During our April WISE webinar, Ticket to Work: Working with a Federal Contractor, we explored Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 503 defines guidelines for federal contractors to recruit, hire, promote and retain qualified employees with disabilities. Through voluntary self-identification, Section 503 helps job seekers with disabilities find opportunities, get interview requests and get hired.

More than 350 webinar attendees learned what Section 503 could mean for their job searches, and many asked important questions. We've selected the top questions to answer. Read on to learn more, then check out the WISE webinar archives to catch up on all the information presented in April.

Where can I find federal contractors who fall under Section 503?

There are many ways to find federal contractors. One way is to ask a Ticket to Work (Ticket) program service provider to help you find companies and job openings with federal contractors. Service providers include:

• American Job Centers (AJC): Many AJCs have resources to electronically match job seekers with employers. Find your local AJC.
• State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies and Employment Networks (EN): Many State VR agencies and ENs can help you locate employers. To find an EN or State VR agency that can help, use our Find Help tool.

You may want to ask service providers if they have experience or knowledge helping people with disabilities find jobs with federal contractors.

If you'd like to search on your own, the System for Award Management (SAM) can help you identify companies that work with the federal government and operate under Section 503.

Once you find employers, simply visit their websites to locate job openings.

How do I apply for a job with a federal contractor? Do I have to disclose my disability?

Applying for a job with an employer who falls under Section 503 is like applying for any other job. However, you may choose to self-identify as a person with a disability when applying for these positions. These employers strive to have a diverse and inclusive workforce, which consists of at least 7% of employees with disabilities.

Disclosure is always your personal choice. Voluntary self-identification helps employers meet their recruitment, hiring and career advancement goals. This may open doors to more job opportunities for you.

If you decide to disclose your disability, all information will be kept confidential and separate from other personnel records. It cannot be used in employment decisions.

You won't be penalized if you do not self-identify, but you may not benefit from employers who are motivated to meet or exceed their goal to employ people with disabilities.

I disclosed my disability during the job application process, and now I think I'm being discriminated against because of it. What should I do?

Each state, including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, has Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) organizations. These organizations serve Social Security disability beneficiaries who want to work. They can help remove employment barriers and help you understand and protect your employment rights. If you believe you're being discriminated against because you've self-identified as a person with a disability, a PABSS organization can provide services to stop the discrimination and protect you in the future. Visit Choose Work's Find Help tool to find a PABSS organization in your state.

How can I learn more about the Ticket to Work program and my employment options?

Our monthly WISE webinars feature a variety of topics related to the Ticket program. We explore the Social Security Work Incentives, government programs and employment supports available to people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits and want to work. These free webinars are designed to help you learn more about these resources and help you plan for financial independence.

Register now to join us on May 24, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., for the WISE webinar Ticket to Work for People with a Mental Illness.

If you've ever looked for a job, you know it takes a lot of preparation. You scan job sites, go to career fairs, fill out applications, prepare a resume, write cover letters, contact employers, do interviews, and wait for a phone call to find out if you got the job. All of this takes a lot of effort and can be very stressful. In May we recognize Mental Health Month, a good time to learn tips to deal with stress during your job search.

Stress and mental health

The job hunting process produces many sources of stress. Simply the amount of time, effort and thought that goes into job hunting creates stress. Maybe it's the interview process. Maybe it's the fear of rejection or the excitement of getting a job offer and starting to work.

Stress affects us all; but if you have a mental illness, you may find it more difficult to handle stressful situations. When you have stress, your body releases hormones that can affect your mood. It can even increase symptoms of mental illnesses, including depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

To counteract the potential harm caused by stress, learn how to recognize stress in your life. Start practicing stress management techniques to stay healthy. Talk to your doctor to help you identify the problems stress causes for you. Let your doctor know if you are having a hard time sleeping, feel depressed, get easily angered or upset, or feel excessively tired.

