#ADA32: Celebrating 32 Years
We are celebrating the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed in 1990. This law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations and more. The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations so that employees with disabilities have the same work opportunities as those without disabilities. The Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program together with the provisions of the ADA are major components in helping guide individuals like Lisa to gainful employment.
Lisa, who received a diagnosis of agoraphobia (fear of going out in public places), was unable to work because she found it difficult to be around crowds or to commute to work. After receiving treatment for her disorder, Lisa was ready to begin working again but needed help.
Learn more about accommodations and register for the Ticket Program's free Work Incentive Seminar Event (WISE) webinar, Ticket to Work and Reasonable Accommodations on July 27.
Lisa connected with the Ticket Program through the Ticket to Work Help Line. The Ticket Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI/SSI) and want to work. Through this free and voluntary program, approved service providers help people prepare for work, find a job or advance in their current position. The Help Line representative provided Lisa with a list of providers she could contact to get help with her job search.
Because Lisa needed accommodations to work productively and comfortably, she discussed options with her service provider, and together they decided that working from home was Lisa's best option. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, working from home is considered a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.
From her service provider, Lisa also learned how her benefits would be affected when she started earning an income from work. She learned about Work Incentives that make it easier for people with disabilities to work and still receive medical coverage and, in some cases, disability benefits from Social Security.
Lisa now works full time as a Job Counselor for a service provider called My Employment Options. With support from the Ticket Program and #ThanksToTheADA, Lisa found her path to a better future.
"Working makes me feel empowered. It has helped me grow. I do not suffer any longer from agoraphobia. I actually travel to Florida for work meetings and look forward to the trips. I am now able to run a household while helping other people like me find their calling. I am so lucky to have found Employment Options. I would not have the ... courage to go back to work [without them]. Thanks [to] Employment Options and the Ticket to Work Program, I have changed my life," said Lisa when asked how working and the Ticket Program helped her.
Learn More
To learn more about the Ticket Program, visit choosework.ssa.gov or call 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 Program Find Help tool.
Receive Ticket Program Texts
If you're interested in receiving text messages from the Ticket Program, please text TICKET to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply. We'll send updates from our blog, identify steps on the path to employment and more. We hope you'll find this way to stay in touch helpful. You can opt out at any time.
