The Basics
The Benefits of Work
Work experience as a teenager or young adult can help your child:
- Build confidence by earning money and participating in the community
- Develop job skills at an age when employers are more understanding
- Learn more about work and explore interests
- Create relationships, friendships, and a personal network
- Build independence and life skills
- Earn more money, and
- Shape a successful adult career.
Over the long term, public benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are not enough money to live on. That’s why it’s so important that you make work an expectation and a reality for your child.
Parental Support Matters
Young people with disabilities whose parents expect them to get a job are far more likely to get early work experience. And young people who get early work experience are far more likely to have jobs as adults.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Set an expectation of work early on. This can include giving your child chores around your home and helping your child get little jobs from neighbors and friends.
- Be enthusiastic about work. Young people with disabilities are often excited about working. Share their enthusiasm!
- Support your child’s efforts to find work now. Working while still in high school or in college is one of the best ways to prepare for work as an adult. A job doesn't have to mean working a lot of hours; what matters is that your child learns what a job is all about.
Most young people with disabilities want to work and dream of finding a job. Sometimes parents think it’s impossible, but it’s not: When parents believe in that dream and expect their children to work, it makes a big difference.
Learn why the myths that say people with disabilities can’t work are not true.
Learn more
Don’t Believe the Myths
Some myths say work isn't a realistic option for people with disabilities. These myths aren't true: Your child can work, even if he or she has a significant disability.
Myth #1: Employers won’t hire your child because of a disability
Actually:
- There are other ways to get a job. Not all jobs go through the regular job application process.
- Your relationships in the community can lead to job opportunities. Most people get their first jobs through personal and family connections.
- It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against a job applicant who has a disability.
Myth #2: Your child can’t work because of a disability
Actually:
- Everyone has skills and talents. It’s a matter of finding the right work for your child.
- With an individualized employment search, the goal is to look for a job that matches your child’s interests and abilities. You and your child can do this on your own, and you can also get help from employment specialists at your child’s school or from other organizations like the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR).
- Assistive technology and other reasonable accommodations can help your child succeed.
- Employment doesn't have to be half-time or full-time. Even working a few hours a week helps your child build job skills and work experience.
Myth #3: Your child will stop getting disability benefits because of a job
Actually:
- Your child could make as much as $5,748 per month and still get Medi-Cal's Working Disabled Program coverage.
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is designed so that your child will always have more total income after getting a job.
- Depending on your child’s situation, a job may not affect SSI at all.
- Even if your child earns enough that SSI benefits go down, there are rules that help your child continue to get Medi-Cal coverage.
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Some programs, like the Ticket to Work program and the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), are designed to help people with disabilities who want to work.
- Your child does not have to complete any training or skills programs before starting work. Your child can start a job right away and still qualify for these programs later.
Learn more
Resources
Connect with People Who Can Help
Talk to people and organizations who can help your child take the next steps to find work. Here are some options:
- Your child’s IEP team. If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), tell the team you want your child to work.
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The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR):
- DOR's Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services and Work Incentives Planners (WIPs) help people with disabilities find work and understand how work affects benefits.
- DOR also has services for people who are blind or visually impaired, and services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- DOR also offers DOR Student Services and other services for young people.
- Your child’s county case manager. If your child has a case manager at the county social services agency, tell him or her that work is part of your child’s plan.
- America's Job Centers of California. Find a America's Job Center of California (AJCC) (One-Stop) near you and ask them about their youth programs.
Learn More About How Benefits Support Work
Talk to a benefits planner to learn more about options and discover other helpful resources.
Use DB101’s School and Work Estimator to get a sense of how work could impact your child’s benefits.
For more about benefits programs and their rules, read DB101’s articles about:
- Benefits for Young People, including details about many different benefits and how rules change as your child gets older.
- Supplemental Security Income, which covers SSI’s rules in detail.
- Medi-Cal, which introduces the different ways a person may qualify for Medi-Cal health coverage.
- Building Your Assets and Wealth, an introduction to asset-building strategies.
- Plan to Achieve Self-Support, an in-depth look at the ways a PASS can help.
- Individual Development Accounts, a detailed look at IDAs and how to set them up.
Getting Help with Your Benefits
If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB), and you're looking for a job, a trained Benefits Planner can help you avoid problems with your job plan. If you need help or have questions about your situation, you can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday.
View DB101's full list of experts who can help you understand different benefits.
Community-Based Organizations
Various community-based organizations guide people through state, federal, public, and private health and income programs. Some organizations may work with specific populations while others work with people with any type of disability. Here are a few examples
Goodwill Industries services range from personal evaluation and office skills training to career counseling, childcare, and transportation. Some Goodwill Industries centers also do benefits planning for people who get SSI, SSDI, and Medicare. Find locations at www.Goodwill.org, or by calling (voice) 1-800-466-3945.
The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers lists centers serving people with all disabilities. Many of these centers do benefits planning for people who get SSI, SSDI, and Medicare. If they don't offer benefits planning themselves, Independent Living Centers can refer you to local benefits planners. Find the list of independent living centers at www.CFILC.org, or by calling (voice) 1-916-325-1690 or (TTY) 1-916-325-1695.
The California Department of Public Health's Office of AIDS lists 1,300 organizations offering HIV/AIDS services throughout California. Some of these organizations provide case management, benefits planning, and benefits counseling services that can include help with public and private benefits programs. You can search the list online, or call (voice) 1-800-367-AIDS (2437) or (TTY) 1-888-225-AIDS (2437).
Disability Rights California provides representation for consumers of public programs who are disabled. Website publications include topics on health care, benefit programs, and In-Home Supportive Services.