Video Transcript
Music
Megan Riggs: The last time we chatted I was working for WellStat which is a document, well it’s a biotech company and I was a document control specialist. And then in 2013 of February I actually got laid off. So I called TransCen to let them know that I was no longer working and what I needed to do to go back on to my disability. And so they set up my Ticket to Work and everything just kind of flowed seamlessly. Yeah, I filled out some paperwork and let them know and I was receiving benefits that month. When I got laid off I saw how easy it was, for me to go back on to it. I didn’t have to fill out a whole bunch of forms, I didn’t have to reapply. It was just like, I called the people that had my Ticket to Work, TransCen, and let them know I’m no longer working and they were like “OK we’ll contact Social Security”. I think I had to sign maybe one form and then everything was fine. At TransCen I was assigned Andrea so she’s my Employment Counselor, if you would want to call it that. So she was able to help me when I told her I wanted to start my own business. She helped me like finding some contacts, different things about licensing the business, um, senior centers to contact and uh almost like how to set up cold calling.
Andrea Cetera Jimes: Megan was one of our first Ticket to Work clients. After a year, Megan’s job came to an end and so there she was; she was out of work. She immediately filed for benefits again through Social Security and because she was involved in the Ticket to Work program she had benefits almost immediately. She was reinstated.
[Megan instructs Zumba class]
Megan: I had been teaching Zumba part-time, in the evenings after work. And I uh, let a whole bunch of people know that I was laid off and that I was ready to work during the day. And I just started taking more classes and as I did more classes, and was teaching more, I really fell in love with it even more and decided to actually make it my business.
Andrea Cetera Jimes: So she gave me a call and said “this is what I wanna do. Can you help me find an attorney and an accountant so that I can start thinking about starting my own business?”
Megan: Andrea was a really big help in helping me, especially with my competitive advantage in my pricing, but also in some of my market research.
Andrea: One of Megan’s sole interests in returning to work was independence. She wanted to become independent. She didn’t want to be on the Social Security rolls. She wanted to earn her own income, she wanted to be on her own. That, that is her drive. And so I believe that the, uh, having her own business gives her that much more independence. It gives her that ability to look back and be proud of what she’s done and what she’s accomplished because in the short period of time, I think she’s done a lot. She’s doing something that she loves to do and I believe that when you love what you do and when you follow your passion, the money follows along.
Megan: Work has definitely made a difference in my life because I think especially with my disability, if I’m not getting out of the house and meeting with other people, it’s very easy and uh very fast for me to sink back into what I was.
Music
Megan: I do have a new person in my life, it’s actually my boyfriend. So we’ve be dating for, it’ll be two years in August 22nd of this year. It’s actually been a really great experience and it’s nice to have a support system. He’s become another person in my support system. Ganesh Nadarajasundaram: We met on Match.com about almost a year and a half or maybe close to two years ago. Um, and so we’ve been dating since. From when initially starting this a couple of years ago, to be completely honest maybe because I was a bit skeptical about it, but Megan’s extremely hardworking, extremely determined, and also, in a very good way, she’s also very stubborn. And I think sometimes, um, those characteristics are probably really good characteristics to have when you’re doing something like this.
Megan: One of the biggest things that I would tell people who are scared to go back to work is that it doesn’t hurt to try and you can keep getting out there and trying lots of different things to find what you want. But there are people there who are gonna support you. They’re not gonna send you out there on your own. You have an employment counselor, you have people that if you’re having problems communicating with the people at work you can go and talk to them and they help you, you know, figure it out and be able to communicate whatever your needs are to the people at work in a way that you can be successful. I would definitely recommend the Ticket to Work program to others. I would say, don’t be afraid to do it, you have really nothing to lose because they only stop it when you’re making too much and you know, who doesn’t want to make a lot? So I say don’t let your fear hold you back and I’m the perfect example of someone who started and who got laid off and nothing bad happened. I still got my money, you know I was still able to go back, it didn’t take long, it wasn’t a hard process, it was very seamless, it was painless almost. Choosing work has made a big difference in my life by making me feel useful and being able to contribute to other people. But also choosing to work has let me help myself.
Music
If you are having difficulty viewing, visit our accessibility page for information on downloading plugins.
Ballroom Dancer is Inspired to Keep Moving: Megan Riggs’ Story
Part 2, Building a Future
Published in 2014
In February 2013, after two successful years on the job at a biomedical research firm, Megan Riggs was once again out of work when her department closed. Her disability persisted, but the positive byproducts of the Ticket program stayed with her. Finding success in the workforce brought Megan a sense of empowerment that was absent years earlier. She was in a better place than she had been in 2008. Still, Megan had no idea what she was going to do next.
“I’m in a very different place today than I was in when unemployed last time,” she said, as she considered her next move. “My outlook is completely different. I still have the benefits of a successful return to the workforce on my psyche. I’m not afraid that I won’t be working again soon. This time I have more courage and a better outlook. I know I can do this now, and the [Ticket] program will help me get there.”
