This month, we honor America’s veterans. Many veterans with disabilities face challenges reintegrating into society and finding a good job or restarting a career interrupted by their service. The Ticket to Work program can make this journey smoother and help you find a meaningful career after your military service.

As a veteran, you offer employers:

• Skills and experience
• Discipline and teamwork
• Courage and resilience

As a veteran in the workforce, you gain:

• Financial independence
• A chance to use your current skills and develop new ones
• Connections with people on the job and in your community

Veteran Employment Resources

Many other resources are available to help veterans successfully enter the workplace:

• Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) Services – VR&E is a program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Through VR&E, you may receive vocational rehabilitation and employment services to help with job training, employment accommodations, resume development and job-seeking skills coaching. Other services may help veterans start their own businesses or provide independent living services for those with severe disabilities that make traditional employment difficult.
• Hiring Our Heroes – This is a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. Hiring Our Heroes works through a network of 1,600 state and local Chambers of Commerce and other partners from the public, private and non-profit sectors. The initiative has hosted more than 320 hiring fairs in 49 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia resulting in more than 10,400 hires.
• Veteran Recruiting – This website provides veterans with disabilities and the military with access to industry-leading employers through virtual career fairs and live video interviewing services. Register for the Veterans Day event on November 10, 2016.
• ApprenticeshipUSA – Have you served in the military and are now looking to start an exciting new career? The Federal Government provides a number of resources to help service members and veterans find high-skill, well-paying Registered Apprenticeship jobs. Learn more at ApprenticeshipUSA!

Throughout the month of November, career fairs will take place nationwide. 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!

October 12 was World Arthritis Day! Did you know arthritis is the most common cause of disability and one of the most common chronic conditions in the United States? (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). People with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions account for at least one in four of those who receive Social Security disability benefits. (Source: WebMD) This number goes up among older workers.

The good news is there are resources and supports to help you manage arthritis at work. It’s also important to consider things like your working hours, where you work, and tools to help you work more comfortably.

• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) – JAN is a free, confidential and personalized service that offers employment guidance to people with disabilities. It also offers specific information about accommodations for people with arthritis. JAN is a service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
• Arthritis Foundation – The Arthritis Foundation is a non-profit organization addressing the needs of people living with arthritis in the United States. It offers multiple resources on finding a job and working with arthritis.

If you have arthritis and are ready to explore employment, be sure to connect with the Ticket to Work program.

Additional Resource

Finding a Job and Working with Arthritis (Arthritis Foundation)

October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month. The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) is calling for a celebration of the many achievements of those in the Spina Bifida community. Spina Bifida is a rare congenital disorder that happens during pregnancy, when the baby’s spinal cord does not develop or close properly. Every day, about eight babies born in the United States have Spina Bifida or a similar birth defect of the brain and spine.

This month’s Ticket to Work News and Views feature celebrates the achievements of Jesus. Jesus is a Ticket to Work program participant whose passion to “pay forward” the support he had growing up with Spina Bifida led him to a career in public service. With help from Social Security’s Ticket to Work program and other mentors in his life, Jesus was able to see his professional potential.

“I saw that my physical limitations would not necessarily prevent me from finding meaningful employment,” he recalls. “I listened to other people [like me] tell their stories about how they achieved their educational and [work] goals through volunteer work and other experiences... [and] I was inspired.”

Jesus began to discover what he was capable of when he moved out of his parents’ home for the first time in 2012. He lived on campus at the University of California at Riverside, developed an intense interest in the social sciences, and experienced a sense of independence he had never known.

After he graduated, Jesus felt he needed help with the transition to the next chapter in his career. He found it in 2014 with Ticket to Work. Jesus connected with an EN called Career Connection that could provide the personalized guidance he needed. Together, they worked on a plan to help him achieve his employment goals.

Jesus’ EN also helped him understand what full-time employment would mean for his disability benefits. With the EN’s assistance, he landed a federal job through Schedule A. Schedule A is a non-competitive hiring authority available for federal agencies to hire and promote workers with disabilities. By using Schedule A to fill a vacancy, a federal government agency like the Social Security Administration (SSA) can avoid using the traditional—and often lengthy—competitive hiring process. In 2016, Jesus was hired as a Service Representative for an SSA field office in California. He enjoys helping people get the resources they need and looks forward to progressing along a new learning curve.

