Many people visit our Tallahassee office and ask can I work after receiving SSDI or SSI?

Our answer is “Yes!”  With the Ticket to Work program, social security disability recipients receive services such as career counseling, vocational rehabilitation, and job training. The Ticket to Work program is for people who want to improve their earning potential and are committed to preparing for long-term success in the workforce in spite of their disabling impairments.

If you are currently receiving Social Security Disability benefits, you understand that those benefits took patience, time, and energy to earn. In order to determine your eligibility for disability benefits, Social Security found that you were unable to earn enough money to support yourself, but with the right help and support, many people can earn a higher standard of living by returning to work and leaving the disability benefits behind. Not everyone can earn a living through employment, but it may be right for you. The rewards of the Ticket to Work program can far outweigh the risks. By taking the time to learn about the Ticket to Work program and the employment services it offers, you may be surprised to find out about all the benefits available to you.

Do I qualify?

Anyone 18-64 years of age who receives SSDI/SSI benefits qualifies to participate. The program is free and voluntary.

How do I start?

 

 

What do I do next after I get my assigned ticket?

You will receive free assistance to prepare, find, and keep a job while you work towards achieving financial independence. In return to Social Security, you agree to take specific steps within specific time frames as determined by the plan you created with your service provider. These steps and time frames help you work at specified earning levels or complete educational or training requirements. Together, you and your Employment Network or Vocational Rehabilitation agency will reduce or eliminate your dependence on SSDI/SSI cash benefits.

 

By taking the agreed steps toward employment within the time frame, you will be making “timely progress” towards the following goals:

  • Receiving the education or training you need for work success and a long term career
  • Becoming and remaining employed
  • Reducing financial dependence on SSDI/SSI
  • Earning your way off cash benefits

 

If you assign your Ticket to an approved service provider before receiving your “Continuing Disability Review Notice” and follow your employment plan with timely progress, Social Security will not conduct a review of your medical condition.

So don’t be discouraged and think if you apply for Social Security disability benefits you will never work again.  Along with the Ticket to Work program there are other policy incentives aimed at getting people who have been unable to work because of a physical or mental health condition back to work.  Call us to have a social security disability attorney evaluate your claim and we can explain the back-to-work incentives to you.

*The Law Office of Matt Liebenhaut is a Disability and Family law firm in Tallahassee, FL dedicated to providing excellent representation in the areas of Social Security Disability, Long-Term Disability Insurance, and Family Law.