Many Georgians are out of work due to illness or injury and receive disability benefits to support them financially. Nowadays, however, there are many job opportunities available for people receiving Social Security Disability benefits who want to try working again. Companies offer many seasonal work positions that give disabled persons a chance to slowly re-enter the working world. Some of these positions include work-from-home opportunities, sales jobs, call center representatives and customer service positions. By taking on one of these seasonal jobs, one may be able to gain experience, strengthen job skills and fill any gaps in employment history.
Many people are worried that they will no longer receive their disability benefits if they take one of these seasonal jobs. But, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has special work incentives in place to give people a chance to test the waters while still receiving their monthly payments. Under the trial work period, one will work for 9 months and earn full benefits as long as they report the work and still have a disability.
A trial work month in 2018 was any month in which one earns over $850. Once the trial work period ends, they can still receive benefits for 36 months for any month in which earnings are not substantial. If benefits are stopped due to substantial earnings, they can restart benefits within five years if no longer able to work. The SSA also has the Ticket to Work program, through which disability recipients can receive free vocational rehabilitation and training, as well as other support.
If one decides to start working again, keep in mind that one must report all the earnings to SSA, which will help earn Social Security credits. Before starting work again, consider consulting with a disability benefits attorney for more information.
