Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program, Implementation ...

46Overall, 9 percent of working-age beneficiaries were employed at the time of interview(Figure III.14). The employment rate among SSI-only recipients (7 percent) is somewhatlower than for DI-only and concurrent beneficiaries (9 and 11 percent, respectively).Relative to all beneficiaries, TTW participants are approximately three times as likely to havereported that they were employed at interview (32 percent).The same general pattern of employment can be seen with respect to those beneficiarieswho report that they worked for pay for one month or longer at any time during theprevious year (2003), although more beneficiaries report working in the prior year at the timeof the interview (Figure III.14). Overall, 13 percent of beneficiaries reported that theyworked during 2003. Forty-eight percent of TTW participants reported that they worked in2003, and 88 percent of all beneficiaries employed at the time of the interview reported thatthey worked in 2003.The beneficiaries who were not employed at interview cited a number of reasons fornot working (Table III.3). Not surprisingly, an overwhelming majority (96 percent) reportedthat a physical or mental health condition prevents them from working. Other reasonsfrequently reported include being discouraged by previous work attempts (30 percent),inaccessibility of workplaces (28 percent); inability to find a job for which they are qualified(27 percent), and the perception by others that they cannot work (27 percent). Only 11percent of all beneficiaries indicated that a potential loss of cash or health insurance benefitswas a reason for not working, with the proportions being somewhat lower for DI-onlybeneficiaries (9 percent) and somewhat higher for SSI-only and concurrent beneficiaries(about 13 percent).Table III.3.Reason(s) for Not Working Among Working-Age Beneficiaries Who Were NotWorking at the InterviewAllBeneficiariesTTWParticipantsPhysical or mental condition prevents work 96% 75%Discouraged by previous work attempts 30 50Workplaces are not accessible to people with his/herdisability 28 35Cannot find a job he/she is qualified for 27 54Others do not think he/she can work 27 27Employers will not give her/him a chance 18 41Lacks reliable transportation to/from work 18 30Cannot find a job he/she wants 13 37Does not want to lose cash or health insurance benefits 11 19Is caring for someone else 6 8Waiting to finish school/ training program 4 23Other 2 4Source: 2004 National Beneficiary Survey.Note:Survey respondents were able to give more than one reason for not working, so thepercentages sum to more than 100 percent. Additional related information is presentedin Appendix C, Table C.15.III: Beneficiary Characteristics and Employment Perspectives