them at 1-866-833-2967. And please note that the Ticket to Work Help Line is available on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Now, if you're one of those people who doesn't want to make a phone call, I get that. We've got an online search option. So you can actually go to the Choose Work website and they have a Find Help page. And you can search; you can use your ZIP code to find local providers in your community or you can search by specific services that you need to start working. You can even search based on a disability type or your language so that you get somebody who will meet the needs that you have personally. Or you can search by specific provider type. Maybe you know you want to work with an Employment Network, or maybe you want to use your VR agency or one of those Workforce Employment Networks, you can search. And please note that that Find Help page, there's a link for you in the Web Links under Find Help. And you can use that to go and use that search engine to find the Ticket service provider who's best able to meet your needs. I'm going to turn it back over to Jayme now, and we're going to pause and go over some questions. Jayme?

Jayme >> Thanks so much, Debora. And we do have lots of questions coming in. Please continue sending them through that Q&A box and we will get to as many as possible. As a reminder, don't put any private information in there and we will be unable to get into very detailed and specific questions in this format. Again, you can call that Ticket to Work Help Line like Debora mentioned just one slide ago, if you do have very specific individual questions. So, Debora, my first question for you is, do I need to use the Ticket program to find work?

Debora >> No, Jayme. As I mentioned, it's a voluntary program. So if you go and you find a job on your own, independently, you can go ahead and work that job and you don't have to use the Ticket program at all. However, the Ticket program could be a helpful resource if you're not sure where to start. When you start working, remember, it's important to report those wages to Social Security. And again, I highly recommend working with a benefits counselor so that you understand how that job is going to impact each of your benefits and you can make informed choices.

Jayme >> Thank you so much, Debora. We have a few people in the audience who are either looking to get training for a first job or are wanting to get training for a new career. We don't have many details, but maybe they can no longer perform the career they had before they became a person with a disability or they're just looking for a switch. So can the Ticket program help me get some training for that new career?

Debora >> Absolutely. Some VR agencies and Employment Networks offer training for career transition. So they may be able to provide you with the resources that you need to make that transition. So the Ticket is not only for people who are just starting their job journey, it can also be for people who may be mid journey who need to change gears and look for a different career field.

Jayme >> Thanks so much, Debora. And we do have a couple of Success Stories on our website. If you visit choosework.ssa.gov/successstories, you can see some folks who did in fact change their careers with the support of the Ticket to Work Program. And I encourage you to go check those out after the webinar. So Debora, you talked about a lot of different types of service providers. How do I know which one I should pick?

Debora >> Well, you know, you have choices. You can certainly go and use that Find Help tool and look at what service providers are available in your area and what services they're offering that might help you make that choice. You can also call that Ticket to Work Help Line. And again, that number is 1-866-968-7842. For TTY users 1-866-833-2967. And again, they're only available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. So they may be able to help you find an Employment Network that's a good fit. But you can also interview a variety of Employment Networks. So I once had a client describe it as kind of like speed dating. They called up a bunch of different Employment Networks that they thought might work and they chose the one that was the best fit, and felt most comfortable to them, and provided the services that they needed to do this job journey for them. So you can talk to a variety of providers and find the one that's the best fit for you.

Jayme >> It is Jayme, again. Thank you so much for that information, Debora. One of the things that you mentioned, you talked a little bit about ENs and VRs, but we have someone out here who wants to know if they can work with both a VR and an EN.

Debora >> Absolutely. Through Partnership Plus it's absolutely possible to work with both. A lot of people in my state of Ohio will work with our State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency to get started and they usually are going to close that person's case after 90 days of employment. But maybe if someone needs additional services, maybe they need some longer-term job coaching or other supports on an ongoing basis, and they can work with an Employment Network to provide those longer-terms services.

Jayme >> Great. Thanks Debora. This is Jayme, again. So I've already started working. Can the Ticket to Work Program help me or am I too late?

Debora >> It may not be. We recommend talking about your situation with somebody at the Help Line or contacting some Employment Networks or your CPR agency to see what services they could provide. So you need to also make sure that Social Security knows that you're working. And I can't say it enough, but you’ve got to report those wages. It's important that Social Security knows that you're working and earning income.

Jayme >> It's Jayme again, could you give us a little advice, too, on how to report those wages?

Debora >> Absolutely. You've got a variety of options. You can certainly go into your local Social Security office and provide them with your pay information in person. There's also a toll-free number that individuals can call to report their wages. For folks on SSI, there's actually a smartphone app that they can use. Of course, there's an app for that. They would need to talk to Social Security to get the app and to start using it. That my Social Security account is a recommended way to do it. I really encourage folks that I work with to use that my Social Security account. I even have some clients who are faxing their wage information into Social Security each month.

