My doctor and other important people in my life have told me that I cannot work. They say it is too stressful and may make my condition worse.

It is true that your disability may affect the kinds of jobs you can do and the hours you are able to work. However, with the right preparation and support, many people with disabilities are succeeding at jobs that are satisfying and meaningful to them.

It is common to have fears about your ability to work. You may be nervous about leaving your house, getting to and from work, having new work-related expenses, and handling your new work schedule. It is normal to worry about these things, but there are many resources and laws that will help you.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against people with disabilities if they are qualified for a job. This includes all areas of employment, such as interviewing, hiring, firing, training, promotions, and benefits. Often, with reasonable accommodations you can be successful at more jobs than you may have thought possible. The ADA says that employers must offer reasonable accommodations, so that you can do your job. These accommodations vary from person to person, depending on each person’s needs and job setting. Read more about the ADA and reasonable accommodations in the Kentucky Human Rights Commission's ADA Fact Sheet.

Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)

The Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) can help you prepare for, find, and keep work. The services vary from person to person, depending on each person’s needs. OVR works with you to figure out which services you need. You and an OVR counselor develop a plan to help you reach your work goals. If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), OVR is also an example of an agency where you can use your Ticket to Work. To apply for services, contact your local Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR).

Job Counselor

A job counselor or coach is a person who offers on-site training that lets you learn and do your job, helping you to adjust to the work environment. A job counselor can help you with work-related problems, like how to talk to your boss about questions you have on the job and what accommodations you may need. You might have a job counselor through your Ticket to Work program, the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, or through another agency.

Disability Disclosure

People with disabilities often wonder if they should tell potential employers about their disability. And, if they do, should they talk about their disability during the interview, when they get a job offer, or after they have been hired? According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the only time you have to disclose your disability is if you need to request a reasonable accommodation from your employer to perform an essential function of your job. However, there are other reasons you may want, or not want, to disclose your disability. These vary from person to person and from situation to situation.

There are times when you may have no choice about disclosing your disability. For example, you may need to ask if the interview location is accessible or you may need an interpreter for the interview. If that’s the case, you need to carefully write a disclosure statement to the employer. Remember to focus on your abilities, not your disabilities.

For more information about disclosing your disability, check out the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).

My friend told me that he lost his Social Security when he went to work and he was not earning enough money to pay his bills. I don’t want that to happen to me.

Many people worry that if they start working, they’ll lose their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and might not earn enough to pay for all their expenses.

However, both SSI and SSDI have rules that allow you to try working without worrying about losing your benefits. If you have questions, talk to a Benefits Planner.

SSI Rules That Support Work

When SSI figures out how much to give you in benefits, the program counts your income using a special countable income calculation. This calculation counts less than half of your earned income. That means that if you get SSI benefits and start working, the combined amount you get from work and SSI is always higher than your SSI benefits alone. Example: If you get a job where you make $400 per month and you don't have any other income, your SSI benefits only goes down by $157.50.

If you are under age 22, get SSI, go to school, and work, the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) may let you earn up to $2,290 per month without making your SSI benefits go down. For a year, the SEIE lets you make up to $9,230 without affecting your benefits. Tip: The SEIE is designed to let you earn more during school vacations.

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) are disability-related expenses you pay for out of your own pocket so that you can work. Some examples of IRWEs are transportation costs, assistive technology, and special or modified office equipment, such as desks, phones, or computers. If Social Security approves them, you can deduct your IRWEs when calculating your income. This lowers your total countable income, so that you can keep more of your SSI benefits.

If you get SSI benefits and have a specific work goal, you may qualify for a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS). A PASS can let you save money from your earnings to pay for expenses related to your work goal. SSI does not count the money you put into a PASS as income or resources. That means you might even get more in SSI benefits. To learn more, read the DB101 article about Building Your Assets and Wealth or contact a PASS specialist.

For more information about working while you get SSI benefits, read Social Security's article on SSI Work Benefits and DB101's SSI article.

SSDI Rules That Support Work

If you get SSDI, the Trial Work Period (TWP) lets you try working while you keep getting your full SSDI benefits. During your Trial Work Period, you can work for nine Trial Work months in a 60-month (five-year) period. Any month where you earn more than $1,110 counts as a Trial Work month. If you earn less than $1,110, it doesn’t. Either way, you keep getting your full SSDI benefits until you’ve used all nine Trial Work months within a 60-month (or five-year) period.

