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KAREN'S STORY
Karen is blind and
receives a Social
Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI)
check. She works as
a receptionist in a
busy office
building. After a
year of part-time
work, earning $8,000
per year, she was
offered a raise and
a chance to work
more hours. At first
Karen was thrilled
about the prospect
of getting a raise,
but, after she went
home she began to
think about how a
raise would impact
her monthly Social
Security check. She
said to herself,
“Maybe I should tell
my boss I cannot
accept the raise . .
.”
Karen contacted an
Indiana Works
Community Work
Incentives
Coordinator,
who thoroughly
reviewed Karen’s
benefits, earnings
history, and
supports that were
provided at her job.
After evaluating
work incentives
Karen has used such
as
Trial Work Period
and
Extended Period
of Eligibility,
the Indiana Works
Community Work
Incentives
Coordinator informed
Karen that some of
the expenses she
pays for each month
out of her own
pocket to keep
working which are
related to her
disability met the
criteria for Social
Security
Impairment-Related
Work Expenses (IRWE).
Also, because of her
disability, some of
the additional
assistance Karen
needs at work met
the criteria for an
employer Subsidy
another Social
Security work
incentive.
Indiana Works
provided Karen and
her employer with
the information she
needed for proper
documentation of
these work
incentives. With
this help and
support, Karen was
able to use Social
Security work
incentives available
to her and made the
decision to begin
working more hours.
She accepted the
raise, and within
two years, Karen was
successfully working
full-time because of
access to work
incentive supports.
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The Disability Benefits and Work website was
funded by the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (CFDA # 93.768)
This site is intended for informational purposes only.
Individual situations vary widely and must be evaluated on
an individual basis by Division of Family Resources
eligibility caseworkers, or Social Security Claims
Representatives and/or Indiana Works-Community Works
Incentive Coordinators. Links from this site are provided to
help people research various topics and do not constitute
endorsements by the State of Indiana or its partners. |