Who can help me better understand the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives?

We realize that sometimes going to work while receiving Social Security disability benefits is complicated, so we encourage you to use one of the many partners that SSA to assist beneficiaries with questions and concerns. Beneficiaries may be faced with many choices and complicated decisions in their effort to work. Whether you are thinking about working full time, part time or temporarily, it is important to know the service or facts. Please take the time to contact one of our many service or support organizations to assist you.

• Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Projects
• Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency
• Employment Networks (ENs)
• Protection and Advocacy Programs (P&As) Agencies

Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Projects

The goal of the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Project is to enable you to make informed choices about work. Each WIPA grantee has Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWIC) who will:

• Provide work incentives planning and assistance directly to you to understand what will happen to your benefits when you begin to report earnings from work;
• Refer you to the appropriate ENs based on your expressed needs and types of impairments;
• Provide general information on health benefits coverage that may be offered by an employer; and the extent to which other health benefits coverage may be available to you in coordination with Medicare and/or Medicaid; and
• Provide information on availability of protection and advocacy services for you and how to access such services.

Find a WIPA in your state

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency

State VR agencies can provide you with a variety of services to help you in your efforts to return to work. These services are designed to provide training or other services that are needed;

• for you to return to work;
• to enter a new line of work; or
• to enter the workforce for the first time.

Find a VR agency in your state

Employment Networks (ENs)

The Employment Networks work for Social Security in the Ticket to Work program. If you are eligible for a Ticket to Work, you may contact an EN for help in going to work. You can contact any EN in your area to see if it is the right one for you. Both you and the EN have to agree to work together to attain your employment goals. You are free to talk with as many ENs as you choose, and you are not obligated to give an EN your Ticket simply because you have spoken with them. You can stop working with one EN and begin working with another, or with the State VR Agency at any time. If you need help in choosing an EN you may contact the Ticket to Work Operations Support Manager, MAXIMUS at:

Toll-Free Line: 1-866-968-7842
Toll-Free TDD Line: 1866TDD2WORK or 1-866-833-2967
Send us a message

Find an EN in your state

Protection and Advocacy Programs (P&A’s) Agencies

Protection and Advocacy agencies can:

• Assist you in obtaining information and advice about receiving VR and employment support services and other support services; and
• Provide advocacy or other related services that you may need to secure or regain gainful employment.

Find a P&A in your state