If you receive SSDI or SSI and have been thinking about returning to work, you have probably heard the term “Ticket to Work” — but it is not always clear what the program actually involves, or how it protects you along the way. This guide walks through exactly what Ticket to Work is, who runs it, and the step-by-step process from assigning your Ticket to receiving long-term employment support.
What Is the Ticket to Work Program?
The Ticket to Work program is a free, voluntary Social Security Administration (SSA) program that helps people receiving SSDI or SSI return to work without immediately losing their benefits. It was created under the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, and it remains one of the few SSA programs designed specifically to make returning to work less risky for disability beneficiaries.
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 64 who receives SSDI or SSI because of a disability is eligible to participate. There is no cost to join, and participation is entirely your choice — you assign your Ticket when you are ready, and you can unassign it at any time.
Who Provides Ticket to Work Services?
Organizations authorized by SSA to deliver Ticket to Work services are called Employment Networks (ENs). An Employment Network can be a private company, a nonprofit, or a state Vocational Rehabilitation agency that has met SSA’s requirements to serve Ticket to Work participants.
OneBridge Center operates as an Employment Network through its membership in the American Dream Employment Network (ADEN), a division of the National Disability Institute (NDI). This means OneBridge participants benefit from ADEN’s national infrastructure, certified Work Incentive specialists, and program support — while still receiving personalized service from a team that knows them directly.
How Does Ticket to Work Work? The Process Step by Step
The Ticket to Work program follows a structured sequence designed to protect your benefits at every stage while giving you the time and support to build toward sustainable employment.
Step 1 — Work Incentives Planning and Benefits Counseling
Before anything else happens, a certified Work Incentives specialist reviews your complete benefits picture — your SSDI or SSI payments, your Medicare or Medicaid, your housing assistance, and anything else you currently receive. Together, you build a plan that maps out exactly how employment will affect your situation. This step exists so that when you do start working, you already know what to expect financially. There are no surprises.
Step 2 — Assigning Your Ticket
Once your benefits plan is in place, you assign your Ticket to an Employment Network — for example, OneBridge Center. This is free and voluntary, and you can unassign your Ticket at any time if your circumstances change.
One of the most valuable protections in the program takes effect here: as long as your Ticket is assigned and you are making timely progress toward your Individual Work Plan, SSA will not start a scheduled medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR). This protection only applies if you assign your Ticket before SSA sends you a CDR notice — so timing matters, and it is one of the reasons it is worth assigning your Ticket as soon as you are seriously considering work, rather than waiting.
Step 3 — The Trial Work Period
If you receive SSDI, you are entitled to a Trial Work Period — up to 9 months during which you can work and earn any amount without it affecting your SSDI benefit at all. Those 9 months do not need to be consecutive; they accumulate within a rolling 60-month window. This is your risk-free runway to find out whether a job is the right fit, with your full benefit continuing throughout.
Step 4 — Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
Once your Trial Work Period is used up, SSA begins comparing your monthly earnings to the Substantial Gainful Activity threshold. In 2026, that amount is $1,690 per month for non-blind beneficiaries. If your earnings consistently exceed SGA, your SSDI benefits will eventually stop — but your OneBridge specialist works with you well before this point, so the transition is planned rather than a surprise.
Step 5 — Extended Period of Eligibility
After your Trial Work Period ends, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility. During this time, your SSDI benefit is paid in any month your earnings fall below SGA, and suspended (not terminated) in any month they exceed it. If your earnings drop again the following month, your benefit resumes automatically — no new application required.
Step 6 — Ongoing Support
This is where Ticket to Work separates itself from time-limited programs. OneBridge continues working with you through job changes, accommodation requests, new supervisors, and career growth — for as long as you need that support, not for a fixed number of months.
What Happens If I Receive SSI Instead of SSDI?
The Ticket to Work program applies to SSI recipients as well, though SSI uses a different set of work rules — there is no Trial Work Period or SGA threshold for SSI. Instead, SSA applies an earned income exclusion formula, and your payment reduces gradually as your income increases rather than stopping at a single threshold. The Continuing Disability Review protection still applies in the same way: as long as your Ticket is assigned and you are making timely progress, SSA will not initiate a scheduled medical review.
What If I Have Already Tried OOD?
Many Ohio residents come to Ticket to Work after working with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). The two programs work differently — OOD typically provides job coaching for a fixed period before the case closes, while Ticket to Work offers ongoing support for as long as you need it, with benefits protection built in throughout. You do not need to go through OOD first; you can assign your Ticket directly to an Employment Network like OneBridge.
Is Ticket to Work Right for You?
You may be a good fit for Ticket to Work if you are currently receiving SSDI or SSI, are between 18 and 64, and want to move toward financial independence through work — whether that means starting your first job, returning after time away, or growing in a career you are already in.
OneBridge Center provides Ticket to Work services throughout Ohio and across the United States through the American Dream Employment Network. To understand exactly how the program would work for your situation, visit our full Ticket to Work services page, where you will also find a detailed FAQ section, the current 2026 SGA and Trial Work Period figures, and information about our Work Incentives specialist, Judy Skoczen.
You can also learn more directly from SSA at ChooseWork.SSA.gov, or from our partner network at NationalDisabilityInstitute.org/ADEN.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ticket to Work program free?
Yes. Ticket to Work is completely free to participants. SSA pays Employment Networks like OneBridge Center based on the employment milestones a participant achieves, so there is never a cost to you.
Do I need to go through OOD before I can use Ticket to Work?
No. You can assign your Ticket directly to an Employment Network like OneBridge Center without going through Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) first.
Can I unassign my Ticket if I change my mind?
Yes. Ticket to Work is voluntary, and you can unassign your Ticket at any time without affecting your underlying SSDI or SSI eligibility.
Does assigning my Ticket stop all reviews of my disability case?
Assigning your Ticket prevents SSA from starting a scheduled medical Continuing Disability Review as long as you are making timely progress toward your Individual Work Plan, but this protection only applies if you assign your Ticket before SSA sends you a review notice.
Get Started
If you are ready to talk through your options, contact OneBridge Center at (330) 267-7556 or visit our contact page. There is no cost and no obligation — just a conversation about where you are and where you want to go.