Ticket to Work

[cariad]

Has anyone in the US used Ticket to Work?

I have heard horrible things - that they really do not do anything and are paid quite a bit when a ticket is assigned to them. However, I have also read that you can assign your ticket to yourself, and get paid a small amount per month to try to find yourself a job? Anyone hear this? Any thoughts or opinions on Maximus and other agencies that take ticket assignments?

[willowtreewren]

Cariad,

The many things in the world that I have never heard about never ceases to amaze me! 

I obviously cannot give you any advice as I have absolutely NO IDEA what you are talking about! 

Aleta

[lmunchkin]

Never heard of it! Sounds like a scam to me!  Can you give us a little more insite to it?

lmunchkin

[cariad]

Aleta, I think you're getting some idea what it feels like to be a foreigner and have to listen to the Americans discussing insurance and Medicare. This is what Carl missed out on by keeping his job while on dialysis.

Thanks for the concern, lmunchkin. I guess I did make it sound like a scam. It is actually a program run by the federal government, I just don't know if it would do me any good. When a person first starts disability, as I did in 2009, Social Security may send you a Ticket to Work. I am cloudy on the details myself, but Maximus is the agency that oversees this area of social security. You can find a list of agencies in your area on the internet, pick one, go down and talk to them, and decide if you want to assign your ticket there. Once you assign your ticket it is apparently very difficult to wrest it back out of their hands, because that ticket is worth several hundred dollars per month. All the services are free to the person on disability, but I've heard that they don't have job leads or anything, and that much like an unemployment office, they just have listings of places that are seeking employees (and I can easily get those off the internet) plus equipment for printing resumes, phones for making calls, and job counselling. If that is what they offer, I do not need it as the local university has a job center, plus I have all the equipment I need at home.

If any one has any experience using Ticket to Work, I would love to hear about it.

[okarol]

Interesting that you mention this now. Jenna got a call yesterday from a company that can arrange work from home (doing call center service) and she would not lose her disability as it is a Ticket to Work program. I looked it up and here's the website http://nticentral.org/ and this is the info about them:

Founded in 1995 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, NTI pursues its mission to identify and develop work-at-home jobs for homebound Americans who are physically disabled.

NTI has provided trained work-at-home employees both to the largest U.S. government agencies and Fortune 500 companies, and to smaller businesses who want to outsource customer service and technical support operations in order to reduce costs. In particular, NTI has demonstrated the highest degrees of success in developing workforces for:

Virtual Call Centers and Virtual Contact Centers
Medical Transcription

I don't know if Jenna will pursue this as she seems to want to get out more and is looking for a part time job.

[jbeany]

I got one in the mail a while back, but since my doc had just given me the "You're supposed to be resting and recovering" lecture again, I filed it without paying much attention.   If it's only a resume and job hunt service, I agree, I can do that through school more effectively.

[cariad]

Thanks for the replies jbeany and Karol. I think it's smart for Jenna to want to get out of the house. I have worked from home and the convenience is great, but I need that boundary between work and home, so it is not a good fit for me. Call center work sounds really difficult, so I guess it depends on how badly she feels she needs a paycheck. Might be a good option to pursue until a better job comes along. I would highly recommend she try volunteer work - there are so many options. I liked the suicide line that I volunteered with (based in Culver City, but people drove in from all over) and would be happy to tell her about the experience. (So many people think "Oh, I could NEVER do that" but if you want to, you most certainly can. It sounds far more intimidating than it actually is.) Free and very good training is a huge bonus of some volunteer positions, including that one.

I had hoped that Ticket to Work would have leads with companies that are eager to hire the disabled, for tax breaks or whatever - I really don't care why so long as it's a mutually beneficial relationship. That would take the "how do I explain the job gap" question out of the picture, and presumably mean that they would understand that there might be last-minute hospital trips that would take an employee out of work for a day here and there. However, without wanting to brag nor offend anyone, I do have a masters degree and it seems they have the most to offer people with little to no schooling who just need/want any work they can get. One of the success stories I read was about a man with only a grade three education (so, same level as my 8-year-old) who was given all sorts of interview coaching and job leads and landed a position as a custodian. Absolutely, that is a wonderful story to read, but does not make me suspect that they could help me personally.

Jbeany, I reckon that your school would do everything ticket to work does and more, plus will have more of a vested interest in getting you a job in your field. I would probably not bother with Ticket to Work, but if you do contact them I would love to hear how it goes for you.

