Timely Progress Guidelines: Keeping Ticket to Work working for you!

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor 


Timely Progress Guidelines were created by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help track your progress in Ticket to Work, and is important to your participation in the program.  Your participation begins when you complete an individual work plan (IWP) with an employment network, such as ERS, or a state vocational rehabilitation agency.  The agency you have chosen to work with is responsible for assisting you in developing a plan for employment, identify career goals, and create a plan to achieve them.  While in Ticket to Work, the SSA will review your progress every 12 months from the date you completed your IWP.  These annual reviews allow them to determine if you are meeting the timely progress guidelines.  The chart below describes the progress you are expected to make each 12 months based on work, academics, or vocational training.  For a larger version of the chart below, click here.

Chart courtesy of the Social Security Administration.

Disability reviews are suspended under the Ticket to Work program, as long as you are making timely progress towards your career goals.  If during a 12 month review it is determined that you are not meeting the program guidelines, the Social Security Administration may conduct a disability review to verify that your disabled status has not changed, or that you have not medically improved.  At that point, you may continue in the program even if they determine that you are not making timely progress.  Keep in mind that some employment networks may choose to discontinue your ticket assignment if you are not making timely progress in the program. 

If you were previously determined to not be making progress, but feel that your situation has changed; you may contact the SSA to let them know.  If it has been determined that you are making timely progress again, the suspension of the disability reviews may be reinstated for you. 

If it is determined that you are not making timely progress and you disagree with the Social Security Administration’s decision, you may contact the SSA within 30 days of their decision to request that it be reviewed.  Once the appeal has been completed, you will be contacted with an explanation of their decision. 

If you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and you have not completed your trial work period (TWP), then you will continue to have a period in which you can gross as much as possible (minimum $720) and still receive your SSDI check.  If you have completed your trial work period, then you will continue to receive your SSDI check for the months that you do not gross over $1000. 

If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your benefit check will continue based on the amount of money you gross through your employment.  It is possible that you can reach a point where you earn too much money through employment to continue receiving SSI. 

In either case with SSI and SSDI, the Social Security Administration can quickly resume your benefits if your income drops or if you should become unemployed or forced to stop working.

Medicare coverage will continue under the program for up to 7 years and 9 months, while Medicaid can also continue depending upon the state in which you live in and the amount of your earnings.

For more information on Timely Progress Guidelines, visit www.yourtickettowork.com or contact your employment network.