Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

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Making Work Pay

This is a proposal to the Social Security Administration for a pilot demonstration program. The proposal is to test a type of work incentive reform that assists people with significant disabilities who receive an SSI or SSDI benefit and who want to work, but have high cost long-term care needs.

The program addresses the financial disincentives to employment for people with significant disabilities and targets individuals with disabilities who need to continue to receive public support while employed.

Some workers with significant disabilities may have disability-related expenses that cannot completely be covered through earned income. To maintain their ability to live in the community, they often receive public assistance with housing, transportation, personal assistance services, and medical costs.

Highlights:

• Builds on equity concepts and state authority in the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act.
• Creates a “one-stop portal” for managing public benefits when an individual goes to work.
• Maximizes an individual's employment potential while providing the stability of entitlement benefits in a community living setting.
• Employed, tax-paying citizens with significant disabilities will have no earning limits and they can buy what they want (no asset controls) in exchange for a monthly premium.
• Monthly premium is determined by an individual's earnings capacity, not his/her disability.
• Creates a new revenue stream for Wisconsin based on premiums assessed on the individual’s earned income.
• Offers a timely and strategic inter-agency model for addressing employment and economic advancement barriers to community living and integration for people with disabilities.

Documents:

• Highlights (June of 2007)
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Word Version of PowerPoint Presentation (Alternative Format/Document)