Jayme >> Thanks Debora. And, this is Jayme, our team in the background is working to get a link to some more information about wage reporting into our Web Links pod. So that should be there in just a couple minutes. So we have someone we'll follow this chain of thought here. Someone is already working or is getting ready to go to an interview. Do they have to tell their manager or the interviewer that they're using the Ticket Program?

Debora >> Absolutely not. They don't have to disclose that at all. And we'll talk more about the issue of whether to disclose that you have a disability or you're using a Ticket a little bit more when Wendy talks about working with employers for Reasonable Accommodations.

Jayme >> It's Jayme. Thank you again, Debora, and we have lots more questions coming in, so we will definitely come back to you. But that is a great segue over to Wendy to talk to us a bit about Ticket to Work and Reason -- or about Reasonable Accommodations in the ADA. So, Wendy, I will hand it over to you.

Wendy >> Thanks, Jayme. And thanks, Debora. I think the idea of disability and work and disclosure and all that can be super scary. I'm sure you hear a lot of stories in your benefits planning work.

Debora >> Absolutely. And those barriers are huge. I think there's a lot of fear around returning to work and that's why I'm so excited that we're here today to talk about how to overcome some of those fears.

Wendy >> Yes, for sure. All right, so let's dive in. I got kicked off the internet, of course, right as soon as this started. So if you go to the next slide, I'd greatly appreciate it. All right. So I want to talk a little bit about the ADA and what that law is. Because I think a lot of people sometimes if they've acquired a disability or even if they've had a disability and just they haven't heard about the ADA. So what I want you to know is that the ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities; and work is covered. So it basically says that employers can't discriminate you on the basis of your disabilities within the employment setting, okay? It's the same as like the Civil Rights Act that protects people on the basis of race, color, national origin, all that kind of stuff; but it's for people with disabilities specifically. 
The ADA guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else; to enjoy equal employment opportunities, purchase goods and services, and participate in state and local government programs. Title I of the ADA, those of the employment rules says that employers can't discriminate against people applying for a job because they have a disability. It also says that employers can't discriminate against their current employees with disabilities. And then the ADA protects applicants and employees with disabilities from retaliation for asserting their rights under the ADA, okay? So it's basically a non-discrimination law that gives you some protections from discrimination. That's my kind of summary statement. I hope that made sense. 
If you go to the next slide. We're going to talk about the ADA and disability disclosure. So in general, the job applicant, which would be you, or if you're the employee with a disability, is responsible for letting the employer know that they need an accommodation, right? So an employer doesn't have to try and guess if you need something, it has to be a conversation that you have with them. And that can be to participate in the application process, it can be to perform the essential functions of the job, or it can be to receive equal benefits and privileges of employment. And just for an example, that means if your organization has a cafeteria, and everybody goes to the cafeteria for lunch, and you use a wheelchair, and when you go to the cafeteria there's no way for you to use, say, the self-pay at kiosks or there's no wheelchair accessible place for you to sit. They would have to make adjustments in that environment so that you could use the cafeteria just like everybody else did. I hope that makes sense. I always hate when I can't see people, so I'm guessing, and I'm assuming that it makes sense. Under the ADA, people with disabilities have both rights and responsibilities. So you as the applicant or employee, absolutely have a right to a reasonable accommodation. But you also have the responsibility to disclose that you have a disability, to provide documentation that supports the need for the accommodation, and you have to participate in that interactive process to figure out what's going to work. And we're going to talk more about those things as we go through these slides. 
All right. So I want to talk about the definition of disability, okay? So under the ADA, it's a qualified individual with a disability who has one of three -- meets one of three conditions. So the first is they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. So that might be something like an intellectual disability, it might be something like a physical disability, it might be something like diabetes or cancer. There's a whole lot of disabilities that qualify under the ADA as having a disability. It might be under having a record of a disability. And just to tell you what that means, right, because it can be confusing; it's about a disability that does not affect the person currently. So if a person had cancer and it's officially in remission, right, or they have a history of psychiatric disability and because of that history, someone treats them differently during the job application process, let's say, they're protected from non-discrimination. And then the third prong, it's being regarded as having such an impairment. So it's about situations that -- where disability related discrimination is taking place, but you don't have a disability, you don't have a record of a disability. So it might be something where you have a burn scar, or another scar on your body where people look at you and they assume that you can't do something, and as a result of that assumption, they don't hire you, then you would be protected by the ADA. 
Another example in that area is you're discriminated against based on an untrue rumor, right? Like someone said, "Oh yeah, I know them. They have a psychiatric disability or mental health condition. You should not hire them." And it's totally not true, but they don't hire you because of that. So I'm sure we'll get questions about that later because it can be a little bit confusing. And then I just want to talk about “qualified” a little bit. Under the ADA, under Title I, being qualified includes having the skills, experience and background to meet the job's requirements. So let's say that I apply to be an airline pilot. And Debora, I would make a great airline pilot, wouldn't I? Except for I have no idea how to fly a plane, right? So I don't have the right skills, I don't have the right experience, I am 100% not qualified for that job. And so let's say that I said, "I'm going to -- I want to be an airline pilot; here's my application. You should definitely hire me." And the airline said, "We're going to pass." That's not disability discrimination. That's sound business judgment. So I am not at all qualified for that position. 
