Ticket to Work and Mentorship: Support on Your Journey to Employment
Wednesday, October 26, 2016, 3:00 – 4:30 PM, ET

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

Join us on October 26, 2016 for the latest national WISE webinar. We will present information about Social Security programs and rules that may apply to you! You will learn from experts about employment resources, including:

• Tips for finding and working with a mentor;
• How mentors can help you on your journey to employment; and
• Ticket to Work and Work Incentives.

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.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has designated the first week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW). According to the NAMI,one in five American adults lives with mental illness.  Establishing MIAW is one of many steps NAMI has taken to increase awareness about mental illness and confront fear, discrimination in the workplace, and stigma head on. This year during MIAW, NAMI encourages people to take the #StigmaFree pledge.

 People with mental illness represent many segments of the workforce. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that one in four employees need mental health care. With well-managed symptoms and support from family, friends, colleagues and a Ticket to Work service provider, people with mental illness can be successful on the job.

Work can greatly help people with mental illness earn a living, improve self-esteem, and become more independent.

Additional Resources

For more information about employment and mental illness, check out our previous posts honoring Mental Health Month 2016.

• May is Mental Health Month
• Veterans, Mental Illness, and Employment: How Ticket to Work Can Help
• Tips for Supporting a Friend or Family Member with Mental Illness during the Transition to Work
• Mental Illness: On Meaningful Work and Recovery
• Achieving Success and Wellness with Ticket to Work
• Should You Disclose Your Mental Illness to Your Employer?

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.socialsecurity.gov/work, or contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 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.

October 5, 2016 is World Cerebral Palsy Day. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a complex, lifelong movement disability that can range from mild to severe. Although CP is the most common physical disability in childhood, it is widely misunderstood. Non-profit organizations around the world have responded by forming a partnership to raise awareness of CP and help people look beyond the disability.

This month’s Ticket to Work News and Views feature celebrates the achievements of Shileta. Shileta is a Ticket to Work program participant with CP who has made a career out of guiding other young people with disabilities through self-discovery and life planning. With help from Social Security’s Ticket to Work program and mentors in her own life, Shileta was able to connect her own passion for mentoring with a rewarding career.

Shileta shares her thoughts: “…the next generation of young people with disabilities is growing up. They worry about the same things I worried about… They [need] support from people who were there before them, and it is a privilege to be among the mentors who can offer them guidance.”

Shileta had been receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments since she was a girl. She was determined to earn enough money to no longer need to rely on SSI, but she needed support as she prepared to live and work independently.

In 2010, she connected with Full Circle Employment Solutions, a service provider dedicated to helping job-seekers with disabilities become financially independent. Hundreds of authorized providers like Full Circle offer free employment support services through Social Security’s Ticket to Work program. The Ticket program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and want to work. Ticket to Work providers, known as Employment Networks (ENs) or state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, offer a range of services to help people prepare for, find and maintain employment.

Being independent doesn’t have to mean flying solo. Shileta was glad to have Full Circle staff by her side on the road to independence. Her EN educated her about how full-time employment would affect her Social Security disability benefits, helped her understand her Ticket program responsibilities, and helped her with correspondence with Social Security. Full Circle was there to answer her questions about benefits and work as they came up. Had Shileta needed it, her EN would have helped with her job search. But she found work on her own at the end of 2011 and turned her job offer into employment success!

Shileta now works for The DC Center for Independent Living (DCCIL) as a Special Assistant. She feels at home in this organization with a philosophy that matches her passion. At DCCIL, she helps with community outreach and guides young people on the path to opportunity. Finding work also allowed Shileta to trade her SSI check for a larger paycheck.

“Ticket to Work has improved my quality of life,” she says. “I’m able to do things I wouldn’t have been able to do if I were relying on SSI. This is my paycheck! I earned it… and that leaves any person with a sense of pride, motivated to put their best foot forward… to achieve more.”

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 Work, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work.  Or contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 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.

Planning for the future can be both thrilling and overwhelming for anyone. For young adults with disabilities, it can be especially helpful to hear from peers about their work experiences. Peers can share how they moved from school into the workforce with a sense of confidence, and a desire to keep learning and developing new skills. Young adults with disabilities can also benefit from their peers’ experiences with successful job search strategies, techniques for keeping jobs, excelling at work, and achieving greater independence. 

