Starting in January 2023, your Employment Network’s (EN) annual service and support review will involve a request to submit the following additional documentation if applicable to your EN:

• Work from Home Request Forms and the Work from Home Request Addendum for all EN staff that conduct business outside of a Ticketholder service location.

• Benefits counseling certifications and the Benefits Counseling Certification Addendum for all EN staff who are currently certified Benefits Counselors. Social Security will accept the following certifications: Community Partner Work Incentives Coordinator certification (CPWIC) from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Benefits Work Incentives Practitioner certification (BWIP) from Cornell University, or Benefits Information Network (BIN) Training through Indiana University.

• Partnership Plus Agreements for every State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (SVRA) that your EN has an agreement with.

• SVRA Vendor Agreements for every SVRA that your EN has an agreement with.

• Proof of Workforce Status for Workforce ENs.

Social Security will use both the Partnership Plus Agreement(s) and the Proof of Workforce Status submitted to populate the “Partnership Plus Badge” and “Workforce EN Badge” shown in the Find Help Tool. We will provide the necessary forms and additional information prior to your annual service and support review. If you have any questions, please reach out to ProgramIntegrity@yourtickettowork.ssa.gov.

On December 7th, 2022, an email was sent from tickettowork@subscriptions.ssa.gov to Employment Networks (EN) providing an update on additional documentation that will be requested during Annual Service and Support Reviews.

On December 9^th, 2022 an email was sent from tickettowork@subscriptions.ssa.gov providing information on approved Ticketholder signature formats.

A correction was then sent out on December 13^th, 2022 from tickettowork@subscriptions.ssa.gov. Below is a copy of the corrected notice:

We regret to inform Employment Networks and State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies that the December 9, 2022, GovDelivery message titled "Approved Ticketholder Signature Format” contains an error. The message states that Ticketholders may sign form SSA-3288, “Consent for Release of Information," digitally by using DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign. This form, in fact, requires a wet signature. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.

For reference, we've corrected the original message and included it below.

"Due to the coronavirus pandemic, SSA made exceptions to ensure that Ticketholders continued to receive the services they needed, to the fullest extent possible. These exceptions included allowing signature types other than wet signatures for SSA-related documents. Effective immediately, SSA will only accept the below signature types for all documents requiring a Ticketholder signature (e.g., Individual Work Plan (IWP), Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) and unassignment requests):

• Wet Signature – beneficiary physically signs their name to the document.

• Digital Signature – this secures the document by adding a digital code to the document. DocuSign and Adobe Acrobat Sign are examples of digital signature software that can be used.

Example of a digital signature

Workforce ENs

On December 1, 2022, an email was sent from tickettowork@subscriptions.ssa.gov to Signatory Authority contacts at Workforce ENs (WFENs) requesting proof of Workforce status by Friday, December 9, 2022. Below is a copy of the notice. The notice also indicates that WFENs will resume APOR requirements. Since 2017, WFENs have been excluded from the annual APOR.

From: Ticket to Work <tickettowork@subscriptions.ssa.gov
Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2022 5:15 PM
Subject: Annual Performance Outcome Report (APOR) and Workforce Employment Networks (WFEN)

You are receiving this email because your Employment Network (EN) is currently listed as a Workforce Employment Network (WFEN), with the Ticket to Work Program, according to the Office of Employment Support’s (OES) records. To ensure that ENs are not incorrectly categorized as WFENs, we are requesting proof of workforce entity status. If your organization is an American Job Center (AJC) operator or partner, this proof should be in the form of a valid Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB). If your organization is a LWDB or State Workforce Agency (SWA), you may submit a MOU, contract, or state plan. Please submit proof of workforce status by December 9, 2022 to ENService@ssa.gov. If you have any questions about submitting proof of workforce status, please reach out to ENService@ssa.gov.

To comply with Pub. L. 106-170, Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1868, known as the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, in 2023, all active ENs, including WFENs, are required to complete the Annual Performance Outcome Report (APOR). Failure to complete the APOR by the submission deadline will constitute a violation of your Ticket Program Agreement (TPA) and could result in Social Security limiting your EN’s ability to assign Tickets and receive payments, or in termination of your TPA. OES will offer training and information sessions at the beginning of the APOR reporting period. If you have any questions about completing the APOR, please reach out to SSAENAPOR@yourtickettowork.ssa.gov.

Cara Caplan, Ph.D.
Branch Chief, Contracts and Grants
Office of Employment Support

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