Benefits to Work

You Are Here: Coalition > Benefits to Work

Work Incentives Planning Assistance Available

The Center for Independent Living of Middle Tennessee and the Tennessee Disability Coalition are partners in Benefits To Work, a program to assist Social Security beneficiaries and recipients with disabilities who are exploring career development. Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWICs) are stationed across the state, to best serve customers in each county. Our services are funded by the Social Security Administration as Tennessee’s Work Incentive Planning Assistance (WIPA) project. We offer work incentive planning, education and assistance, outreach, and management of work incentives for people who are planning to pursue, maintain, or advance their employment.

Work Incentives Planning Services

Work incentives planning services requires an in-depth understanding of the beneficiary’s current situation and how available work incentives can support employment efforts. Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWICs) establish written work incentive plans for beneficiaries receiving intensive services outlining their employment options and develop long-term supports that may be needed to ensure successful gainful employment. Based upon a beneficiary’s needs, CWICs refer to Employment Networks (ENs) or Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) when appropriate. CWICs also provide periodic, follow-up to ensure that information, analysis, and guidance is updated as new conditions arise.

Work Incentives Assistance Services

Work incentives assistance involves the delivery of accurate information and direct supports for the purpose of assisting a beneficiary in determining the most advantageous work incentives to use in going or returning to work. Work incentives assistance also involves providing information and referral (specifically in terms of Ticket assignment to Employment Networks (ENs) and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)), as well as problem-solving services as needed. Work incentives assistance will generally build on previous planning services and include periodic updates of a beneficiary’s specific information, reassessment of benefit(s) and overall impact, education and advisement, and additional services for monitoring and managing work incentives to ensure a beneficiary’s success in their employment efforts.

Outreach

Benefits To Work provides community-based Work Incentives SEminars for beneficiaries with disabilities to learn about work incentives. These local Work Incentives Seminars provide accessible, scenario based learning opportunities for beneficiaries with disabilities to understand the availability and use of work incentives to assist in their return to work efforts. In addition, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Employment Networks (ENs) and employers will also be invited to participate to introduce their services at the end of these meetings so that beneficiaries who want to work will be informed about available employment support services and opportunities in the community.

Work Incentive Planning Assistance is about establishing partnerships that enhance the self-sufficiency and economic wellness of beneficiaries and recipients, while at the same time supporting their employment interests. If you would like to discuss the use of work incentives or would like additional information, please call our toll free number 1-888-839-5333.

Helpful Documents and Links

• Use the Change of Earnings form in MS Word to report changes in earnings to SSA for SSI recipients.

• SSA’s Redbook provides information on all work incentives.  Be sure to check out the 2007 updates until the 2007 version of the Redbook has been published.  You may also find helpful: the SSI Summary of Work Incentives (text version) and the SSDI Summary of Work Incentives (text version).

For more information contact:

Cathy Randall, Project Manager

Phone: (423) 956-5919 or

Toll Free: (888) 839-5333

Print-Friendly Version

Back To Top

You can download a free copy of Acrobat Reader here