TN 1 (10-02)

A. Introduction - employment plans

The term “employment plan” refers to a written agreement between a title II or XVI disability or blindness beneficiary/recipient (beneficiary) and a SSA approved provider of employment services, vocational rehabilitation (VR) services or other support services or a State VR agency. An employment plan describes the specific services that will be provided to the beneficiary to obtain an employment goal. An employment plan under the Ticket program may be called an Individual Work Plan (IWP), or an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). An employment plan under the alternate participant AP (AP) program is called an Individual Written Rehabilitation Program (IWRP). The type of employment plan that a beneficiary signs depends upon the provider who develops the plan. Below you will find a description of each type of plan.

B. Policy - types of employment plans

1. Individual work plan

An IWP is an employment plan used by an Employment Network (EN) (see DI 55020.001A). An IWP describes the specific employment services, VR services or other support services that an EN will provide in assisting a beneficiary to achieve an employment goal under the Ticket to Work program. An EN must submit a signed IWP to the Program Manager (PM) (see DI 55005.001A.3.e.) before a beneficiary's ticket can be considered assigned to an EN.

2. Individual written rehabilitation program

An IWRP is an employment plan used by an AP under the existing VR Reimbursement program (see DI 55020.001B.2.). An AP is a provider that is under contract with SSA to provide VR services to a beneficiary prior to implementation of the Ticket program in the beneficiary's State and phasing out of the AP program. Once an AP becomes an EN and a beneficiary assigns a ticket to it, it will no longer use an IWRP but will use an IWP as described above.

As with other types of employment plans, the IWRP is jointly developed and agreed to by both the beneficiary and the AP. The IWRP outlines the plan for services that will be provided to that individual to help the individual reach an employment goal.

3. Individualized plan for employment

An Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) is an employment plan used by State VR agencies. The IPE is developed by an individual and a State VR agency after the State VR agency determines that the individual is eligible for VR services. The State VR agency will prepare a written IPE in accordance with the requirements of title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. The State VR agency must submit a completed and signed ticket assignment form containing information regarding the IPE to the PM (see DI 55025.001B) before a beneficiary's ticket can be considered assigned to the State VR agency. In the rare instance when the beneficiary refuses to sign the ticket assignment form, the State may submit a copy of relevant pages of the signed IPE to the PM in place of the assignment form.

C. Procedure

Questions about Employment Plans should be directed to the PM (see DI 55005.001A.3.e.).