All right, let's go on to the next slide and then I'll say we're going to talk about Reasonable Accommodations. So I know someone is going to move the slide for me. I have faith. Okay. See, we're going to talk about Reasonable Accommodations. Now let's go to the next slide. So we'll talk a little bit about Reasonable Accommodations here, because that's like a big term, right? And everybody knows, well, you can get Reasonable Accommodations. Well, what the heck is that? Reasonable Accommodations are changes to a job, to a work environment, to a work schedule, or any other adjustment that really makes it possible for you to do a job for which you are qualified. Usually, as we talked about, accommodations start with the disclosure of a disability. So that's you telling your employer that because of a disability or medical condition, you need to change your approach to some part of your job. Might be the hours that you work, it might be your workstation, it might be the tools that you use to do the work. 
Then you collaborate with your employer -- oh wait, I'm not there yet, sorry. You collaborate with your employer to confirm the need and identify and implement a potential solution. So there's this thing called the “interactive process” where you really work together to figure out what's going to work. And then the employer ultimately decides what accommodation is implemented. Whatever you put into place for a reasonable accommodation has to be effective, okay? So you can say, "Employer, I am having trouble getting in in the morning because of the psychiatric medicine that I take. It makes me extremely sleepy. And I know that the work hours are generally 8:00 to 4:00. I would like to flex my schedule and make my schedule a 9:00 to 5:00." And you negotiate. And the employer says, "No, I get your need. But if you're going to come in late, we'd like you to come in at 10:00 and work 10:00 to 6:00 instead because of this special condition in the workplace." And so it's kind of a negotiation where you work out something that works for both you and it works for the employer, okay? They only have to reduce employment-related barriers. So let's say that you said, "My car broke and I can't drive to work." Well, that's not something your employer has to fix. They may give you a little bit of leniency, right, while you work that out; but that's not a reasonable accommodation issue. They never have to provide things like eyeglasses or hearing aids or really personal medical devices that allow you to function in the everyday world. People who are covered only under the regarded as -- those people I said who didn't have a disability, they were just treated or discriminated against because someone thought they did, they don't get accommodations, right? Because they don't really have disabilities. 
All right, I hope that makes sense. Now we'll go to the next one. So there are a few examples of a reasonable accommodation that are generally considered reasonable things that the employer would do. Things like flexing your work schedule, allowing you to take breaks during the day. If you need to say, management take medication, they might give you time off or allow you to leave the building during your lunch break to go to a medical appointment or to flex your schedule on a day to allow time to attend a medical appointment. They might provide communication tools like a sign language interpreter or closed captioning for important meetings. They might allow you to work from home. That's always an interesting conversation, but that's a possibility that you could negotiate for flex work a couple days a week, or all the time. But it's a matter of just looking at what those essential job functions are. You can have a job coach, a reader, or another assistant in the workplace who comes in to support you. Not that they're not going to do your work, right? And they should not do your work, but they could support you so that you are better able to do your work. 
Just a quick example of that; let's say that you needed assistance eating your lunch or getting your lunch together in the workplace. You don't want to rely on your coworkers to do that, right, and take away their time from work. So you could have a personal assistant come in, get you all set up, help you eat lunch during your lunch hour, and then that person could leave, right? And then they can help you get equipment needed to perform tasks for the job; alternative keyboards or mouse, headphones, screen readers, voice recognition, all kinds of stuff, but whatever those tools are that you need to do your work. There are some things that generally aren't reasonable. Employers will never have to take away the main job tasks. Those essential job functions. They never will have to lower production standards that everybody sticks to. They'll never have to change your supervisor, okay? So there are a few things that employers won't have to do. Earlier, someone put undue hardship on the screen which is a, it's a kind of a difficult concept. And do use those reports or the supports in your Web Links chat, the Job Accommodation Network, the technical assistance centers from the ADA national network; they can help you understand those things. But undue hardship comes in a couple of forms. One is undue financial burden where an employer can't afford the cost of an accommodation. It's super difficult to prove that that's a thing because most accommodations don't cost that much. And then there's another one called undue administrative burden, which is easier to demonstrate. And just an example of that is, let's take the example where you couldn't come in in the morning because your medication made you extremely drowsy, but you were in a two-person office. And you and the other person rotated that morning shift to open the office. And one of you had to open and one of you had to close. That's not going to be really feasible in that work environment for you to come in late all the time because then the burden to open is always on that other employee. So that may be a case where they say, "I'm sorry, that's an undue burden." So I just wanted to give that example. All right, if you go to the next slide.

