Time Is Running Out - Extend the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to help more people like Juan get back to work

SUCCESS STORY

Resident: Bensalem, Pennsylvania

Juan, 60, a Pennsylvania resident, was working as a customer service representative for a Christian curriculum and materials company when his heart condition disrupted his working career. “With my heart condition, it prevents me from doing certain things, for any length of time,” Juan explained.

As a result, Juan applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. He was approved, and then he learned about the Ticket to Work program, which provides support and free help to individuals receiving SSDI who want to return to work.

He was contacted by Allsup Employment Services, a Social Security-certified Employment Network. “I was trying to see if I could find something that would not totally exhaust me,” Juan explained. “I am doing Spanish translation for a dietitian company. I go to people’s houses or their business office and translate for hour-long appointments.”

This periodic appointments don’t  overwhelm his physical condition, and provide some added income of a few hundred dollars a month. He said he appreciates Ticket to Work and Employment Networks like Allsup Employment Services. “It’s good knowing that the government is helping you to help yourself get better.”

Juan is one of tens of thousands of former workers who could see improved opportunity for employment if the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is extended past its Dec. 31, 2019, expiration and if SSDI recipients are added as a target population. The revenue impact of the adding SSDI beneficiaries is estimated at only $8.5 million a year. These steps mean more incentives for employers to hire individuals with disabilities who want to try to work again.

A Success Story from Secure Work Coalition

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