Will support work at any level to test ability to work and the need for supports

A safety net enabling the worker to continue working at any level for three years without losing technical eligibility for Title II

For 36 continuous months after TWP no new application is necessary, should earnings drop below SGA levels.

No adverse effects on benefits

A PASS enables an individual to set aside income/resources towards an employment goal. This might include:

• Getting a job
• Increasing hours on a job, or
• Starting a business

Some types of expenses under a PASS might include: Purchasing job coach services, Job support services, Education, Vocational training, or Transportation

Under Title XVI, Impairment Related Work Expense enables a person with a disability to recover expenses incurred as a result of their disability by reducing the countable income.

Under Title II and initial SSI claims, It allows the expense to be to be deducted before an SGA determination is made.

Plans for Achieving Self-Support can make it possible for an individual with a disability to pay for expenses to get a job or start a business. For example, one could hire a job coach, pay for support services. This could include job development, job site training, and follow-along support on a time-limited basis.

An IRWE can be used for a variety of employment allowable expenditures, i.e.: Adaptive equipment, Special devices, Attendant care, Special transportation, or Job coach services

Employees can qualify for a subsidy if they:

• Receive extra training and support by a job coach, employer, or co-worker;
• Require additional supervision by a job coach, employer, or co-worker; or
• Have documented proof of a production level below company standards

Participant must have income or a resource to set aside for the PASS.

Legislatively PASS is a WI for Title XVI recipients. However, a Title II beneficiary can set aside some or all of his benefit for a PASS, resulting in Title XVI eligibility. A PASS is employment goal driven. It must have the following components:

1. Individualized obtainable vocational goal,
2. Time frame for meeting the goal,
3. Identification of sources and the amount of income or resources to be set aside, Explanation of how the money will be spent, and
4. A written plan.

An IRWE must contain the following four components:

• Information indicating that expenses are directly related to work & the disability,
• Documentation that the cost has been paid by the individual with a disability,
• Records that the expenses were paid during months of employment, and
• Indication that the expenses were reasonable.

In order for employees to receive a subsidy, they must be paid more wages by the employer than is reasonable for the value of services performed.

Only wages that are truly earned are counted.

Employers usually will need to verify that subsidies exist.

Income or resources set aside in a PASS are not counted in determining SSI eligibility or in calculating the amount of the SSI payment. PASS can assist a person, to:

• Qualify for SSI,
• Maintain current SSI payments, or
• Increase SSI payments.

Deducting the cost of an IRWE from gross monthly earnings can assist an employee to:

• Reduce countable earnings below SGA,
• Meet SSI & SSDI application requirements,
• Increase SSI cash payments, and
• Maintain SSDI cash payments.

A subsidy may allow an employee to become eligible for SSI payments and SSDI benefits or maintain eligibility for SSDI.

Subsidies are used in determining if an individual is performing SGA.

Permits one to work with the knowledge that if the disability grows worse within 5 years, benefits can begin quickly again

The Ticket permits the person who wants to work to chose between Employment Networks.

Must be a person with a disability, between the ages of 18 and 65, who is not expected to recover soon.

Allows six months’ benefits to be paid, while Social Security determines if the person’s prior disability is still severe enough to be disabling; new TWP after checks paid under Expedited Reinstatement for 24 months.

Permits students to earn up to $1,550 per month in 2008, with a maximum of $6,240 per year, without suffering any reduction in benefits.

Permits the worker to exclude the total cost of certain work expenses, such as transportation, lunches, taxes, guide dog expenses.

Must be an Supplemental Security Income recipient, who is working and meets Social Security‘s blindness criteria.

Permits students to have considerably more money for educational expenses. Students must verify their student status, but need not show how the excluded earnings are spent.