Debora >> Wendy, can I share -- this is Debora. I want to share one of my favorite examples of a reasonable accommodation. I mentioned the person I worked with who had the panic disorder, who finally went through the interview. But when they started working, they found that they would panic because they felt like they couldn't leave, like they felt trapped. And they were just busy watching the clock waiting for their next break, right? They just couldn't focus. And so the reasonable accommodation that they negotiated was that that person could take their breaks anytime they needed to. They still got the same amount of time for breaks, the same number of breaks, but whenever they needed it, they could take them. And what they found was that that person actually took less time on breaks once they made that accommodation.

Wendy >> That is an awesome example, Debora. And it really goes to show how that's like reasonable accommodation at its best, right? Sometimes just knowing that the support you need is available is all it takes to be successful. And accommodations are there to facilitate success at work, right? They're there to help you overcome the limitations of what your disability is. All right, great. Thank you for sharing that example. 
All right. I'm sure I left you all -- like this is all super crystal clear to all of you. But we're going to talk about disclosure next if you go to the next slide. So disability disclosure is the act of actually telling someone in a position of power, right; so your Human Resources person, your manager, the boss of the organization, if you work for a small employer, that you have a disability, okay? To ask for an accommodation, you have to tell one of those people that you have a disability, okay? So disclosure is a very discreet act, right? It's basically linking some part of your disability or medical condition to the work, okay? You don't use -- need to say ADA, you don't need to say disability accommodations, you don't need to say the law name. So you can just say, "Well, you know, I have this condition that makes it really hard for me to read handwritten notes. And I really would like things typed." So you don't have to say what that disability was, you don't have to say exactly how it impacts you. Like you don't have to say, "It's a visual processing disability that makes it hard for me to read print." You just have to say; medical condition, disability and job task, and some kind of combination together. You can ask verbally. If you want to write it down and you want to submit it, that's a great idea. It's really a good idea to have a conversation with someone and follow it up with an email. I love documentation. It's there for you. Should anything come up where the employer didn't receive something or didn't hear something you said, you have that documentation to say, "Remember this email?" And it's super handy. 
One thing to know is that disability disclosure can also come from a third party. So your Employment Network partner can disclose for you. Your job coach can disclose for you, your doctor can disclose for you. Your family member can disclose for you. If it's not something that you're comfortable doing or in the event that you aren't able to communicate, let's say that because of your disability, you had a surprise hospital stay and you can't go into the office. Someone else can call for you and say, you know, "Sam is going to need some time off because he's in the hospital because of his medical condition." And they'll follow up with you for all the questions and paperwork that they have. So a couple of examples because disclosure can be difficult to recognize, "I'm sorry my reports are late this month. My doctor changed my medication and I'm having trouble concentrating." Another example, "I'm sorry I missed the meeting. My blood sugar spiked and I had to bring it under control," so again, just tying it in. Once you disclose your disability, you're going to be speaking to your employer to give them additional detail. They're going to want to know the nature of your disability. Especially they'll ask for documentation if you can't see your disability. So examples like, "My blood sugar spiked or I have trouble reading print," those aren't things you can see. So they may ask you to get documentation from your doctor or medical provider or your rehab provider to verify that you do have a disability and what that disability is. They're going to want to know what limitations are impacting your work. So is it the inability to read print? Is it the need to manage your blood sugar? And then they want to know how that disability or functional limitation impacts your ability to learn or perform a job task effectively. So in Debora's example, it's the anxiety, right, the anxiety is preventing the person from focusing on their work tasks. And so the accommodation that was put into place helped to alleviate that anxiety and allow them to focus on their work tasks. All right, so I like to think about it this way; your employer needs to understand what's hard, why it's hard, and what might help. So that is like my shorthand for the “interactive process” for employers.

Debora >> When do you -- this is Debora.

Wendy >> Go to the next. Yep.

Debora >> I was just going to say, I mean, I love that shorthand. I think that's a great way to think about it. And I also wanted to let folks know that Work Incentive planners can also help with disclosure if that's something that would be helpful.

Wendy >> Yeah, I think it's a great idea to talk it through with someone because it can be scary, right, especially if you're new to the work and disability or even the disability experience, that first time you share with someone else, someone outside your circle can be a little scary. So practicing what you're going to say, how you're going to say it, how you're going to present how you're having trouble can really make a world of difference. Don't you find that, Debora?

Debora >> Absolutely. And, you know, because a lot of people can use employment subsidies, like Reasonable Accommodations to reduce their countable income, we're interested as working center planners and talking to people about these Reasonable Accommodations, and we're willing to help communicate with those employers. And as you said, Wendy, we can be a great person to practice. If you want to do it yourself, you know, what does that script look like? We can help you plan how to have those conversations.

