Ticket to Work e-Training Update for ENs September 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. Solutions to Collecting 5 or More Years of Pay Stubs 3. Upcoming EN Training Events 4. CRC Credit Available for Ticket Training 5. Guide to Requesting Payments 6. Privacy and Confidentiality Information 7. Strategies to Start Your Employment Network 8. EN Forum Discussion on - September 28, 2004 9. Meet the Training Team Message from the Training Manager: Welcome to the 2nd edition of the e-Training Update. August turned out to be a very busy month for the Training team! We published our premier e-Training Update, and rolled out the EN Forum Discussions, a new communications tool designed to promote EN networking opportunities. We want to thank everyone who has participated in the EN Forum Discussions, and invite newcomers to join us this month. Access to these new tools requires an email address and Internet connectivity, in addition to providing MAXIMUS with your current contact information. As we explore new creative approaches to training, remember the Ticket Training team is available to meet your current and future learning needs. Terry Martin, Ed.D. Training Manager ENs Given Solution to Collecting 5 years of Pay Stubs In March 2004, the Social Security Administration issued new guidelines on evidence of Ticket-holder's earnings. Once an EN has established a history of a Ticket-holder's earnings, they may then choose one of three Certification Payment Options or continue to show direct evidence of earnings. Most Employment Networks have been using Ticket-holder pay stubs as evidence of beneficiary earnings to make all claims for payment. Employment Networks have cited that in some instances this becomes a burden when monthly contacts may not be possible or appropriate in all cases. By certifying to the best of their knowledge or with first-hand specific knowledge, Employment Networks can now submit a claim for payment without collecting each pay stub. If an EN decides to use the certification process they must first establish a history of Ticket-holder earnings and agree to repay any outcome payments if overpaid. For more information on how to use the certification process, contact MAXIMUS. You can also review the Employment Network Payment Request Options found on our Web site for further details at: www.yourtickettowork.com/training_2. Over $1million paid in EN payments (As of August 2004) Guide to Requesting Payments Now that you and the Ticket-holder have agreed to work together, developed an Individual Work Plan (IWP), and the Ticket-holder is working, it is time to request a payment! In this issue of the e-Training Update for ENs, we will review evidence of earnings. MAXIMUS certifies documents presented as evidence of earnings and determines whether or not the Ticket-holder's earnings for the month were sufficient for the EN to qualify for payment(s) for the month(s) claimed. It is necessary to provide legally acceptable evidence that documents the Ticket-holder's earnings from work. Listed below are types of evidence that are acceptable. Only one type of evidence is required. • Unaltered copy of the pay stub. • Employer-prepared earnings statement. • Employee-prepared earnings statement. • W-2 Wage and Tax Statement. • Federal/State Tax return for self-employment. • Employee's business records for self-employment. • Records from third-party sources, such as: - State Unemployment Insurance - Union Records. In addition to submitting evidence of earning to you, the EN, remind the Ticket-holder that they must also report earnings to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Encouraging the Ticket-holder to report all earnings to his/her local SSA office will expedite the process once you begin making claims for payment. A completed Payment Request Form must accompany evidence of earnings. The Payment Request Form, instructions on completing this form, and information on other aspects of the EN Payment Request Process are available on the Ticket to Work Web site under Training. If you have any questions about the payment process, please call 1-866-968-7842. If you have any questions about a payment request you have submitted, or are preparing to submit, please call 1-866-968-7842 and ask to speak to the Payment Processing department. We look forward to working with you as key partners in the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. Upcoming EN Training Events: Free EN Capitalization Training Coming to a City Near Your! Locations Dates Detroit, MI September 9, 2004 Providence, RI October 7, 2004 Las Vegas, NV Spring 2005 New Orleans, LA Spring 2005 Seattle, WA Spring 2005 Additional Locations TBA Participants will be instructed in the use of the EN 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 fund-raising. 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 most convenient location and session. 