Ticket to Work

What Ticket to Work does

Ticket to Work is a free, voluntary federal employment support program established in 1999 under the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Act and administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), an independent agency of the U.S. government. The program serves adults ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and want to move toward financial independence through work. It coordinates access to a nationwide network of authorized service providers — including Employment Networks (ENs), State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA) projects, and Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) organizations — that deliver career counseling, job placement, benefits counseling, training coordination, and ongoing employment support at no cost to participants.

The program's core technology is not a proprietary product but a coordination and content infrastructure built around the choosework.ssa.gov website, the Find Help provider directory, the Ticket to Work Help Line (1-866-968-7842) with TTY support, monthly WISE (Work Incentives Seminar Event) webinars, SMS subscriptions, email updates via GovDelivery, and official social media channels on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Participation is structured through an Individual Work Plan (with ENs) or Individualized Plan for Employment (with VR agencies), and is reinforced by statutory Work Incentives such as the 9-month Trial Work Period, the Extended Period of Medicare Coverage of at least 93 months, and Continued Medicaid Eligibility under Section 1619B. The "Your Path to Work" four-phase educational framework guides beneficiaries from initial Ticket exploration through job management.

The business model is taxpayer-funded appropriations rather than commercial revenue: the program charges no fees to participants, generates no revenue in the traditional sense, and operates with a central administrative headcount of 11. Economic value flows through outcomes-based milestone and outcome payments made by SSA to authorized Employment Networks and VR agencies for beneficiaries who achieve sustained earnings, rather than through user pricing. The service is delivered across all 50 U.S. states and territories, and outreach is event-driven, with the Help Line, webinars, blog, and text subscriptions serving as the primary demand-generation channels.

Name

Ticket to Work

Legal name

Social Security Administration - Ticket to Work Program

Website

https://choosework.ssa.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ticket to Work is a free, voluntary Social Security Administration program that connects SSDI and SSI disability beneficiaries ages 18-64 with a nationwide network of Employment Networks and State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies for employment support services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Employment Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Unemployment Insurance & Employment Support Benefits (BPAIAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Disability employment services
• Vocational rehabilitation program
• Social security benefits counseling
• Work incentives program
• Employment network services

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Program: Ticket to Work is a free, voluntary employment support program funded by the Social Security Administration. The program does not generate revenue; it is a taxpayer-funded initiative administered by the federal government to help disability beneficiaries achieve financial independence through work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ticket to Work is a free, voluntary Social Security Administration program that connects Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries ages 18-64 with authorized service providers including Employment Networks (ENs), State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA) projects, and Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) organizations. The program delivers free career counseling, job placement assistance, benefits counseling, resume and interview preparation, training coordination, and workplace accommodation support while protecting beneficiaries' disability benefits and Medicare/Medicaid coverage during the transition to employment.

Product overview

Ticket to Work is a free, voluntary Social Security Administration program that provides a coordinated set of employment support services for disability beneficiaries. The core offering consists of the Ticket to Work Program itself, which connects beneficiaries ages 18-64 (receiving SSDI/SSI) with authorized service providers including Employment Networks (EN) and State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies. Additional services include WISE (Work Incentives Seminar Events) webinars, the Find Help provider search tool, the Help Line, and text/email update subscriptions. WIPA projects provide specialized benefits counseling, while PABSS offers legal advocacy support. The program is structured around Individual Work Plans (for ENs) or Individualized Plans for Employment (for VR agencies) and includes the 'Your Path to Work' educational framework with four phases from initial exploration through job management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WISE (Work Incentives Seminar Events): Free monthly online webinars hosted by Social Security to help beneficiaries learn about the Ticket to Work Program and other Social Security Work Incentives.
• Find Help Tool