Managing stress on your career path

Looking for a job, transitioning to the workplace and managing your workload can all cause stress. If you're considering looking for work or returning to work, learn more about stress management techniques.

• Make a plan. Diving into a new journey can be exciting, but breaking the journey up into smaller pieces will help you stay on track. When looking for a job, research your career goals, look for job openings, write a resume and cover letter, then send out applications. A timeline can help you stay on task and help it feel less overwhelming.
• Take care of yourself. When things are stressful, it's easy to forget what's important. Even when you have a lot on your mind and on your to-do list, you need to make sure to take care of yourself by eating a healthy diet, sticking to any medication routines, and getting enough sleep. When you feel your best, your mind and body are better able to take on new tasks, like transitioning to work.
• Ask for help. Things don't always go as planned. It's okay to reach out to friends, family and others to make sure you're on the right track and achieving your goals. When you're looking for jobs, an Employment Network (EN) can help you identify your job skills and find open positions. Friends and family can help you write your resume and check your spelling and grammar.
• Take a break. When you're taking on a lot of tasks or dealing with change, it can feel like you have no time for yourself. Stepping back from sources of stress for a little while can help you relax and approach your to-do list or problems with a new point of view. You may even come up with new solutions to the problem once you've allowed yourself to stop thinking about them and to enjoy another activity.

Additional resources

•   National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI)
•   Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA)
•   Mental Health America
•   National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 

By Guest Blogger Sarah Geller of Employment Resources, Inc.

If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you may wonder how work and earning a paycheck could affect your benefits. Or, maybe you have heard about people who work and later receive a notice from Social Security that they have been overpaid.  

Overpayments happen when Social Security pays a beneficiary more than they are eligible to receive. In many, but not all cases, people are overpaid because they fail to report their earnings from work or don’t report them on-time. If you receive SSI and have under-estimated your earnings, that can cause an overpayment. And, overpayments sometimes happen because Social Security cannot act on the changes you report in time to stop your payment or adjust your payment amount. 

If you receive SSI, there are some causes for overpayments that aren’t related to work. They include changes in living arrangements, changes in marital status, and unearned income you receive. Unearned income can be worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance and child-support payments. With SSI, there are limits to the amount of resources (things you own and can turn into cash); for one person, the limit is $2,000, and for a couple the limit is $3,000. Going over those limits can also cause overpayments.

Let’s talk about working and reporting your wages to avoid overpayments and where to get help if you need it. Social Security benefits are complex, and so are the rules about work. Work affects Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits differently. I’ve talked with many beneficiaries over the years who have misunderstood their reporting responsibilities and who continue to have questions about reporting their wages.

 These are the most common myths I hear:

“I only need to report my work to Social Security if I earn over a certain amount.”

If you receive Social Security disability benefits and you’re working, you should be reporting your work earnings regularly, especially when the earnings level changes. Many beneficiaries I speak to don’t understand how and when to report their earnings or the Work Incentives that may apply to them. To help avoid overpayments and have the correct Work Incentives and exclusions applied, always report your earnings and any Work Incentives you have used at the same time.

“Social Security knows I’m working because I’m paying Social Security taxes.”

It is true that Social Security often learns that a beneficiary is working through information sharing with other state and federal agencies, like the Internal Revenue Service. However, it can take time for this information to show up on your record and for Social Security to have time to act on it. In addition, the information Social Security gets from these sources does not replace your need to report. Instead, the earnings reported by federal and state sources simply cause Social Security to contact you and ask you to report earnings and Work Incentives at that time. In the meantime, you could be receiving payments you are not eligible to receive. You can report your wages by mailing or bringing pay stubs to your local Social Security office.

If you are self-employed, you will report your earnings when you complete your tax return, since Social Security needs to see copies of your Federal Income Tax Forms Schedule SE, Schedule C, Schedule C–EZ, or Schedule F. Whenever you report your earnings, you should keep a record of what you reported, keep the documentation, and keep the receipt Social Security gives you for your records.

