Hi everyone,

Has anyone had any experience using Ticket To Work? Do they really give you nine months of benefits while you work the first year?

Also, what about this, what if you find a job first, then sign up for Ticket To Work right before you start the job? In today's job market I'm really afraid I'll sign up for TTW and then not be able to find a job. Has anyone had this experience?

Also has anyone ever signed up for TTW and then found a job, worked for a while and found they could not keep up with it and then got back on SSDI? I heard once you go off SSDI for TTW its near impossible to get back on? Any thoughts, experiences or opinions are much appreciated. Thanks!

Hi ssdirecipient,

I have NO idea. You have some very good questions. I hope someone that knows these things will respond quickly to you. Good luck. Glad to hear that you may be able to return to the workforce, at least on a limited basis, and give it a try. That means you have some hope. I applaud your effort to at least try. I would hate for you to lose your benefits after finding out you are not capable of working as you think.

Wishing you the best.

I'm under the impression that you don't "go off SSDI for TTW" and then try to "get back on." TTW is a benefit while you are on SSDI to see if you can tolerate working again. If the part time work attempt fails, you just continue on with SSDI.

Some people have expressed the concern that a seemingly successful work attempt (say, working for nine months but just under the SGA limit) would then trigger a review. Proving that you can work a certain amount, but no more, sounds (to me) even more difficult than proving you can't work at all. If the work attempt was a clear failure (ie, you find out that you can't tolerate working and your condition worsens or you have to quit/get let go after a short period of time), I don't believe that the SSA should hold that against anyone as it is evidence of their disability.

I don't recall that any of the regular posters here have tried TTW, but several are very knowledgeable about the SSA's policies.

Best of luck in your attempt to try to work again.

The answers to your TTW questions can be found on the SSD website. You can start here----> Ticket to Work Program Overview