“Work has helped me expand my social circles and my support network as well. I am very happy knowing that I can be independent, achieve the goals I set for myself, and I’m more confident every day. The Ticket to Work program… helped me find my way to work at my own pace, and I’m grateful for that.”

To read about others like him with valuable experiences to share, check out Ticket to Work Success Stories!

Notes and Sources: 

• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: The ABCs of SCHEDULE A: Tips for Applicants with Disabilities on Getting Federal Jobs
• Spina Bifida Association
• Spina Bifida Awareness Month
• Jesus' Success Story

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, a chance to spread awareness and celebrate the achievements of people with Down syndrome! It is also a time to reflect, think about the future and cultivate abilities. Work can be an important part of an adult’s life. Many people who have Down syndrome find that having a job gives them an opportunity to use their talents and interests, feel a sense of belonging, and make meaningful contributions to society. It can also help some people gain financial independence.

Many organizations help individuals with Down syndrome find the personalized support they need to plan their work goals, develop skills, and connect with communities that enrich their lives. Some of these include:

• National Down Syndrome Society – Advocates for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome
• Project SEARCH – Works to help youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities find employment as they transition from school
• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth (NCWD/Youth) – Provides resources and trainings on employment and youth with disabilities
• The Arc – Advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families

If you or someone you know with Down syndrome is ready to explore employment, be sure to connect with the Ticket to Work program.

Working for Yourself with Ticket to Work:
Achieving Financial Independence
Wednesday, November 16, 2016, 3:00 – 4:30 PM, ET

If you receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want tomake more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support that you need!

The November 16 national WISE webinar will present information about special Social Security programs and rules that can help you on your path to self-employment!

A special guest speaker will teach you about: 

• Factors to consider if you are thinking about self-employment;
• Ticket to Work & Work Incentives; and
• Where to find more information.

Register online at www.choosework.net/wise or call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

You will receive a registration confirmation message with instructions on how to log in to the webinar. Please be sure to check your spam folder. Registration information will also be available online the day of the webinar.

By Guest Blogger Al Sloane

As a Ticket to Work participant, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Whether you’re looking for a job, transitioning into a new position, or trying to juggle new responsibilities, Benefits.gov can help. We house information on over 1,200 benefits, many of which are for people with disabilities and for which you may qualify. Below, we’ll explain what our site offers and how you can put it to use.

Finding Benefits

Our site’s main tool is the Benefit Finder, our free and confidential prescreening questionnaire. As you answer questions about your current situation, you’ll see a list of benefits you may be eligible to receive. The more questions you answer, the more precise your eligibility information will be. You can click on individual benefits in your list to learn more about the program, eligibility requirements, how to apply, and who to contact if you have questions.

Disability Benefits

About one in four Benefits.gov users are people with disabilities. With our 17 federal agency partners, we provide the most up-to-date information on programs from 20 different categories, including disability assistance. Some of our programs focus on disability employment.

• The Job Accommodation Network (JAN), managed by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), offers employees and employers free, expert and confidential  guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
• The U.S. Department of the Treasury offers the Tax Help for People with Disabilities program, which provides tax relief for disabled taxpayers. If you are disabled or have a household member with a disability, you may qualify for this program.
• The U.S. Department of Education administers the TRIO Student Support Services, which provides support services to students with disabilities enrolled in post-secondary education programs. Those eligible receive personal and academic counseling, career guidance, mentoring and tutoring.
• The U.S. Department of Education also provides the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects for American Indians with Disabilities. This program helps tribal governments provide vocational rehabilitation services to American Indians with disabilities, helping them on a path toward gainful employment.
• In addition to these programs, we have information on other forms of disability assistance from various federal agencies.

Benefits.gov is here to serve you! Stay connected by subscribing to our quarterly Compass eNewsletter or follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on important news and other useful benefit information.