Wendy >> Yeah, and I do think it really helps, even myself, they changed the policy at work that we can't use our own personal cars when we travel. And, you know, Debora and I travel a lot to go and do trainings and presentations and things like that. So I specifically buy my car because I can't have vibration in my car, it hurts my hands. I have connective tissue disease and it's very painful. And so I'm like, "How the heck am I going to explain an unreasonable accommodation request, that I'm a princess when it comes to the cars that I drive?" And it was really difficult.

Debora >> I'm here for you. If you want support with that, let me know. I'm happy to help.

Wendy >> Thank you. Thank you. I think I'm just going to take my own car and deal with the consequences. Which is, you know, terrible advice. Don't do it, don't do that. But it does help to practice because it's scary, it's -- you wonder how people are going to react and it's just great to practice. And it always helps, I think if you have a good relationship with your manager. You can go to your manager, if you have a better relationship with someone in HR, then you can go there. There's no one person you have to go to, right, to have the conversation. You can go to a person who makes you feel safe or makes you feel more secure or makes you feel like they're going to listen to you. It's really up to you. All right, you want to go to the next slide? Here's a question. Do you have to disclose your disability? Debora, what do you think? And don't look at the answer before you answer.

Debora >> You never have to disclose. It's confidential --

Wendy >> You're right.

Debora >> -- but disclosure may give you some benefits.

Wendy >> Right, so disclosure is actually a legally protected choice. If you don't disclose, you're not lying. You're simply exercising that legally protected choice. And the other thing that's important to know is you can disclose at any point in the process. You can disclose when you apply, you can disclose when you interview, you can disclose when you start. You can disclose when you've been there for a year or for 10 years or for 20 years. You need to disclose a disability and ask for an accommodation when you need something to do your job well. And that's the timing, right? So if you need to have an accommodation to interview well, that's your time, you know, if you need it to perform your work tasks, that's your time. All right, so we can go on to the next slide. 
So there's really three kind of reasons why you might choose to disclose a disability, and the first is to ask for an accommodation. And I talked about this a little, but I can't talk about it enough. You really want to ask for an accommodation when you need something to be successful or to be awesome, to say, "Look at what I can do, right," it's a lot of times people, because they're afraid to have the conversation will go into work and they will make do, and they will struggle. But if I want to go in and show my workplace that I am the most incredible person at my job ever, and all I need is one little thing to do it, then it's a good idea to ask. If there's something that you find difficult or challenging, maybe all you need is a different work life or a different mouse or a different keyboard or a different workspace. Have that conversation because you don't want it to get to the point where you are struggling to perform your task and you're getting into performance management, okay, you want to ask when something gets hard. And if you know that there's something that you will need, that you use every day or that you used in a previous job or even used in your high school career that will get you off to on a good note at your workplace, ask for it. And say, "When I start, I would really like to have an X, Y, Z, or something like that, because it really helps with my disability that I have," and have that conversation then. But the most important thing is you don't wait to ask until you're about to lose your job, right, if you're having a conversation where they're going to fire you, and this is the end, it's too late to disclose a disability. You can ask during performance management, but it's not always advisable to let it get there, because you don't want people to see -- to think that, you know, you can't do the job. You want to ask for what you need to really show how great you are. 
So the second time is to receive the benefits and privileges of employment. And we talked about that with the cafeteria. If your company offers some kind of perk or privilege, they have a gym and you use a wheelchair, they need to have wheelchair accessible machines that you can use, right, so you get all access to all the things that all the employees get. And then you might want to ask to explain an unusual circumstance. Maybe let's say that you work in a retail situation or on a manufacturing floor where there's no food, no sugar, no drinks, nothing, and you have diabetes, you need to keep a piece of hard candy in your pocket in the event that you have a diabetic emergency. That might be an accommodation. So those are all some just little examples of how accommodations can help. I think it's important to think outside the box in terms of what do I need to be successful? And to have that conversation to tie it to your condition, your disability, your function limitations, and what you need to be successful, and to have that conversation with your employer. Does that make sense, Debora?

Debora >> Yes, and I want to set a reminder, which is to actually use the word “reasonable accommodation” because sometimes people say, "Well, I told my boss I needed, you know, X, Y, and Z," but they never used the word accommodation, and they never connected it to their disability. And so it's much more likely to be denied if you don't use the language and make that connection to the Americans with Disabilities Act and why you need that accommodation.

Wendy >> And I will partly agree with you because it's always handy. It's definitely helpful to make it obvious for a manager, right? Managers aren't always accustomed to disability, and so it's helpful to make it obvious for them, but it's not your job to know all the magic words at the same time.

Debora >> True, true.

