An Individualized Plan for Employment, for people receiving Social Security Impairment benefits, is a documented plan outlining how you will become eligible for work that you can perform with your disability. While you can create your own individualized work plan and submit it to the Social Security Administration for approval, a Vocational Rehabilitation Agent will typically assist you.
The individualized employment plan describes the type of work you intend to do in the future, the training required to perform that work, the steps you will take to obtain the training and eventually a job, who will provide the training, how the training will be funded (often, the Social Security Administration will cover the costs for those receiving Social Security Disability benefits), and the responsibilities expected of you regarding your individual employment plan.
If you do not choose to write your individualized employment plan on your own, you may seek assistance from family, friends, a vocational rehabilitation agency, or community organizations. In certain situations, the organizations that provide job training might also assist you in developing a tailored employment strategy.
To be authorized, a personalized employment plan must be plausible and practicable. Simply put, you must convince your vocational rehabilitation agent that you are competent of finishing the training and will be capable of performing the work once the program is over. In most situations, the goal of an individual work plan is to eventually transition you off of Social Security Disability and toward independence.
If you receive SSI benefits, you can generally count on your training costs being paid. The SSA may also fund the cost in some situations for persons receiving SSDI. This will include not just the direct cost of training, but also several residual expenditures such as books, materials, transportation to and from training, any specialized equipment required to do your job or complete your schooling, and other services required by your impairment.
Individuals receiving Social Security Disability payments will typically find the SSA willing to collaborate with them on developing a tailored employment plan. Completing your tailored work plan moves you closer to independence and assists you in reducing your reliance on Social Security Disability benefits, resulting in a win-win situation. The following article discusses returning to work while receiving disability payments in greater detail.