Ticket to Work

What this actually is

Free employment support for people already receiving SSDI or SSI who want to try working: career counselling, vocational rehabilitation, job placement. It is free and voluntary. The part that actually matters to most people is the protection — if you assign your Ticket before you receive a continuing disability review notice and you keep making timely progress on your employment plan, SSA will not conduct a medical review of your condition while you participate. That removes the main fear, which is that trying a job will cost you your benefits. Help line 1-866-968-7842 (TTY 1-866-833-2967), Monday to Friday 8am-8pm ET.

Who qualifies, and what trips people up

Everyone aged 18 through 64 receiving SSDI and/or SSI on the basis of disability is eligible. The medical-review protection only applies if you assign the Ticket BEFORE a review notice arrives and keep up timely progress — assigning it after a notice does not stop that review. Earnings still affect benefits under the ordinary work rules; the protection is from medical review, not from income rules.