Wendy >> So if you know the magic words and you bring the magic words, that's another, you know, tool in your toolkit. But don't feel like you've failed if you did it, you know, but still follow up with that email, excuse me, and say, "I know we have a conversation that I was having trouble with keeping up on my reports. As I mentioned, it's related to my disability or my medical condition, and it would really help me to talk about what other tools I might use." And so then you can point back to that documentation if they don't recognize that as a reasonable accommodation request.

Debora >> Well, Wendy, I'm an attorney, you know, I'm going to always agree with you on documenting the request.

Wendy >> Yeah. I know, and you probably don't argue with me. I know attorneys love to argue. I'm just saying that if you don't say the words, it's not the end of the world.

Debora >> I know it's not a requirement. I was just trying to make it easier for folks because I think that those words do have a little bit of magic power and helping to help the employer connect the dots for what you're asking.

Wendy >> For sure. Yeah, managers are definitely not always trained to recognize that request, so any help you can give them is always great, for sure. All right, never argue with a lawyer. Note to self. Go on to the next slide. 
All right, let's talk about asking for accommodations during the job search process. I think that that can be a really scary time for anyone when they're thinking of getting a new job, putting themselves out there. However, I think the example that Debora shared about the gentleman who never even made it into the interview because he didn't ask her what he needed to be successful, is a perfect kind of picture of why it can be really beneficial. You always want to think about when do I disclose my disability? When do I want to share this information? And again, have those practice conversations with people, and think through, "Do I need to do something differently in this job search or hiring or interview process in order to be successful?" Some places, for example, are going to put you in front of a panel of four people who are going to interview you. And for some that can be very overwhelming, so to say, "Well, you know, I have a little bit of anxiety where I don't feel like I'm going to give you the best answers to these questions in front of a panel. I wonder if I could record my answers with one person and then we could play it back to the whole group and we could do like follow-up questions. It's a little less formal, you know?" So just think about what you need and what will help you succeed and talk to the employer about it. If you can find out what to expect, you know, when you go in for that interview, or even in the application process when you apply for something, just to put in a call and say, "I applied for this job. I'm very interested in it, very excited, was wondering what I might expect of the hiring process or when you're called for an interview." So how do interviews look, where do I park? You know, asking some of those questions just to make sure that the whole process is going to work for you and to think through for your own self. Are there accommodations I'm going to need? For example, if you are going to be walking into a door where there's stairs and stairs aren't your thing to say, "I'd really appreciate the use of an accessible entrance. Is there a room that's close to that because I have trouble walking long distances or something like that?" So just when you're asking and when you're learning, be specific about what you need. Always, you know, frame your request positively. So for an example, you find out that they're going to give you documents, that you're going to talk about documents, or they want you to review documents about the company and then they're going to ask you questions. You could say something like, "I use technology to review documents, right," if you use a screen reader, "So I'll need any interview materials in an electronically accessible format. That way I can come fully prepared to the interview." So just really packaging your requests as a win-win for everybody. It's a great way to really give the employer confidence that you know what you need and you want to shine for them kind of thing.

Jayme >> We've just added a new web link called Making Interviews Accessible for You, and I just wanted to let you know so we can let our listeners know that that is now available in the web links.

Wendy >> Wonderful, thank you. Yeah, so there's a lot of things you can do. There's a lot of things that you can negotiate, but it starts with, you know, thinking through your own comfort level as far as what you want to disclose, how you want to disclose it, asking questions about that hiring process so that you know what to expect so that you can ask for what you need because that's what helps you shine, right? And your EN, your VR counselor, they can help you with all this stuff. So don't feel like you have to figure everything out on your own. 
All right, go on to the next slide. Really when you're asking for accommodations, keep it simple. Use plain language. As Debora said, if you remember the phrase, reasonable accommodation, it can be helpful for a manager who's less experienced in accommodations and always follow up in writing to make sure that you have that documentation for yourself. It's not just, "Remember when we talked," it's, "Remember when we talked and then I sent that email, you know, then you have that documentation." And remember also that you can't tell your friend at work or your colleague who's at the same level as you. You need to talk to your supervisor, an HR representative, someone who's in a position of power in the organization so to really get the ball rolling on the whole process. 
Next slide. I guess I already said this, your Employment Team can definitely help you. Don't be afraid to ask for recommendations or to have those discussions. There's a couple of links on this slide to the Job Accommodation Network that has all kinds of ideas for all different kinds of disabilities to help you think through what accommodations might work for you. They also have technical assistance specialists who you can call and kind of talk things through with. And then the ADA National Network, the link to my center is on here, but there's an ADA center in every part of the country, so you can call any of us. The phone is going to connect to your location. They'll connect you to your regional center and they can help you understand the ADA. They can help you understand a reasonable accommodation. They can talk through specific scenarios with you, so don't hesitate to use those resources. And I think here I turn it back over to Debora.