Peer resources

Meet Larry from Virginia, a young disabled adult who used the Ticket to Work program to prepare for job interviews and find successful and rewarding work.

Larry’s Success Story
 

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

Another helpful resource is By Youth, For Youth: Employment – a comprehensive guide that offers youth with disabilities resources, checklists, and dos and don’ts to help them find and keep employment. 

In this downloadable PDF, young adults with disabilities share their advice and experiences with employment resources, how to write a resume, and how to prepare for a job interview. The guide provides valuable insights into the benefits of having a mentor, and the need to continue to grow and develop job skills. It also offers helpful, relevant information about vocational rehabilitation and transportation.

By Youth, For Youth: Employment was co-written by youth and adults involved in the National Youth Action Council on Transition (YouthACT). YouthACT is a national initiative to engage more youth with disabilities and their allies in partnerships with adults and youth-serving organizations to help improve youth’s chances for success. YouthACT is led by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth at the Institute for Educational Leadership with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

If you’re a young adult age 18 or older ready to explore work, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers. You can also search for providers online using our Find Help tool.

For more information about Social Security’s Ticket to Work program, visit www.choosework.net.

Do you get overwhelmed at the thought of trying to balance work and your personal life? Would you look for a job if you could find an employer that could accommodate your needs? A flexible workplace helps people with disabilities enter or re-enter the workforce — and increases employee loyalty and success.

On its Flexible Work Arrangements web page, The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) reports that businesses manage employee productivity by being flexible with where and how work gets done. Companies that offer workplace flexibility create supportive, inclusive and diverse workplaces for all workers, including those with disabilities.

Employers that offer flexible work hours and break times, part-time schedules, liberal leave policies, or work-from-home choices may be especially appealing to jobseekers and employees with disabilities who need   work-life balance. Formal and informal workplace flexibility allows employees to manage their health, care for themselves and their families, take classes and  even volunteer!

In its Focus on Workplace Flexibility, The Boston College Sloan Center on Aging and Work reports that “JP Morgan Chase found that 95% of employees working in an environment where the manager is sensitive to work and personal life — including informal flexibility — feel motivated to exceed expectations.” 

Are you age 18-64 and receiving Social Security benefits due to a disability?   Does workplace flexibility matter to you? If so, consider Ticket to Work.   In addition to assisting with resume writing, interview skills and requesting job accommodations, Ticket to Work service providers may be able to connect you with employers who have strong, supportive workplace flexibility policies.

Additional Resources:

• U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy: Flexible Work Arrangements
• Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion: Workplace Wellness and Disability
• Ability Magazine: Balancing Work, Life and Disability

By Abby Fitzsimmons, Senior Program Advisor, United Spinal Association

There’s a lot to think about after a spinal cord injury (SCI). Everyone wants to participate in their lives and regain independence as much as they can. Some challenges of living with SCI can initially seem impossible. One of these is returning to work. 

United Spinal Association’s Pathways to Employment (PTE) Program helps people with SCI find and build successful careers. It offers information and resources about benefits and transitioning to work. It also pairs job seekers with trained peer mentors. These mentors are people with SCIs who are or were recently employed who have experienced many of the challenges that people with SCIs go through as they search for a job.

PTE partners with employers to place PTE jobseekers in jobs. The PTE program is currently active in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It will soon expand nationally. United Spinal works closely with each state’s vocational rehabilitation services to take advantage of existing work incentive programs, like on-the-job training and salary incentives. The Ticket to Work program is an important player in many participants’ return to work.

The PTE program gives jobseekers the chance to:

• Interact with someone who has successfully adjusted to working with a disability;
• Identify practical resources, benefits and work incentive programs;
• Develop an employment plan;
• Learn self-advocacy skills; and
• Get reasonable accommodations

Employers who partner with the PTE program will:

• Identify resources and make a plan for hiring people with disabilities to meet requirements of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act;
• Find potential employees with disabilities who want to work, are prepared to work, and have ongoing support from a mentor; and
• Learn about resources, benefits, and available work incentive programs.

To learn more about United Spinal’s PTE program or its other resources and programs, visit www.unitedspinal.org or contact Abby Fitzsimmons at afitzsimmons@unitedspinal.org. Follow United Spinal Association on Twitter at @UnitedSpinal.

