Feeling Ready For Work? This Could Be Your Year

(NAPSI)—Whether you’re looking for a job for the first time or trying to return to the workforce, you don’t have to do it alone.

Thanks to Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) program, people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can receive free services and supports through service providers like Employment Networks (EN) and State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies. For 20 years, the Ticket program has provided the support people need on their paths to employment and empowerment.

Angel is one of those people.

The Ticket program helped Angel after injuries to his neck and back derailed his career in the U.S. Air Force. Once he had taken the time to heal, Angel knew he wanted to work but wasn’t sure how his disabilities would affect his options.

“I was a young man with a family to support,” Angel says. “… and I was not ready to give up on the workforce.”

When Angel learned about a job opportunity with a federal contractor, he thought that his disability would prevent him from being a viable job candidate. But then, Angel learned about programs, resources and guidelines that could help him. First, he learned about Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Under Section 503, companies that do business with the federal government take affirmative action to recruit, hire, retain and promote individuals with disabilities. Angel also connected with a Ticket program EN that offered the services and support he needed for a fresh start. His EN helped him find the confidence he needed to pursue the job. Working with a Benefits Counselor at the EN, Angel learned about Social Security Work Incentives that applied to him and, once Angel started working, his EN helped him request reasonable accommodations to help him in his new job working on a federal contract for the U.S. Department of Defense. Angel is happy to be working again with military peers, earning income to support his family.

“In the Air Force, your wingman is by your side as you face uncertainty,” he reflects. “…[like a wingman] the Ticket program is by my side, and I’m grateful for that as I look ahead.”

Ticket to Work helped Angel find his path to a better future. Find yours! To learn more, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at (866) 968-7842 or (866) 833-2967 (TTY). Or visit https://choosework.ssa.gov/.

 “Social Security’s Ticket to Work program gives people ages 18 through 64 who get Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income free career-building services and supports. http://bit.ly/2LVIDQ4”