Debora >> Thank you so much, Wendy, I really appreciate it. We're going to look now at a success story. So let me introduce you to Matt and talk about how Matt used Reasonable Accommodations to achieve success in employment. So Matt received SSDI, he had a combination of some medical issues and hearing loss, and they were really interfering with his ability to work. And Matt said, "I always wanted and planned to work, to be productive, build a career and earn more money." He worked with his VR counselor through the Ticket to Work program, and they connected him to an Employment Network called Community Integrated Services or CIS in Pennsylvania. And if you want to read Matt's success story, there is a link in the web links that you can take a look at. 
So let's talk about how this Employment Network supported Matt. So he worked together with the job development team at CIS and that included not only a career counselor, but also an American Sign Language interpreter, so that he was able to understand and communicate throughout that process and the benefits planner. So those benefits counselors are very important to help people understand what will happen to their benefits, to understand all the safety nets available to help them make this transition to work. So after helping Matt develop his resume, they looked for potential job leads, and Matt actually ended up getting information about Reasonable Accommodations and learned about the Americans with Disabilities Act. And it was his Employment Network who helped him to learn about that so they could think through what he was going to need when he started working. So there were some specific accommodations that Matt and his counselor identified. He decided that he would disclose his disability so he could request the accommodations. So Matt got a job, in fact, he got a job working for his Employment Network. He decided to ask that most of his communication be via email. He could use his keyboard to communicate with his coworkers. And one-on-one meetings, Matt was fine with reading lips, but in large meetings he really had difficulty following what was going on. And so the employer agreed to provide an ASL interpreter so that Matt could fully participate in those larger meetings. So Matt was successful, he achieved financial independence. He was hired full-time as a Human Resource assistant with that Employment Network. And as his role with CIS evolved, he was able to take on additional responsibilities. He's now managing employee benefits and unemployment claims. Matt says, "I am in a supportive environment and position that worked well for me. It feels good to be productive, and now I can afford things I could not have before." And I love Matt's story because I think it really highlights all the ways that going to work can help people. Not only can you achieve that financial independence and have more money to pay for the things that you need and even the things that you want, but you also get that feeling of satisfaction when you're contributing and part of the community. So I think this is a good example of someone who was able to disclose and ask for specific accommodations to be successful in his new employment journey. So I'm going to turn things over to Jayme now. I'm sure we've got a lot more questions after Wendy's wonderful presentation.

Jayme >> It's Jayme. Thank you so much, Debora. And yes, I could probably keep you both here for a few more hours with all of the questions that have come through. Wendy, one of the things I wanted to start with from you is what exactly does an ADA center do?

Wendy >> We provide training, technical assistance and information about implementation of the ADA. So anybody who has rights or responsibilities under any part of the ADA can call us and say, "Here's my situation." So we get calls about employment, we get calls about, you know, "How do I -- I have a court date, I need an accommodation. How do I go about asking for an accommodation?" We get calls from, you know, people who do buildings and make things physically accessible from businesses who are going to serve customers with disabilities. We do it all. So basically, we do anything related to the ADA, training and technical assistance and information dissemination.

Jayme >> And it's Jayme again, and you said that there are ADA centers nationwide?

Wendy >> Yeah, there's 10 of us. We each take one part of the country based on the federal education regions. My center serves New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, but there's one in every part of the country.

Jayme >> Great, Wendy, thank you. It's Jayme again. So as always happens when we talk about disclosure and accommodations and discrimination, we have some folks out there who want to know what they should do if they feel like they've been discriminated against at any point in this --

Wendy >> Jayme?

Jayme >> Yes.

Wendy >> Okay, I heard what they should do if they've been discriminated against, and then I didn't get the end of your question. Could you repeat it?

Jayme >> It's Jayme, sure thing. Sorry about that. Can you hear me better now?

Wendy >> Yes.

Jayme >> Great. This is Jayme still. So at any point in the path, what should they do if they feel like they've been discriminated against during an interview, during an accommodations request anywhere along the way?

Debora >> So there's a statute of limitations, right, you can't go back 10 years, you can't go back a really long time. And I did not look up the period of time that you have. If it's a recent thing, you can do a couple of different things. Sometimes in large employers there will be an ADA coordinator who you can go and speak to and say, you know, "I didn't feel like that was fair, and here's what happened." In states, many states they have human rights laws where they offer very similar protections than what the ADA offers. And you can file a complaint with that state agency who administers your human rights law to let them know that there was discrimination. And then you can also file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the EEOC, and let them know what happened to you so that you can see if you can have some kind of an action on your complaint.