You can find an office near you by visiting the Social Security office locator.

“My Employment Network/vocational rehabilitation counselor is reporting my work earnings to Social Security”

It is your responsibility to report work earnings. Never assume an agency or another person is reporting your work earnings for you.

“I’m in the Ticket to Work program, so work doesn’t affect my benefits.”

Participating in the Ticket to Work (Ticket) program and using Work Incentives does not change the fact that earnings may affect your benefits. The Ticket program can provide you access to employment services and medical review protection. Don’t let the fear of overpayments discourage your work efforts. While there are other situations that can lead to overpayment, following the recommended guidelines for reporting work can help you while you transition to the workplace.

If you’re working or about to start a job, a Benefits Counselor can talk with you about the reporting requirements for the benefits you receive. They can also explain the Work Incentives available to you as a Social Security beneficiary. Throughout the country, Work Incentives Planning and Assistance programs provide benefits counseling to Social Security and SSI beneficiaries going to work. Also, Many Employment Networks (ENs) in the Ticket program have Benefits Counselors on staff.

To find a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program that serves your area, or an EN with a Benefits Counselor, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket program Find Help tool.

Understanding how working affects your benefits and how to report your earnings can make a big difference in your successful entry or re-entry to work.

Additional resources

•   WISE Webinar: Preventing and Managing Overpayments
•   SSI Telephone Wage Reporting

About Ticket to Work

Social Security’s Ticket to Work program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work.
The Ticket program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce. Learn more about the Ticket program at www.ssa.gov/work.

If you're in the market for a new job, you've probably written a cover letter. A cover letter introduces you to potential employers and explains why you're the best person for the job. This can seem like a difficult task, but following a few tips can improve your cover letters and make writing them easier.

What to include in your cover letter

Cover letters should include a few basic parts:

• An introduction: Let the hiring manager know who you are and what job you're applying for.
• A summary of related job skills: Highlight the skills you have that match the job you're interested in. Make sure you explain how these skills match the job responsibilities.
• A call to action: Ask for an interview or invite employers to talk more about the job and your qualifications. Encourage the hiring manager to get in touch with you.
• Your contact information: Include the best way for the organization to reach you. Make sure employers can easily get in touch with you to set up an interview.

Remember to proofread your cover letter and resume and to ask someone else, whose judgment and proofreading skills you trust, to take a look before you send them to a potential employer.

Should you disclose your disability?

Disclosing your disability in a cover letter is up to you. If you decide to disclose your disability, employers may ask you to fill out a job application that includes a formal opportunity to discuss your disability and accommodations you may need on the job. Whether or not you disclose your disability, focus your cover letter on the skills you have that make you a great fit for the job.

There are a few reasons you may want to think about whether to disclose your disability in your cover letter. You may choose to discuss how you will perform certain job tasks with or without a reasonable accommodation. You may also explain any gaps in employment in your cover letter.

In Disclosure: Let's Talk About It, guest blogger Melanie Whetzel of the Job Accommodation Network answers questions about disclosing your disability to employers.

About Ticket to Work

Social Security’s Ticket program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work. The Ticket program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce.

Learn More

To learn more about the Ticket program, visit www.ssa.gov/work. You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket program Find Help tool.

By Guest Blogger Paula Reuben Vieillet, President of Employment Options Inc.  

The purpose of a resume is to help you get an interview. Think of your resume less like an informational document and more like a paper “commercial” that sells you to potential employers. Because your resume is such an important part of your career path, we’re sharing tips to help you plan and write one that will help employers notice you!  

Appearance matters

You wouldn’t arrive for an interview with your shirt on backwards or spinach in your teeth. How your resume looks and reads matters just as much! Here are some tips:

• Plan a one-page resume. The average amount of time that someone from a company’s Human Resources (HR) department looks at a resume is less than 20 seconds!
• Use standard page setup and fonts. One-inch margins and a standard font like Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman in 10- or 12-point font size will make your resume easier to read.
• Save your resume in Microsoft Word. Many HR systems electronically scan resumes for keywords and cannot read PDFs and other file types.
• Highlight your contact information. Use a large, clear font to make sure hiring managers can easily find out how to contact you for an interview.