[rsudock]

My brother is on it and he says that you can only make up to $700 bucks a month (not sure if it is different with other states. we are in OH) and you don't have to pay a medicaid spend down.  YOu can double dip by having your social secutiry disability payment and the extra money you bring in from a job.  He only works 2 days a week.

That's what he told me over the phone tonight!

xo,
R

[Bill Peckham]

Huh - news to me too. I was looking at the statistics they link to off the main website for 2010, through November the program had served  10,906 people, which in terms of the millions of people with SSI isn't very much, less than 1%. Maximus is the Medicare contractor, then you work with an Employment Network (EN).

@ rsudock could your brother work that job and keep SSI without going through the ticket to work program?

[rsudock]

Hi Bill I don't think so but I will check!

xo,
R

[Quickfeet]

I'm very interested in this program I was hoping to find more info on this site. If any one has any personal experience with the program, I would love to read it.

[Chris]

I had the option to use it, but could not use it  since I was or still am getting assistance from the state to go back to college, get visual equipment, and O&M training. From what I read and was taught it would not be god for me. I make already to much in Disability income and would loose Medicaid if I went and used Ticket To Work program that would not pay enough to cover the many medical issues I have and then there were the jobs that were offered, I just would not fit in because I need to be more productive and busy so I can use my mind. If therey had a job to work from home, I would need to rent an office so I could have some quietness to use the computer without distractions. Medicare does offer an email update newsletter from their website. You get mostly 1 a week.

[Quickfeet]

If anyone is interested, here is a link to some archived webinars.

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/m-wise-webinars.cfm

The safety net aspect of the program is what interest me.

[Bill Peckham]

GAO Finds Social Security’s Management of Return to Work Program Ineffective
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=245997

[Chris]

If anyone is interested, here is a link to some archived webinars.

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/m-wise-webinars.cfm

The safety net aspect of the program is what interest me.

TThere is a new one put up. I got an email of an update regarding ticket to work program.

[rsudock]

Huh - news to me too. I was looking at the statistics they link to off the main website for 2010, through November the program had served  10,906 people, which in terms of the millions of people with SSI isn't very much, less than 1%. Maximus is the Medicare contractor, then you work with an Employment Network (EN).

@ rsudock could your brother work that job and keep SSI without going through the ticket to work program?

Hey Bill,
I found out the answer to your question....YES!   He can work this job and still get his SSI (supplemental income) and his disability. As long as he doesn't go over $700 a month with the job he keeps his disability payments and the money.

I called the ticket to work program. www.yourtickettowork.com Basically the lady over the phone says you picked a governement agency that you want to assign your "ticket" to. They will help you find a job, review your resume, get ready for interviews, etc... They are suppose to assist you with finding work; but like CARIAD said this program seems to be for folks you have little to no education. I too have a Masters degree and the lady on the phone seemed very surprized by this. I already am pretty knowledgable about finding jobs, writing cover letters and resumes.  When I call the lady back I am going to discuss with her about assigning the ticket to myself as CARIAD suggested....stay tuned.....

ps-Basically this program is suppose to help folks ease back into the work force without fear of losing their benefits. If you start making over $700 in 7 months you will be kicked off disability. So if you start working and realize I am still too sick then you tell the govt agency that is assigned your ticket it was a "failed attempt." You disability payments continued to be made to you!  

Hope this helps!

xo,
R

[*kana*]

I make already to much in Disability income and would loose Medicaid if I went and used Ticket To Work program

Just curious, but how much is too much?  Greater then 2,500 a month?

I'm interested in going back to work for a couple hrs a week and afraid of losing some of my benefits. 

[Chris]

If I remember right, it is less than $2500 a month. I wonder if I still have notes from Medicare rep who did a seminar.

[rsudock]

I was rereading the thread and BILL PECKHAM you are right Neil could have worked the job and kept SSD without using the ticket to work program. Sorry I misread what you were asking...

The ticket to work program is kind of a joke. For someone like me with a Masters degree in education the lady on the phone was basically like, "Well you already are educated, have a resume, and resources to find a job...uh I am not sure what we can do for you." Basically this program is suppose to help folks who may not have skills, education, or resources to find employment.

With Social Security's WORK INCENTIVES you do not need the ticket to work program  to work and keep your social security check.

Just wanted to clear this up...

xo,
R