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, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 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.

Imagine a world where you needed coins to make urgent calls, and where it took weeks to connect with loved ones in distant places. Communication has improved drastically with the creation of new technology. Nearly everything you need is now a click or a fingertip-swipe away!

With fast, interactive communications, it’s easy and fun to engage with others online. But, while you post, pin, tweet and snap in your free time, it’s important to remember that employers will check your social media activity when they consider you for a job.

A recent study of human resource professionals conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, shows that organizations use social media to verify information found in job applicant cover letters and résumés. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are the top social media sites recruiters use to gauge the professionalism of applicants, see what others say about them, and look for other “red flags.”

With employers using social media as a screening tool, you need to ensure your online presence shows off your skills, personality and interests in ways that create a positive, professional impression.

There are many ways to ensure your social media profiles reveal the best you. Here are five ways to get started:

• Write a strong profile bio. Your social media profiles (usually short bios) should demonstrate your accomplishments and strengths. Avoid using language others might perceive as lacking professionalism.
• Google yourself. Search your name on Google. If your name is similar to others, add your city and state to the search.
• Check your network. Recruiters don’t simply scan your profile. They also scan the people you’re connected to and the content they share. To protect your credibility, consider unfriending or unfollowing contacts whose online presence could jeopardize your good reputation.
• Photos matter. Make sure you have a professional-looking photo on your social media profiles. You may also want to delete or untag yourself in photos that don’t show you in a favorable light.
• Mind your manners. Review your social media posts and comments to make sure you are sharing or commenting on information in a polite, accessible way. If you wouldn’t say it to someone sitting across the dinner table, you probably shouldn’t say it on social media. Future employers may take offense at online rants about politics, religion or other topics.

Social media is a wonderful way for employers to find even more reasons to hire you. Just remember that everything you post online will always be available to someone, somewhere.

If you’re ready to work and would like help with your résumé and job applications, Ticket to Work might be right for you!

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 Work, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 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.

You may have heard by now that changes to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which took effect March 24, 2014, will increase employment for people with disabilities. This week’s Ticket to Work News and Views blog answers some of your questions about Section 503 and what it means for you!

What is Section 503?

Federal contractors are businesses hired to provide goods or services to (or on behalf of) the federal government. Under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, businesses with 50 or more employees and $50,000 or more in federal contracts must take affirmative action to hire more people with disabilities. The rule encourages federal contractors to make an effort to ensure at least 7% of their employees are qualified individuals with disabilities.

This 7% requirement is an aspirational goal or target. It’s not a hiring requirement, but a way to ensure that federal contractors include disability in their recruitment and hiring criteria. These employers must show they are complying with Section 503 requirements to recruit and hire people with a documented disability. To meet this goal, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that federal contractors need to hire more than half a million more employees with disabilities. If you’re looking for employment and have a disability, this could be great news for you!

How will employers comply?

One way federal contractors can meet the 7% target is to encourage applicants and current employees to disclose if they are an individual with a disability. In the past, under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers were not allowed to ask applicants about disabilities before offering them a job. Section 503 now allows employers to invite applicants to voluntarily self-identify as having a disability. The 503 Final Rule requires contractors to offer applicants a chance to self-identify as having a disability both before and after a job offer. Employers MUST use language taken from the US Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) form. For online job postings, this voluntary self-identification request must be included with the race/gender request.

If an employer invites job applicants to voluntarily self-identify for affirmative action purposes, the employer must clearly state that the information they are asking for is:

• Used only for affirmative action efforts, and
• Optional to provide, will be kept confidential in accordance with the ADA, and that if an applicant decides not to self-identify, he or she will not be punished in any way. 

To ensure that self-identification information is confidential, applicants must provide it on a separate form than the job application. Watch this OFCCP video that educates employees and applicants with disabilities about the importance of self-identifying.

What if I’d rather not disclose my disability?

You have the right not to disclose your disability. If you do not disclose it before getting a job offer, there are still many other chances to update your disability status, including when you are offered a job. Contractors must also invite current employees to self-identify every five years and regularly remind employees that they can confidentially update their disability status at any time. Employers must keep your voluntarily-disclosed disability information confidential and separate from your personnel file.

In addition, an employer:

• Cannot force you to self-identify or ask for proof of your disability.
• Can ask if you have a disability, but cannot ask what the disability is.