Take job descriptions seriously!

Job descriptions clarify what education, certifications and skills are required for the job. Before you write your resume, highlight the description’s keywords. To attract the attention of hiring managers, use these keywords to make it clear that you have the experience and skills they’re looking for. Include software you’ve worked with and qualities employers look for, like organization and the ability to work well on a team.

Organizing your content

Use section headers to separate content on your resume. Here are the most important section headers:

• Objective or summary

• Be specific when you write your objective. “Seeking a position where I can contribute to the team” is too general. Instead, use the job title as a targeted objective.

  Use summary statements to highlight years or qualities. For example, “More than 15 years’ administrative experience with travel and database responsibilities,” or “Self-motivated and precise accountant with more than 10 years’ experience.”

• Skills and qualifications

• Use job description terms like “detail-oriented,” “typing skills” or specific software programs. At a glance, the recruiter can see your skill set. Don’t forget transferable skills that bridge industries like organizing, delegating and customer service.

• Employment experience

• Focus on your last 3 jobs and major duties included in the job description based on your last 10-15 years. If your experience was more than 15 years ago, summarize it at the bottom.

• Example:
  Prior job title
  Customer Support, XYZ Company - 5 years’ experience

• Education

• Include awards or a high GPA if applicable. Current students should list their field of study and projected graduation date.

• Licenses and certifications

• Some jobs may require you to have specific licenses or certifications. Make sure certifications or licenses are listed on your resume.

Gaps in employment

People sometimes have gaps in employment. These gaps can be covered by volunteer work, school, caregiving or being a homemaker — all legitimate reasons to be temporarily out of the workforce.

Example:

Personal Caregiver 3/2013-12/2016
- Provided care for family member
- Handled their finances
- Scheduled medical appointments

Dos and don’ts

• Do avoid pre-interview discrimination by leaving out ethnic, political or religious affiliations.
• Don’t disclose your disability in most cases.  In most cases, jobseekers with disabilities find that waiting until they’ve been offered an interview or a job is to their advantage.  Let your talents and skills speak for themselves on paper.
• Do have someone proofread your resume.
• Do remember: Great resumes can lead to an interview — and a job offer! 

About Ticket to Work

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.
The Ticket program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce.

Learn more

To learn more about the Ticket program, visit www.ssa.gov/work. You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket program Find Help tool.

Throughout May, career fairs will be held nationwide, both in person and online. Career fairs are great places to meet with employers and recruiters who can tell you about their latest job openings. Advance your job search at a career fair this month!

Career Expo for People with Disabilities (In Person)

Meet with employers in both private and government sectors to talk about job and career opportunities. This event, with a special interest in recruitment and hiring of people with disabilities, includes jobs ranging from entry level to professional, and employers are looking for potential employees in all career industries.

• May 19: Washington, DC

Annual Diversity Employment Day (In Person)

Annual Diversity Employment Day (DED) Career Fairs provide the chance for local and national employers to meet and interview qualified candidates from diverse communities.

• May 10: Boston, MA
• May 15: Minneapolis, MN
• May 25: San Francisco, CA

Hiring Our Heroes (In Person)

Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, helps veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses find meaningful employment. Hiring Our Heroes has hosted hiring fairs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

• May 2-4: Fort Campbell, KY
• May 2-3: Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA
• May 4-5: Virginia Beach, VA
• May 9-10: El Paso, TX
• May 16: Forest Hill, TX
• May 16-17: Camp Pendleton, CA
• May 18: Fort Buchanan, PR
• May 23: Boston, MA
• May 23-24: Fort Belvoir, VA

DICE Targeted Hiring Fairs (In Person and Virtual)

This online career fair connects job seekers with top employers in technology industries. Job seekers have the chance to talk with these employers by instant chat during the events.