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 Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Contact Hours Available for Ticket to Work Online Courses CRC Contact Hours are available for successful completion of any Ticket to Work Online Courses. To receive CRC Contact Hours, contact Andrea Stapleton at andreastapleton@maximus.com for enrollment information. In the subject field of your email, please type "CRC Enrollment." CD-ROM Training Now Available 1.IWP Process 2.Payment Process ENs may request these CDs from the Training Team News Alert! Privacy and Confidentiality Information This is a reminder that as Employment Networks (ENs) your organizations have agreed to protect the privacy and confidentiality of beneficiary information entrusted to you by the Social Security Administration, as well as the beneficiaries with whom you work. Privacy Act requirements, along with the applicable Federal law, regulations, and procedures governing the Ticket to Work Program, are covered specifically in the Statement of Work (Sections 5 and 6) of both the EN contract Request For Proposals (RFP) and your individual EN contracts. Please understand that as Government contractors you are contractually obligated to abide by these rules and to insure that the employees in your organization with access to confidential beneficiary information understand them as well. Strategies to Start Your Employment Network Many ENs have made the statement that this Program is hard to implement without "up-front funding." This is true if you are starting a business from the ground-up based on Ticket alone. However the intent of the Ticket to Work Program was never to fund new businesses on Ticket dollars. Instead, the Ticket to Work Program was principally designed to supplement funding to organizations who have the ability to help people with disabilities become more self-sufficient. - Hire Ticket-holders - Organizations should look to where they are most likely to succeed and have the most control. If you are an employer (any organization other than a sole-proprietorship), hire a Ticket-holder. Look at open positions and ask yourself if a Ticket-holder can fill those job openings? Can you add FTEs (full-time equivalent employees) by hiring someone and supplementing the cost of that salary with Ticket dollars? As an industry, disability providers can take a closer look at tackling the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities by hiring qualified individuals directly. - Recruit from Within - Look at the programs you currently have. If you control the placement aspect of a contract then look at those contracts where wages are such that individuals will achieve their milestones and/or outcomes. Market the Ticket to individuals already enrolled in these programs (benefits for these individuals may already be affected by earnings if they are currently working). - Expand Existing Programs - Review other programs you have. Can individuals have their earnings or hours increased to reach milestones and/or outcomes? Can you expand existing contracts or programs to accommodate wage and earnings levels with Ticket? The above strategies are merely suggestions in starting your Employment Network. If you have other strategies that you would like to share, contact Dan Betts at danbetts@maximus.com, or post them directly on the EN Forum Discussion Board. Join the September EN Forum Discussion John Coburn from the Health & Disability Advocates from Chicago, IL will guest host and share information about the Chicago Ticket to Work Pilot and the Midwest Employment & Training Partnership (a network of ENs). September 28, 2004 1:00 - 3:00 Eastern Time Topic Description: Employment Networks are an integral part of the success of the Ticket to Work Program. In order for there to be meaningful participation by Employment Networks, there must be supports in place to assist Employment Networks in running their Ticket to Work Program and a mechanism for Employment Networks to bring their policy concerns to key decision makers. This could be done through the creation of an "association" of Employment Networks. Mr. Coburn will explain the process by which Health & Disability Advocates created the Midwest Employment and Training Partnership, a group of Employment Networks in Region V who came together to share information and advocate for policy changes to the Ticket to Work Program. The Midwest Employment and Training Partnership was also successful in creating and implementing a pilot project in Chicago, whereby designated Employment Networks will receive up-front funding to serve a set number of Ticket-holders. 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 e-mailed back to you. October EN Forum scheduled for October 21, 2004 on EN Capitalization 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 Damarie Rovnak, QA Coordinator Ext. 6707 damarierovnak@maximus.com For more information, please call us at the Ticket to Work toll free number 1-866-YOURTICKET (1-866-968-7842); fax us at: 703-683-0957 or visit us at our website www.yourtickettowork.com You will also find a PDF attachment of this e-Training Update. If you cannot access this attachment, a copy will be posted on the Web site at www.yourtickettowork.com/training.