Ticket to Work e-Training Update for ENs August 2004 You are receiving this email update because you are or have been an Approved Employment Network through the Ticket to Work Program. Please disseminate to all your staff involved with Ticket to Work. Training Resources for the Business of Ticket In this issue: 1. Message from the Training Manager 2. ENs Can Now Refer Ticket-holders to Employers Under WOTC 3. Upcoming EN Training Events 4. Resources Available on the Ticket to Work Web site 5. CRC Credit Available for Ticket Training 6. EN Forum Discussion Schedule for August 17, 2004 7. Meet the Training Team Staff Message from the Training Manager: The Ticket to Work Training team would like to extend to you a personal welcome to the first edition of our e-Training update. Through this and other new EN outreach formats, we will bring to you technical advice, best practices, and news from the Ticket to Work Program Manager. Over the past three years, the Training team has assisted many of you with questions about regulations, procedures, and advice to help you build a successful Employment Network. The Ticket Training team is available to meet your current and future learning needs whether you are a new EN or an old hat at this. Please feel free to give us call. Terry Martin, Ed.D. Training Manager Employment Networks Can Now Refer Ticket-holders to Employers Under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) On March 2, 2004, President Bush signed into law the Social Security Protection Act, Public Law 108-203, making available the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to employers who hire Ticket beneficiaries referred by any Employment Network (EN) participating in the Ticket to Work Program. Previously the WOTC was only available if the referral came from the state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies. The new provision provides Employment Networks with a marketing tool to offer employers an incentive to hire individuals with disabilities who receive employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, and other support services under the Ticket to Work Program. An employer taking advantage of the WOTC can receive up to $2,400 in federal income tax credits for each WOTC-qualifying Ticket beneficiary hired. There are no restrictions on the number of qualified Ticket beneficiaries an employer can hire. In order to obtain the tax credits, the employer must file specific federal forms with the appropriate State Employment Security Agency (SESA) within a specified time period from date of hire. SESA certifies which individuals are eligible for WOTC, and notifies the employer in writing for purposes of filing the tax credits. The credits are applied to taxes due to the Internal Revenue Service. To receive comprehensive information about the WOTC and to obtain a directory of State and Regional WOTC Coordinators, visit the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) website at www.uses.doleta.gov/tax.asp We encourage you to disseminate this information to your staff so they become knowledgeable about the WOTC and use this important tool to help Ticket beneficiaries become employed and achieve self-sufficiency. Upcoming EN Training Events: Free EN Capitalization Training Coming to a City Near Your! Locations Dates Dallas, TX August 10, 2004 Detroit, MI September 9, 2004 Providence, RI TBA Las Vegas, NV TBA Seattle, WA TBA New Orleans, LA TBA Additional Locations TBA Participants will be instructed in the use of the Capitalization Resource Directory as a tool for seeking and securing funding. The seminar will focus on developing strategic fund raising processes. Particular emphasis will be given to accessing funding from foundations, and hands-on exercises to develop skills in fundraising. The seminar will be conducted in two identical three-hour sessions. The morning session will be conducted from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM, and the afternoon session from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM. Participants may choose the location and session most convenient. There is no registration fee, and Certified Rehabilitation Counselors will be awarded 2.75 contact hours. EN Capitalization & Ticket to Work Training Registration Form or call 1-866-968-7842 ext. 6662 Resources Available on the Ticket to Work Website www.yourtickettowork.com I. Downloadable Materials II. Participate in Ticket Training Online III. Custom Designed Resources I. Ticket Toolkit Downloadable Materials Training materials are available in PDF, PowerPoint, and Text formats. Should you need the information in a format not listed, please feel free to e-mail your request to the Training department. Overview of the Ticket to Work Program Understanding SSA Programs Understanding Employment Supports and Work Incentives Recruitment and Enrollment of Employment Networks and State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies Management of the Ticket Process Understanding EN Payment Options Dispute Resolution Ticket Quick Start Resources (Documents & Handouts) Employment Network Handbook EN Payments at A Glance EN Guide to Requesting Payment Payment Request Form Companion to Payment Request Form EN Payment Request Options Summary II. Participate in Ticket Training Online Enrollment for Ticket Training Online is now OPEN! These classes are conducted via a portal called Blackboard. The classes consist of reading materials, self-directed study, homework assessments, and a final assessment for you to use as a gauge in your learning progress. Class registration is available online at www.yourtickettowork.com/training or, if you prefer, e-mail your interest to andreastapleton@maximus.com. You will receive via email a registration packet and details on how to enroll. Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Contact Hours available for Ticket to Work Online Courses NEW! CRC Contact Hours are now available for Successful completion of Ticket to Work Online Courses. If you are interested in receiving CRC Contact Hours, please email andreastapleton@maximus.com for enrollment information. Please put the following information in the subject field of your e-mail: "CRC Enrollment". III. Custom Designed Resources The mission of the Ticket to Work Training Staff is to provide available resources to fit your Employment Network training needs. Therefore, if you need customized materials or training programs to fill a specific need, please give us a call or click on the link below to e-mail us your request. Below is a list of customized materials that we have done in the past. Let us know how we can be of service to you. Training materials in alternative formats Training materials on CD-ROM Custom training courses on Blackboard Specialized topics with reference training materials Specialized topics with PowerPoint presentations Digital video mini-lectures and audio presentations Join the EN Forum Discussion on EN Payment Request Options August 17, 2004 1:00 – 3:00 Eastern Time The purpose of this forum is to encourage questions, comments, and ideas from approved ENs participating in the Ticket to Work Program. Join us for a chat room discussion available through Blackboard via the Ticket to Work Web site. Participants can enter into a chat room discussion with other ENs and the Ticket to Work Training team. You can also follow discussion tracks that will be available throughout the rest of the month. If you are not currently enrolled in the EN Forum, please send an e-mail request to Andrea Stapleton at andreastapleton@maximus.com. Please put "EN Forum Enrollment" in your subject field. Enrollment information and navigation instructions will be emailed back to you. If you would like to suggest future forum topics for the EN Forum please feel free to e-mail Dan Betts at danbetts@maximus.com. Please put “EN Forum Topics” in the subject field. Meet the Training Team Terry Martin, Training Manager Ext. 6602 terrymartin@maximus.com Dan Betts, Marketing Supervisor Ext. 6717 danbetts@maximus.com Andrea Stapleton, Training Coordinator Ext. 6616 andreastapleton@maximus.com Wendy Brodhead, Training Coordinator Ext. 6619 jwendybrodhead@maximus.com Michelle Grande, Training Coordinator Ext. 6618 michellegrande@maximus.com Eric Midder, QA Coordinator Ext. 6687 ericmidder@maximus.com And finally, with this edition we are saying good-bye and good luck to Kathy Lopez. Kathy has been a member of the Training Team almost two years. For more information, please call us at the MAXIMUS Ticket to Work toll free number, 1-866-YOURTICKET (1-866-968-7842); Fax: 703-683-0957 or visit us at our website www.yourtickettowork.com You will also find a PDF attachment of this e-Training Up-Date. If you cannot access this attachment, a copy will be posted on the Website at www.yourtickettowork.com/training.