• May 3: Dallas, TX
• May 10: Baltimore/Ft. Meade, MD
• May 12: Boston, MA
• May 19: Philadelphia, PA
• May 23: San Diego, CA
• May 24: Virtual

Veteran Recruiting (Virtual)

Veteran Recruiting is dedicated to serving the military community, including those with disabilities, by providing access to industry-leading employers through virtual career fairs and live video interviewing services. This event is exclusively for National Guard reservists, veterans and military spouses. You can research potential employers, visit employer booths, chat with recruiters, and browse a wide range of available jobs—all from your home computer!

• May 9: Verizon Virtual Job Fair (Nationwide)
• May 11: Military Spouse Virtual Career Fair

RecruitMilitary (In Person and Virtual)

RecruitMilitary offers transitioning service members, veterans and their spouses the chance to meet with recruiters from dozens of companies. RecruitMilitary has hosted more than 900 events over 11 years.

• May 4: Charlotte, NC
• May 4: Oakland, CA
• May 10: Columbus, GA
• May 11: Norfolk, VA
• May 11: Council Bluffs, IA
• May 11: Hurst, TX
• May 18: Lawton, OK
• May 18: San Antonio, TX
• May 18: Milwaukee, WI
• May 24: Fort Walton Beach, FL
• May 25: New York, NY
• May 25: Cincinnati, OH
• May 25: Tacoma, WA
• May 31: Virtual

On March 24, we held a Twitter chat (#DEChat). During this event, we talked about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act with Chris Rodriguez of the ABLE National Resource Center. Chris shared information about ABLE savings accounts and their effects on federal benefits. ABLE helps certain people with disabilities save for and afford the significant costs of living with a disability.

Our March #DEChat was an engaging conversation that gave people with disabilities, SSI and SSDI beneficiaries, and disability advocates the chance to learn more about ABLE. More than 30 organizations and individuals took part!

For everyone who joined the #DEChat, including Chris, we would like to say thank you!

If you were not able to join and want to see the conversation, you can download the transcript (PDF). The chat offered many resources to help you learn more about the ABLE Act, including:

• The ABLE National Resource Center
• Work Incentive Seminar Event (WISE) Recent Webinar Archives (video and transcript available)
• Choose Work blog: Find out more about the ABLE Act and ABLE programs.

Our social media events are designed to help you learn more about programs, Work Incentives and services to find financial independence and success. If you have an idea for our next Twitter chat, share it in the comments below! We look forward to you joining our next conversation. And you can always stay up to date on the Ticket to Work program by following us on Facebook and Twitter.

In our monthly Work Incentives Wednesdays blog series, we have been sharing information about specific Work Incentives. Today, we take a step back to talk about what Work Incentives are and why they are important as you start or continue on your path to a career and financial independence.

Work Incentives: support on your journey to work

We often hear from beneficiaries that they’re afraid they will lose their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and health care benefits (Medicare or Medicaid) if they start to work. Social Security has special rules known as Work Incentives that you can use to ease the transition to work without suddenly losing your benefits. In many cases, by using Work Incentives, you can test your ability to work and keep your health care and some of your cash benefits. Twenty different Work Incentives make up this support system so you can earn your way to financial independence with confidence.

Work Incentives are available based on the benefit you receive — SSI, SSDI or both. For example, you can qualify for an Earned Income Exclusion (EIE) if you receive SSI, but a Trial Work Period (TWP) is available only if you receive SSDI. Social Security’s website can help you learn more about the Work Incentives available to you based on the type of benefit you receive.

An example of Work Incentives

Social Security has many Work Incentives designed to fit your individual needs. Let’s look at just one example available to people who receive SSI and/or SSDI, called Expedited Reinstatement (EXR).

