Work incentives that can work for
people with MS
by Helen Russon, Esq., and Bob Pike, Esq.
A letter from one of Bob’s
clients
“Although I have MS, I’m feeling much better these days. My
symptoms have stabilized and
I am starting to return to some
of the activities I used to really
enjoy. The biggest gap in my
life—the thing that depresses me
the most—is that I don’t have a
job. This makes me feel useless.
“I was an accountant but I had
to leave because of my MS. Now
I depend on a check from Social
Security for living expenses and
on Medicare for health insurance.
I know that the Americans with
Disabilities Act is meant to make
it easier for people like me to
work, but I’m just not sure. And
my biggest fear—frankly, it scares
me to death—is that if I get
a job and it doesn’t
pan out, the Social
I depend on a check from Social it easier for people like me to pan out, the Social decide that I’m abled and I don’t exaggerating when ruin me and my fam- ily financially. a federal program where I could try out a
Security Administration might
decide that I’m
no longer disabled and I don’t
qualify for these
benefits. I’m not
exaggerating when
I say that this would
ruin me and my family financially.
SHIPPEE/VEER SHIPPEE/VEER
“I’ve heard about
a federal program
called Ticket to Work,
where I could try out a
job, but then go back to receiving
benefits if it doesn’t work out
within a certain time period.
“Can I go back to
work” is one of the
biggest money-matters
questions of all.
Quite frankly, that sounds too
good to be true. I’m almost afraid
to ask anyone at Social Security
about it. Can you steer me in the
right direction?”
about it. Can you steer me in the
Helen and Bob reply
This is an issue that so many of
us have struggled with.
nationalMSsociety.org/magazine
Matters
We want to be self-supporting
and independent. But we are
afraid we’re putting our existing benefits at risk if we make
even the smallest attempt to earn
part of our own living. And the
picture we see is not encouraging.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the percentage
of people with disabilities in the
labor force in August 2011 was
21. By comparison, the percentage of persons with no disabilities in the labor force was 69.9.
( www.dol.gov/odep)
Congress enacted legislation
to try to alleviate this, at leasties in the labor force was 69.9.
ies in the labor force was 69.9.
Congress enacted legislation
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