Employment Network
for Employers
Turning
Diversity into
Dollars…
The Many Benefits of Hiring
Workers with Disabilities
DRAFT
1
Letter from Dan O’Brien,
Acting Associate Commissioner,
Office of Employment Support Programs
Dear Employer:
We are pleased to provide this handbook on how employers can become Employment
Networks (ENs) under the NEW Ticket to Work (Ticket) program. By using this guide
you will see that becoming an EN is an exciting new venture that provides you with
access to a whole new source of potential employees, and at no cost to your company. To
make becoming an EN easy, we have assembled a first-rate team to provide ongoing
support to you every step of the way.
Two important benefits to an employer who becomes an EN are —
1.
You can recruit from thousands of Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities who
want to work; and
2.
It is possible to generate over $4,800 in income within the first 9 months of a
beneficiary’s employment. There is even more to be earned over time. To see what your
earning potential may be, check out the EN Revenue Estimator at: www.cessi.net/
en_estimator/
You are probably wondering why the Social Security Administration (SSA) is offering
a financial incentive to employers to hire beneficiaries with disabilities. The goal of the
Ticket program is to reduce dependence on Social Security disability benefits by increasing
the financial independence of beneficiaries with disabilities and improving their quality
of life through gainful employment. We know that the majority of people with disabilities
want to work, but often employers are misinformed about hiring and retaining employees
with disabilities. The financial incentives in the Ticket program provide employers with
a unique opportunity to discover that people with disabilities are qualified, reliable and
productive workers who will help grow your organization’s bottom line.
This handbook will provide you with what you need to know to become an EN. We
hope you will join the other business