If you are working and making enough money that your benefits eventually stop, what happens if you have to quit working because of your disability or a condition related to it? With the EXR Work Incentive, you can request that your benefits start again without submitting a new benefit application. While Social Security is reviewing your request to reinstate your benefits, you may receive temporary benefits for up to 6 months. This gives you time to explore your options, whether returning to work or to disability benefits.

Future posts in this series will cover other Work Incentives. You can also read our previous Work Incentives Wednesdays blog posts to learn about Work Incentives like the Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS) and Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE).For more information about all of Social Security’s Work Incentives, check out The Red Book – A Guide to Work Incentives.

Ticket to Work and Work Incentives

As you learn more about Work Incentives, the Ticket to Work (Ticket) program can help you take steps toward your career and financial goals. The Ticket program provides free employment support for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits and want to work.

Through the program, you can connect with services and support. Support includes access to Employment Networks (EN) and other service providers that may have Benefits Counselors on staff. Benefits Counselors can discuss your benefits and Work Incentives to help you better understand how working will affect your benefits. Once you’re ready to work, an EN can help you find job training, offer career consulting and even help with job placement.

In addition to this monthly blog series, the Ticket program hosts monthly Work Incentives Seminar Event (WISE) webinars. You can attend these free webinars to learn more about Work Incentives and other resources available to people who receive Social Security disability benefits. Register for the next webinar online or call 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY). Past webinars are available in the WISE webinar archives.

Learn More

To learn more about the Ticket program, visit www.ssa.gov/work. You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket program Find Help tool.

By Tom Heinz, founder and Executive Director of East Bay Innovations, San Leandro, CA

Over the last 10 years, a lot has been written about the dramatic increase in the number of young people diagnosed with Autism. During that time, my Employment Network (EN), East Bay Innovations (EBI), has started to serve young people with Autism. As this population leaves the public education system, we help them set employment goals, gain training and find jobs.

Getting ready to work

At first, we struggled to find the right employment sector for these young people, who were not a fit for many of the careers people with other cognitive disabilities were well suited for. Pre-employment intervention and training programs have become a clear answer and a good path to success for people with Autism. According to a recent study in the journal Autism, transitional programs that offer rehabilitation and training options for people with disabilities have increased their chances of employment.

The study focused on Project SEARCH plus Autism Spectrum Disorder Supports, a program that works with people in their last year of high school. The program offers work-targeted education and internships with large community businesses, like hospitals and banks. The experience helps participants develop important job skills that can help them find, get and keep competitive employment. Learn more about Project SEARCH and its effect on employment.

Maximizing talents

EBI became aware of the Project SEARCH training model in 2007. Soon after, we established two Project SEARCH training programs, one at Oakland Children's Hospital and another at the Administrative Offices for the County of Alameda. When these programs got off the ground, we started to better understand the potential talent that people with Autism really represented for employers. Many participants we worked with could do complex tasks well as long as the task was systematic. Some examples include:

• Typing 90 words per minute with accuracy
• Proofreading documents with excellent attention to detail
• Assessing inventories with attention to expiration dates

Program participants learned how to translate their unique talents into job skills, offering them the chance to find permanent jobs with living wages and career paths including promotions, raises or both. Because of the earning potential offered by the jobs, many of our clients have been able to earn their way off Social Security disability benefits. And because they now make more money than they were receiving, they’re able to afford a better quality of life.

Ongoing employment support

We also understand the importance of continuous support, so EBI offers long-term support and job coaching. This support is especially effective for people with Autism because we help clients navigate the complex world of communication and social cues in professional settings.

Since starting our two Project SEARCH programs, we have helped place more than 50 people in competitive jobs. We have also earned awards for our successful job placement rates from the International Project SEARCH. To learn more about our Project SEARCH programs and how EBI and Project SEARCH help people with Autism find support and training to help them work, check out more information about the project.

About Ticket to Work

Social Security’s Ticket to Work program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work. The Ticket program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce.

Learn More

To learn more about Ticket to Work, visit www.ssa.gov/work and contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket to Work Find Help tool.