Products and services

• Ticket to Work Program A free, voluntary Social Security Administration program that supports career development for adults ages 18-64 receiving SSDI/SSI disability benefits who want to work. The program connects beneficiaries with authorized service providers for employment support, career counseling, job placement assistance, training, and benefits coordination while protecting their cash benefits and Medicare/Medicaid coverage during the transition to work.
• Find Help Tool An online search tool that helps beneficiaries locate authorized Ticket to Work service providers in their area, including Employment Networks, State VR agencies, WIPA projects, and PABSS organizations, with filters for services offered, languages spoken, and disabilities served.
• Employment Networks (EN) Private or public organizations authorized by Social Security that deliver career counseling, job placement assistance, and ongoing support to help Ticket Program participants prepare for, find, keep, and advance in employment.
• State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies State agencies providing intensive employment services including training, education, medical rehabilitation, durable medical equipment, vehicle modification, career counseling, job placement assistance, and benefits counseling for individuals needing significant support to return to work.
• Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA) Projects Social Security-funded organizations that provide free, in-depth benefits counseling to eligible beneficiaries through Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWICs), explaining how work will affect Social Security, healthcare, and other public benefits.
• Work Incentives Seminar Events (WISE) Free monthly online webinars hosted by Social Security that help beneficiaries, their families, and service providers learn about the Ticket to Work Program and other Social Security Work Incentives, with ASL interpretation available via FCC Video Relay Service.
• Ticket to Work Help Line A free phone helpline (1-866-968-7842 voice; 1-866-833-2967 TTY) staffed Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, providing program information, eligibility verification, and connections to authorized service providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Beneficiaries can test their ability to work for 9 months (Trial Work Period) while receiving full benefits including Medicare
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Employment Networks (EN)coreOthersPrivate or public organizations authorized by Social Security Administration to provide employment support services to Ticket Program participants. ENs offer career counseling, job placement assistance, and ongoing support to help beneficiaries prepare for, find, and maintain employment.
• State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) AgenciescoreOthersState government agencies that provide intensive employment services including training, education, medical rehabilitation, career counseling, and job placement assistance. Work with individuals who need significant services to return to work or work for the first time.
• Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA) ProjectscoreOthersSocial Security-funded organizations providing free benefits counseling to eligible disability beneficiaries. Staffed by Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWICs) who provide individualized counseling about working, earnings effects on benefits, and Work Incentives.
• Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS)coreOthersOrganizations that represent eligible beneficiaries to remove barriers to successful employment. Help beneficiaries understand their rights regarding conditions of employment and provide legal support for disability-related employment concerns.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Video Relay ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCC VRS is used to provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation for WISE webinars, making the program accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing beneficiaries who use ASL.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AbilityOne Program: Federal program that creates employment opportunities for people who are blind or have significant disabilities, similar to Ticket to Work's focus on connecting disability beneficiaries with employment through authorized providers and federal contracting.
• State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies: Federally-funded state agencies that provide vocational rehabilitation, training, and job placement for individuals with disabilities — the same provider network that Ticket to Work routes beneficiaries to and that operates under Rehabilitation Services Administration oversight.
• SourceAmerica: Nonprofit authorized by the federal government to create employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities through the AbilityOne program, providing job placement and career support similar to Ticket to Work service providers.
• National Industries for the Blind (NIB): Nonprofit that creates employment opportunities for people who are blind, operating manufacturing and service businesses that employ individuals with disabilities, comparable to Ticket to Work's mission of connecting disability beneficiaries with sustainable employment.
• Department of Veterans Affairs - Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E): Federal employment support program offering vocational rehabilitation, training, and job placement for veterans with service-connected disabilities, structurally similar to Ticket to Work in delivering employment services to a defined federal disability population.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability services including employment and job training programs for people with disabilities and veterans, often operating as an Employment Network under the Ticket to Work program.
• Goodwill Industries International: Major nonprofit operating employment programs, job training, and placement services specifically for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment — comparable to the Employment Network model within Ticket to Work.
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Programs / American Job Centers: Larger federal workforce development system that, like Ticket to Work, provides employment services and training, but serves a broader population beyond just SSDI/SSI disability beneficiaries, including low-income adults and dislocated workers.

Emerging players

• National Disability Institute: National nonprofit focused on financial empowerment and employment for people with disabilities, providing benefits counseling, financial education, and workforce development resources that overlap with Ticket to Work's WIPA counseling function.

Others

• Ticket to Work Employment Networks (ENs): Private and public organizations authorized by SSA to provide Ticket to Work employment services; they are both the program's delivery partners and the closest operational peers in delivering career counseling and job placement to SSDI/SSI beneficiaries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chooseworkSSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/choosework
• Facebookfacebook.com/choosework
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ticket-to-work

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ticket to Work