Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Increase
To help keep up with the changing cost of living, Social Security beneficiaries often receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). For 2019, Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments increased by 2.8%. More than 67 million Americans will see a change to their cash payments. For more information to share with Ticketholders, visit the Choose Work! COLA Blog.
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Trial Work Period (TWP)
Social Security has adjusted the TWP amounts, so that in 2019, any month a beneficiary’s gross earnings are $880 or more will count toward their TWP months. If self-employed, any month a beneficiary works more than 80 hours or has net earnings from self-employment (NESE) counts toward their TWP.
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
Social Security has adjusted the SGA amount to $1,220 in 2019 for nonblind individuals. The Social Security Act specifies a higher SGA amount for statutorily blind individuals; so for people who are blind and receive Social Security Disability Insurance, the SGA amount is $2,040 in 2019. Click here for more details.
Things to do in February
It’s APOR time! Service providers, excluding State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, American Job Centers (AJCs) and ENs with contract award dates in 2018 and 2019, must complete the Annual Performance Outcome Report (APOR) by February 28, 2019. Your EN Program Contact will receive an email with a unique link to the APOR by Friday, February 1.
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Trainings about how to complete the APOR will be held on Wednesday, January 30, and Thursday, January 31, from 3-4 p.m. ET. APOR materials can be found in the Program Resource Documents section of the Your Ticket to Work website. Send APOR questions to SSAENAPOR@yourtickettowork.ssa.gov.
Be sure that your EN’s contacts are up to date so that you can receive your APOR link. Use the TPA Change Form and submit to ENService@ssa.gov as soon as possible.
Security Awareness – All ENs are required to complete the Security Awareness Training form (SSA-222) by February 28, 2019. New this year, the addendum will be signed electronically and submitted via email to SecurityAwarenessTraining222@yourtickettowork.ssa.gov. Only the Addendum will need to be submitted. The SSA-222 forms must be kept at the EN location. The only exception to this is if your EN is run by a single contact. In this case a SSA-222 will need to be submitted. A training about the new electronic signature process is available here.
Send questions about completing the Security Awareness Training to ENService@ssa.gov.
Welcome New ENs
The following ENs were recently activated to serve Ticketholders:
- FL: Assisted Employment Services
- FL: New Millennium Learning Center
- IA: Hawkeye Community College
- IN: Arc of Greater Boone County/Job Connection
New success story! Meet Brenda
After she was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, Brenda recognized she’d need to stop working and focus full-time on her health. Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance helped her during the 18 years she experienced recurring symptoms and looked for better ways to manage her mental illness.
Share the stories!
Ticket to Work success stories are a great way to introduce potential clients to the program because they provide the details about how real people found the supports and services they needed to succeed on the path to work.
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New Resource: Preventing and Managing Overpayments
In our latest Ticket to Work fact sheet, we share information about what overpayments are, how a Ticketholder can avoid being overpaid, and what they can do to manage the overpayment if they are overpaid.
Check out Preventing and Managing Overpayments now!.
National Work Incentives Seminar Event (WISE) Webinars
WISE webinars are a great opportunity to introduce Ticketholders to the Ticket to Work (Ticket) program. We answer lots of questions during the webinars, better preparing Ticketholders to meet with you. Did you know you can even host a webinar viewing party and then meet with Ticketholders afterwards? Be sure to encourage your clients and potential clients to join our next WISE webinar!
WISE webinars are typically held on the fourth Wednesday of the month from 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET. Upcoming dates include February 27, March 27 and April 24. Register today!
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Boost your EN’s Google visibility
Google’s My Business allows you to create a profile that can be populated with contact information, office hours, link to your website and description of services. It’s FREE!
Keep your EN website fresh
Display the Ticket to Work logo prominently, use program marketing resources to help build your website content and be sure to prominently display your office hours for all locations on your home page.
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Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR)
The annual CSAVR Spring Conference is scheduled for April 6-10 in Bethesda, MD. The Social Security Ticket program crew will be there for the Cost Reimbursement sessions on April 9-10 and look forward to seeing you!
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Become certified to provide Work Incentives planning services
Benefits Counseling significantly contributes to successful employment outcomes for Ticketholders. We encourage you to register for Social Security’s Community Partner Work Incentives Counseling Initial Training and certification process, offered by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) National Training and Data Center (NTDC)
Find the complete calendar on the VCU NTDC website and consider signing up for the next session being held March 25-29, 2019, in Pittsburgh, PA. Registration closes February 13, 2019!
For a basic understanding of Work Incentives and benefits
The NTDC also offers a web course that provides the basics about Social Security disability benefit programs and associated Work Incentives. The “Introduction to Social Security Disability Benefits, Work Incentives, and Employment Support Programs” web course is an excellent way to get an overview of Work Incentives planning. Check the calendar and reserve your spot.
Contact Julie Schall at jaschall@vcu.edu or 804-827-0741 to receive NTDC announcements, ask questions about what level of training is best for you, and find out how to register.
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Get your Ticket training here
The Service Provider Foundations training course offers essential information that ENs need to know to perform under the Ticket program. Certain topics are mandatory for Ticket Portal users and EN contact(s) responsible on the TPA for Ticketholders, payments, TPA inquiries, and Suitability. See the monthly training calendar and contact ENOperations@yourtickettowork.ssa.gov to sign up for a single topic or the full course, offered by webinar.
National All Call schedule for 2019 is posted!
Be sure to put these events and dates on your calendar to stay up to date on the Ticket program. This includes the All EN Calls, All Payments Calls, All VR Calls, and other national calls.
Coming soon:
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January
- Jan 29, 3 – 4 p.m. ET: All EN Payments Call
- Jan 30, 3 – 4 p.m. ET: Annual Performance Outcome Report (APOR) Training
- Jan 31, 3 – 4 p.m. ET: Annual Performance Outcome Report (APOR) Training
February
- Feb 18: Presidents’ Day – Office closed
- Feb 21, 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET: All Employment Network (EN) Call
- Feb 27, 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET: WISE Webinar
March
- March 27, 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET: WISE Webinar
April
- April 16, 3 – 4 p.m. ET: All State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency Call
- April 24, 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET: WISE Webinar
- April 30, 3 – 4 p.m. ET: All EN Payments Call
Social Security and the Ticket Program Manager would like to hear your questions and updates. Find contact information for the EN Service team, State VR Agency Help Desk and the Provider Support Help Line.
Get on our mailing list
If you do not receive messages about the Ticket program from Social Security but should, please contact ENService@ssa.gov for EN updates and VR.Helpdesk@ssa.gov for State VR agency updates.
Follow Ticket to Work Social Media to keep up with all of the latest Ticket program and disability employment news!
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