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.

To learn more about Ticket Work, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 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. Your service provider may be able to connect you with information about Section 503 job opportunities.

Register NOW!
Preventing and Managing Overpayments:
A Webinar for Social Security Beneficiaries
Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 3:00 – 4:30 PM, ET

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

Join us on September 28, 2016 for the latest national WISE webinar. We will present information about Social Security programs and rules that may apply to you! In addition to learning about Ticket to Work and Work Incentives, frequently asked questions and where to find more information, you will hear from experts about employment resources, including:

• What an overpayment is and tips for avoiding one;
• Why it’s important to report your wages and how to do so; and
• Ticket to Work and Work Incentives.

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 Tad Asbury

Bridges from School to Work has been a Ticket to Work Employment Network for well over a decade and has served 20,000+ youth with disabilities over 25 years. In that time, our staff has learned a few things about youth transition. We know one size does NOT fit all, but we certainly notice patterns.

I shared some of the lessons we’ve learned as a guest speaker on the June 22, 2016, Social Security Work Incentives Seminar Event (WISE) webinar. These lessons highlight some realities that youth need to keep front and center in their minds as they enter the world of work.

It’s important to remember that work is work, not play. And it can be challenging to find a job and keep it. But take heart: it’s a big, exciting world of work out there with a wide variety of job opportunities, job types and needed skills. And, most importantly, employers need people of all abilities.

Lesson #1: Work Early, Work Often

It’s proven that being introduced to competitive workplaces and employment while still in school ties to success later in life, so get started as soon as possible!  Volunteer or find an internship, a summer job, or a job over the holidays, part-time or full-time. Just get started! The National Youth Transitions Center and its Youth Transitions Collaborative developed three short videos titled Work Early, Work Often that really drive home lesson #1.

Lesson #2: Master the Basics

Remember these three basic concepts: Knowledge, Communication, and Respect.

Knowledge

You need to know your “self” before you go into an interview. Great tools for this include interest inventories, personality tests, career interest assessments, etc. They all have some value. If nothing else, the inventories give you vocabulary, words and ideas that you can use to talk about yourself. Self-awareness is key.

Equally as important, you need to know the company or the organization where you would like to work. Know what the company does. Most companies have a website with an “About Us” section. Read it. Know their product, who their customers are, how they operate, and their values (and make sure they match yours). The more you know about the company, the better.

Communication

Remember that your communication is a reflection of you. Take time to develop a resume, perhaps using some of the inventory vocabulary mentioned here. Line up references ahead of time and make sure any social media sites you use reflect well on you. In an interview, you have one chance to make a first impression, so look and act the part. You also need to know your rights and the rules around disability. If you choose to disclose your disability to your potential employer, develop a plan ahead of time.

Respect

The last basic is respect. It’s talked about a lot but not practiced enough, so showing respect will set you apart. Be polite, listen, make eye contact if you are able, avoid distractions like your cell phone, get contact information, and get in the habit of writing a thank-you note after your interview.               

Lesson #3: Show What You Know

You are likely to be asked about your experience in an interview, so be prepared. Bridges staff around the country use the STAR method as a tool: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Think of one or more scenarios you can draw from related to the following: how you have worked on a team, helped a customer (or someone else), and managed your time. In each scenario, describe the Situation or Task you had to do, talk about the Action you took, and share the Result of that action. Create a few STARS and practice sharing them with others. You’ll be glad you did!

Once you receive a job offer and accept it, you can also show what you know.  Know the work and shift schedule, be at work every day you are scheduled, be on time, be organized, and follow the dress code.           

Lesson #4: Practice Success Daily

In just about any job, the secret to success has as much to do with attitude as it does with skills. Keep these thoughts in mind: take initiative, avoid texting and talking on the phone (unless that’s your job!), don’t do “favors” for friends or family, avoid drama and rumor mills, be professional, and work hard.

That’s it! Work early and often, master the basics, show what you know, and practice success daily. Stay positive, get out there, and get started!

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 Work, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 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.

About the Guest Blogger

Tad Asbury is a Vice President and Executive Director of the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities. Tad leads Bridges from School to Work, a national program that helps young adults with disabilities find employment. Tad currently serves on the board of the Disability Funders Network and the Leadership Committee for the National Youth Transitions Center.