SSDI does work reviews EVEN if you are on Ticket To Work...

I know because I just got one. Now I'm hoping I don't lose my SSDI income because I tried to work and just got hired in November. I'm afraid that this will end badly because my new employer has a 35 hour a week orientation program where you sit and watch training and get paid. All SSDI will see is a pay stub showing 35 hours of work for a week even though I wasn't there the whole time and was too sick to focus during half of it. Does anyone have anything reassuring they can tell me? Or helpful information?

i read that they go ahead with the reviews if you are already scheduled one. how long have you been on ticket to work? i am trying to get into that program myself

Your first sentence describes their policy for medical reviews. I didn't know that work reviews were different from medical reviews, just learned that today. Medical reviews will be postponed when you are on Ticket To Work (unless scheduled prior to joining the Ticket to Work program), but not work reviews according to the SSDI rep and manager I spoke with at their 800 number (1-800-772-1213).

Personally, I feel that it is very misleading of SSDI NOT to even mention work reviews in their Ticket to Work mailings.

Here's what I was sent:

This, https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-820.pdf

And this, https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-821.pdf

PS - I wish they would leave people alone right before Christmas.

What exactly is a work review? I can sort of guess what a medical review is.

The whole review thing TERRIFIES me!

I was just admitted to a school program but I'm terrified they'll say that since I can handle that much class, I don't need SSDI! But DUH, I'm going to school so I can get a job in a new field. (Tuition is free in my state for those on disability.)

There are two sets of critieria for two different programs while receiving SSDI.

Ticket to Work (TTW) and your Trial Work Period (TWP) Months are separate entities and critieria to judge your work; they can be ongoing at the same time or separate, depending on if you still qualify for TTW but your Trial Work period months will always be there whether you are on Ticket to Work or not.

Ticket to Work wants you to meet certain goals EACH YEAR for average hours of school attended or hours worked, and not based on income. They want to see a certain amount of progress each year, not monthly. It is very specific. The review should have come with a sheet indicating what those goals are each year. If not, you can request this from TTW.

You also have your Trial Work Period (TWP) Months though at the same time as being with TTW, 9 months, and they are not necessarily consecutive that you have to earn over a certain amount EACH MONTH before it counts as one month, and include any months you worked previously earning above the allowed amount. If you never go over that income allowed amount and therefore do not use your trial work period months, you will just have continuing medical reviews if you are not with Ticket to Work and exempt it you are with Ticket to Work, but either way you will still receive SSDI benefits whether with Ticket to Work, or not.

While on Ticket to work you are exempt from medical reviews but will still have progress/work/school reviews from TTW. If OFF of Ticket to Work, you will have continuing medical reviews. The advantage of Ticket to Work is that it does relieve you from medical reviews and provides access to resources such as Vocational Rehab/Employer Assistance programs, retraining, education, and coaching. They want to make sure you are making progress,, hence the work/school reviews, while providing you with the resources to make sure your are benefiting, or why should they continue them? If you don't meet the critieria/goals, TTW just stops but you do not lose your SSDI benefits.

Hope this helps.

THANK YOU!

I haven't signed up for TTW yet, but I need to look into it. I sort of go into thermonuclear meltdown whenever dealing with that stuff, so yeah, that's why I've been procrastinating. Anything that may remotely put my finances in jeopardy gets pushed to the back burner. I've been putting it off for months now. Sigh.

Good question 9 months trial work period, but if you have a pending review I'm not sure how that is affected. I assume as long as you haven't worked those 9 months then you are okay you still need accommodations and special stipulations to work.....

i just got into Ticket to Work today... i am excited and kinda nervous

How long did it take? What is the process?

I just shifted from trying to enter a full time program to something less demanding. I can't handle too much at once and realized that I am pushing myself too hard. I think one or two classes a semester is doable IF I can continue healing.

I saw a post on another site where someone on SSDI got 2 undergraduate degrees and now she feels like she's entitled to be on disability until she gets her PhD but is complaining because most programs are strenuous and she can't work more than 60 hours a week. Talk about using the system... She's able to work if she can put 60 hours a week into earning a PhD. Just irritating that some people get that much support while others are kicked off of disability yet they can't work.

I know I don't and willing to bet you don't either, Chippermonkey why someone is SSDI elgibile everyone's sitaution is different. It's alright to compare utimately you don't really know, everything, School isn't work, so maybe just applaud them instead of being envious, if you told that person this as well as us here on PC.

can't you just work enough to stay within disability requirements. That is what I did. I was working from home though and only worked part time. Maybe you can work part time. I know you are allowed to take so much money before they start taking dollar for dollar. I did this for about 4 years and never did end up having to go on a trial work period because I didn't make enough.