About the Guest Blogger

Al Sloane is the Benefits.gov Program Director. He oversees every aspect of the Program and ensures that it continues to provide helpful benefit information to citizens every day.

By Guest Blogger Avalyn Jackson, AT&T Lead Talent Attraction Manager

AT&T celebrates diversity regardless of a person’s race, gender, disability or any other category. But diversity must be inclusive. Being inclusive means championing the voice of every employee and empowering each to make meaningful contributions. This includes people with disabilities. We make this commitment to every employee and to all candidates seeking to join the AT&T Family.

Inclusive Recruitment Strategies

As a member of AT&T’s Talent Acquisition and Diversity teams, I match people with disabilities with employment opportunities that fit with their skills and career goals. I attract candidates through targeted recruitment and advertising and by attending disability career events. I also partner with professional and community organizations to help identify candidates who may have a disability and provide them with resources to succeed at AT&T.

The robust programs and tools AT&T uses to make the application process smoother for applicants with disabilities support my efforts. Our att.jobs website is one such tool. AT&T designed the site to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG2.0). People using assistive technology during their job search can access the site. We also accommodate job seekers during every step in the application process — from application to assessment to interview.

Leadership in Inclusive Technology

AT&T’s work helps people of all abilities use their mobile devices to seek and find employment, access household appliances, monitor home security systems, and do much more. At AT&T, we bring together diverse perspectives, identify needs, and work with individual communities to find new and innovative ways to meet those needs through technology. That defines our inclusiveness.

AT&T is a recognized leader in accessibility innovations. For example, we won the prestigious AAPD Connector Award in 2016. This honor recognizes companies that work to enable members of the disability community to connect with their world anytime, anywhere and on any device. AT&T has also earned a 100% rating in the Disability Equality Index (DEI) for the past two years. The DEI, an initiative by American Association of People with Disabilities and U.S. Business Leadership Network, provides businesses with objective evaluations of their policies and practices for disability inclusion.

AT&T is also a proud member of The 5000 Initiative: Autism in Tech Workforce summit. The summit unites global companies that help those on the autism spectrum get hired in the tech industry. We aim to help meet the growing business demand for tech talent by creating 5,000 new jobs for people with autism by 2020.

I’m proud to work for a company that really “gets it” when it comes to recruiting people with disabilities. Members of this community are intelligent, talented and hardworking — just like anyone else. They just need the opportunity to demonstrate their personal talents. I sincerely hope more companies join the effort to recruit people with disabilities. When every voice matters, every company can succeed.

For more information on AT&T’s diversity and inclusion efforts, visit http://about.att.com/sites/diversity.

About the Guest Blogger

Avalyn Jackson is AT&T’s Lead Talent Attraction Manager responsible for attracting people with disabilities and other diverse candidates. Avalyn was previously a Lead Compliance Analyst at the Corporate Accessibility Technology Office, Associate Marketing Director for Disability and Mature Products at AT&T Mobility, and Chairperson for the AT&T Advisory Panel on Access and Aging. She has worked in the telecom business for over 20 years. Avalyn represented AT&T at the Ticket to Work Virtual Job Fair in August 2016.

Each October for more than 70 years, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) has celebrated disability employment in the public and private sectors. The goal of NDEAM is to call employers to reflect on their progress towards disability inclusion.

The Value of Employment

Let’s look at the value of work for people with disabilities:

• It allows you to contribute your unique skills and talents
• It provides you with a greater sense of purpose
• Earning a paycheck gives you more control over your life, allowing you to make choices and move toward financial independence
• Interacting with people at work gives you a chance to make new friends and develop relationships
• Employment is a great equalizer, which helps you focus on your strengths and abilities

This year’s NDEAM theme, #InclusionWorks, encourages employers and employees to share ideas and learn more about the value of disability inclusion. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy’s NDEAM page.

In the words of Jennifer Sheehy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, “By fostering a culture that embraces individual differences, including disabilities, businesses profit by having a wider variety of tools to confront challenges. Our nation’s most successful companies proudly make inclusion a core value. They know that inclusion works. It works for workers, it works for employers, it works for opportunity, and it works for innovation.”