If you use up all nine Trial Work months, your Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) begins. The EPE lasts for 36 months (3 years). During this time, if you earn less than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level ($1,550 per month in 2024; $2,590 if you're blind), you get SSDI benefits that month. If you earn more than the SGA limit, you don't.

If you have any Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs), Social Security lets you deduct the value of those expenses from your gross earnings during your EPE (but not during your Trial Work Period). If deducting your IRWEs causes your earnings to go below the SGA level, you might be able to keep getting SSDI benefits.

For more information about working while you get SSDI, read Social Security’s Guide to Employment Supports and DB101's SSDI article.

I have ongoing health care needs that I would never be able to pay for myself. People tell me I shouldn’t work because then I might not be able to see my doctors and get the care I need.

Losing your health care benefits can be a big concern, if you are thinking about going to work. However, several programs can help you keep your health care benefits when you go to work. Some jobs offer employer-sponsored health care benefits, but that might not be enough. Some people may also want to keep their Medicare or Medicaid benefits.

It is important to know what type of health care coverage you have, so you know what happens to that coverage when you go to work. Here are descriptions of the most common public health care coverage programs for people with disabilities.

Medicare

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people over age 65 and people with disabilities who are on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Medicare coverage starts automatically after you get SSDI benefits for 24 months (two years).

If you’re on SSDI and have to pay a Medicare Part B premium, the amount you pay is deducted from your monthly SSDI benefits amount. However, you may not have to pay a Part B premium if you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program. Medicare Savings Programs help people who have low income and get Medicare pay for their premiums and may help pay for some other Medicare costs, such as deductibles and copayments. Learn more about MSPs in DB101's How Health Benefits Work article.

Medicare and Work

When you work and get SSDI benefits, you keep your Medicare — plain and simple. If your SSDI benefits stop because of work, you can keep your Medicare for many years. This means that even if your SSDI benefits stop, your Medicare continues for many more years. This is called “Extended Medicare.”

Extended Medicare

You can keep your Medicare coverage for at least 8.5 years after you go back to work. (The 8.5 years include your nine-month Trial Work Period.) After your Trial Work Period, you get at least seven years and nine months of continued Medicare coverage, as long as your disabling condition meets Social Security’s rules.

Medicaid

Keeping Medicaid is a big concern for people with disabilities who want to work. You may qualify for Medicaid if you are in one of these situations:

• Your family’s income is at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) ($20,783 per year for an individual; $43,056 for a family of four). The income limits are higher if you are 18 or younger or are pregnant. There are no limits to how much money or other resources you have. Learn more about income-based Medicaid,
• You get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or used to get SSI and now qualify for Medicaid through SSI's 1619(b) rule. Some people with disabilities with low resources, and low income may qualify even if they don't get SSI. Learn more about disability-based Medicaid.
• You have a disability or are elderly, and you need the level of care offered in a nursing home, hospital, or other institution, but want to live in your own place instead. Medicaid Waiver programs pay for services to let you live in your own place. They have a higher income limit, so some people qualify for Medicaid this way when they would not otherwise qualify. Learn more about Medicaid Waivers.

If you work and your income stays below the regular income limit for Medicaid, you should be able to keep your Medicaid coverage. But what if your income goes up? Or what if you get Medicaid based on your disability and you start to save up some money?

You can still get Medicaid through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 1619(b) rule. This rule helps people who used to get SSI benefits keep getting Medicaid coverage, even after their SSI benefits end because of their work income. Learn more about 1619(b) rule in DB101's SSI article.

Learn more about the different ways of qualifying for Medicaid in DB101's How Health Benefits Work article.

Public and Private Coverage

You can have private health coverage and public health coverage at the same time. Some private plans have rules that limit the services they pay for. These plans may not cover some services that are important to some people with disabilities, like Personal Care Assistance services and private duty nursing. However, Medicare or Medicaid might pay for those services.

If you have Medicare or Medicaid coverage and you get a job that offers you private coverage, be sure you understand how they work together. Your Medicaid coverage may help pay for some of the costs of your private insurance, like your premium, copayments, or deductibles.

To learn more, read the DB101 pages about Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage and Individual Health Coverage.

A friend of mine started working and then Social Security decided she didn’t have a disability anymore, so they cut her off completely. I don’t want that to happen to me.