Detour to Benefits and Back
With support from her EN and the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE), Megan had a smooth transition back to receiving SSDI benefits. Because she still had a disability when she had to stop work during the EPE, she did not need to file a new application.
Megan did some soul-searching and was enthusiastic about the prospect of turning what she loved into a new career. She decided to become self-employed as a fitness instructor, and with the help of TransCen staff, began working on a business plan.
“I love dancing. It’s something that has always been close to my heart,” she says. “[In 2012] I started to teach Zumba ... I never thought about getting licensed. But I became more confident, devoted time to training, [and] ...took up running. I actually completed my first half marathon. I never thought I could do that. I feel great!”
The die was cast when Megan received the support she needed from Ticket to Work the first time she was unemployed. This time, she was armed with information, the support of her EN, and confidence that she could achieve her new career goals. It helped her face the future with less trepidation. Each week, Megan met with a career planner at TransCen to flesh out her ideas. After talking with people in the senior care and fitness communities, she learned there was a dearth of specialty fitness classes for senior citizens in her hometown. The balance of supply and demand was in her favor.
About “Safety Net” Work Incentives
Some of Social Security’s Work Incentives allow eligible beneficiaries to return to cash benefits without a new application.
The Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE): After an SSDI recipient completes a 9-month Trial Work Period, a 36-month EPE (also known as the “re-entitlement period”) begins. During the EPE, most SSDI beneficiaries who continue to have a disabling impairment get benefits for months in which their earnings are below $1,070 (Social Security’s definition of “Substantial Gainful Activity” amount in 2014). If your earnings fall below the SGA level during the EPE, or you stop working entirely, Social Security can start your benefits again.
Expedited Reinstatement (EXR): EXR is a safety net for people who successfully return to work and no longer receive Social Security disability benefits. If your benefit payments ended because of earnings from work, and you stopped work within 5 years of when your benefits ended, you may be able to have your benefits started again through a request for EXR. Through EXR, you can receive interim benefits for up to six months, while Social Security reviews your claim. These interim benefits do not have to be repaid if the claim is denied.
For more information, read the Red Book. To learn how Work Incentives apply to you, find a benefits counselor using the “Find Help” tool or by calling the Ticket to Work Help Line at the number listed below.
Zumba: Megan’s Next Chapter
In December of 2013, Megan completed her business plan, while adding a dozen fitness certifications to her résumé. She incorporated her new company, Dance4Life & Health, and prepared to enter 2014 by hitting the pavement. At first, she volunteered as an instructor and then she shifted to paid contracts for her services.
By March of 2014, Megan had closed six contracts for her exercise classes; and with paying customers, she is well on her way in a new career. Megan’s business is still expanding, as she steps in to fill an unmet need for senior exercise programs. While she continues to progress on her path toward financial independence, her EN will be there to offer support through Ticket to Work, celebrating each milestone along the way.
“I think what’s inspired me about working with seniors is watching them make connections and build friendships in class. When you pay attention to people, they flourish and it’s a great thing to experience,” she observes. “It feels good to know my class is a catalyst that brings people together.”
Continuation of Healthcare Coverage for People with Disabilities Who Work
Several Work Incentives allow SSDI and SSI recipients who work to continue receiving healthcare coverage, even after they no longer receive cash benefits.
Continuation of Medicare Coverage for SSDI Beneficiaries: Most people with disabilities who work will continue to receive at least 93 consecutive months of Hospital Insurance (Part A); Supplemental Medical Insurance (Part B), if enrolled; and Prescription Drug coverage (Part D), if enrolled, after the 9-month Trial Work Period (TWP). You do not pay a premium for Part A. Although cash benefits may cease due to work, you have the assurance of continued health insurance. (93 months is 7 years and 9 months.) To qualify, you must have a disability, already have Medicare and be working at SGA.
Medicare for Persons with Disabilities Who Work (SSDI only): If your Medicare stopped due to work, you continue to have a disabling impairment, and you are under age 65, you can buy continued Medicare coverage. If you have limited resources, you may be eligible for state assistance under various Medicare Savings Programs. Your state Health and Human Services agency makes the determination about whether you qualify for this help.
Medicaid While Working (Section 1619b) for SSI Beneficiaries: After you return to work, your Medicaid coverage can continue, even if your earnings become too high to receive SSI payments. To qualify, you must meet all eligibility rules (including the resources test), need Medicaid in order to work, and have gross earned income that is insufficient to replace SSI, Medicaid and any publicly funded attendant care.
For more detailed information about these Work Incentives, read the Red Book, or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at the number listed below to find a provider that can help you.
“I’m looking forward to certification as a personal trainer for seniors next, and it is good to know I’m supported as I move ahead. Ticket to Work has helped me build the confidence I need to keep growing, whatever the future brings.”
With the right support, Megan found her path to a better future. Find yours. To learn more, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 866-833-2967 (TTY).