Jayme >> It's Jayme, thanks so much, Debora. And I also want to mention the protection advocacy for beneficiaries of Social Security programs, and they do provide legal services for individuals with disabilities who receive SSI or SSDI, and you can find some of them in our Find Help tool as well. So Wendy, my next question for you, we've come a pretty long way in terms of employer knowledge of disability and inclusion, but there are still employers out there who may be a little intimidated by the idea of providing an accommodation. Lots may think that they're very expensive. So how would you advise someone whose employer is a little hesitant or doesn't know a lot about accommodations? Do they cost a lot of money? What resources might someone provide to that employer?

Wendy >> Yeah, and I think that's a very proactive approach, right, to negotiating with your employer. You could call JAN and talk to them about what you need and then say, you know, "How much do those things cost?" And you could actually bring it to your employer and say, "So I'm having trouble with this part of my job, and I was thinking that if I had this, that it might work for me, and it costs $100." Excuse me one second. Sorry, I'm not feeling well today and I keep coughing. So you could bring that information to them. One thing I want you to know, the Job Accommodation Network does a survey every year. The latest data says that most -- or half of accommodations can be provided at no cost. Things like flexing your work schedule, taking breaks on a different schedule, all that stuff doesn't cost a thing, right? And then a large portion of the remaining accommodations cost less than $300, again, not a huge cost. And then there are some accommodations that have a larger one-time cost. Most of those are under $1,900. The job accommodation study is online. It's called Low Cost High Impact. So you could print out that whole report and give it to your employer and say, "Look at all the benefits of providing accommodations and look at how they're not very expensive." For EARN, we're doing a webinar July 31 and GM is going to be on it with us, and they're going to talk about all this data for small businesses, you know, shoot an email to your boss and say, "This might be really informative for you." And they can hear it from right from Tracy during that webinar.

Jayme >> This is Jayme and thank you for mentioning that. If we could get a link to that, we'll try and drop it into the Web Links pod, but you did mention EARN. Can you tell us a little more about what that is? It's Jayme. Do we have Wendy out there? Okay. Debora, would you like to tell us a bit about EARN?

Debora >> That is really Wendy's wheelhouse, so hopefully she will be able to rejoin us in a moment and tell us more about EARN.

Jayme >> Okay, it's Jayme. Thanks so much, Debora. While we wait for Wendy, I will share that EARN is the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on disability inclusion. Their website is askearn.org, and that's where employers are going to go for information about Reasonable Accommodations and questions that they may have about how to support people who need those accommodations on the job or in the interview process. So askearn is a wonderful employer resource and askjan is for really anyone out there who has questions about Reasonable Accommodations. 
With that, I am actually going to go ahead and move on to do some wrap up. I do want to thank Wendy and Debora again for joining us today. This was a lot of wonderful information. We squeezed a lot into the last 90 minutes and I know it's just kind of the beginning of an explanation for a lot of these things. We hope we've provided you with some thoughts and some ideas to get into more resources. And I'll move on to the next couple slides about how to stay in touch with us and how to get started. 
First, as Debora mentioned, you can contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842. Or for TTY it's 1-866-833-2967. The TTY line is a phone number for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have a speech disability and who use a text telephone to make and receive calls. That's available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Second, you can visit us at the Ticket to Work website at any time online at choosework.ssa.gov. You'll find additional details regarding the topics we've covered in today's webinar, and you can access the Find Help tool that was described earlier. You can choose how to connect with us. The important part is you get started and make that connection. And I know that we have also added a bunch of additional resources to the Web Links pod. The Choose Work website has a wide variety of resources available online and we encourage you to take a look at our blog, our success stories, and all of the information that we have online available for you. 
So how do you stay connected to us? You can visit the Choose Work contact page to find us on social media and subscribe to blog and email updates. We do publish blogs usually weekly, and you can get a notification in your email about when we have a new one out. You can also opt in to receive text messages from the Ticket Program by texting, Ticket, to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply and you can opt out at any time. Lastly, you can also email us at support@choosework.ssa.gov. Any one of these steps is a great first step in the process.
Being here to today is a wonderful way to begin your Ticket to Work experience and start exploring the program. We do host monthly webinars and we encourage you to join us for our next WISE webinar, “Working from home with Ticket to Work.” I know we had a lot of questions from the audience about whether working from home is a reasonable accommodation, and this webinar will get into some tips about working from home, answer that particular question, and also provide some resources on how the Ticket to Work program can support your employment path if you choose to work from home. You can register online at choosework.ssa.gov/wise, or you can call the Ticket to Work Help Line again at 1-866-968-7842, or 1-866-833-2967 for TTY. Again, I want to thank you, Wendy and Debora, so much for joining us. Thank you to everyone in the audience for your wonderful questions. And thank you for taking this first step on your path to financial independence through work. We hope you'll join us next month, and we hope to hear from you at our call center or see you visit our website. Have a wonderful afternoon. This concludes today's webinar.