You may have heard that if you are working, Social Security automatically assumes you no longer have a disability and then you're no longer eligible for any of their programs. This is not true.

Although Social Security may do a medical review of your case, they do not automatically stop your benefits just because you're working. They have to go through a process called the Continuing Disability Review (CDR) before they can stop your benefits. During the CDR, they gather your medical records and ask you (and sometimes your family or friends) for information about how your disability or health condition continues to affect your life.

Social Security may also say that you must see a doctor who has a contract with Social Security. If they decide your condition no longer meets their definition of disability, Social Security must notify you. If you disagree with their decision, you can file an appeal.

However, if you are using the Ticket to Work program, and you are meeting your goals and timelines, Social Security does not do a medical CDR while your Ticket is still valid. Visit the Ticket to Work website for more information about this program.

I have no idea about how to go about finding and keeping a job. Is there anyone who can help me?

It can be hard looking for and finding a job if you think you have to do it all on your own. However, several excellent state and national resources can give you the support you need. These organizations can help you prepare for your job search, find a job that’s right for you, and offer advice and support services to help you keep your job.

Kentucky Career Centers

The Kentucky Career Center offer jobseekers free services, including job placement, skills assessments, job training, career counseling, resume development, mock interviews, and workshops.

You can get some services online at Focus Career or you can go to a Kentucky Career Center in person.

Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)

The Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) can help you prepare for, find, and keep work. To get services from OVR, you must have a physical or mental disability that makes it difficult for you to find and keep a job. If you are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) based on your disability, you are generally eligible for OVR services.

The services OVR offers vary depending on the needs of each person. OVR works with you to figure out which services you need. You and an OVR counselor develop a plan to help you reach your work goals. Visit the OVR website to learn more about OVR services, read an OVR Consumer guide, and find an OVR counselor near you.

Ticket to Work

The Ticket to Work program is designed to help people with disabilities find and keep work. If you are 18 – 64 years old and are getting SSI or SSDI benefits, you can participate in this program. With the Ticket to Work program, you can access employment-related services and supports from Employment Networks (ENs), including training, job placement, job coaching, and vocational assessments. Visit the TTW website to search for an EN in your area or to learn more about the Ticket to Work program.

I’m thinking about going to work but I don’t know how I can afford the cost of new clothes, transportation, meals, and more hours of personal assistance services.

You may need to pay for transportation to get to and from your job, or you may need to buy special tools or equipment. The following programs can help you with these and other costs.

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) are disability-related expenses you pay for out of your own pocket so that you can work. Some examples are assistive technology, specialized office equipment, and some transportation costs. You may be able to deduct these when calculating your countable income so that it is lower. By lowering your countable income, you may be able to get higher Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits or keep getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits when you are earning more than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level ($1,550 in 2024; $2,590 if you're blind). If you have questions about this, talk to a Benefits Planner.

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)

If you get SSI and have a specific work goal, you may be eligible for the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program. If you don’t get SSI benefits, you may also be eligible for the PASS program if doing it would help you become eligible for SSI. For example, if your income from SSDI prevents you from getting SSI benefits, you may be able to put your SSDI benefits into a PASS so that you can begin getting SSI benefits in addition to your SSDI benefits.

A PASS lets you save money from your earnings or SSDI benefits to pay for expenses related to your work goal. While using a PASS, you continue getting SSI benefits to pay for your living expenses. PASS funds have to be kept separate and you have to keep records of your PASS expenses.

You can get help with a PASS from a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) counselor. Social Security also employs special staffers called the PASS Cadre to help you set up and understand your PASS. For more information, contact a PASS specialist or read the DB101 page about PASS.

Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)

In some situations, Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) can help pay for assistive technology, tools, and equipment related to your new job. OVR can help you and your employer figure out which services you need, regardless of who is paying for the service. If you are not working, you and an OVR counselor can develop a plan to help you reach your work goals. If you are already working, you and an OVR counselor can develop a plan to help you keep that work. Visit the OVR website to learn more about OVR services and how to apply, and to locate an OVR office near you.

I’m doing pretty well at work, but my disability gets worse sometimes. I’m afraid I won’t be able to get SSI or SSDI if I need them. Will they think I'm not disabled because I was working?

If you are not able to keep working or if you need to work fewer hours, you might worry about going through the long process of applying for benefits again.

However, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) have rules to help people who work. These may allow your benefits to be restarted without your having to reapply.