Employment Networks (EN) may obtain Ticket payments in two ways:

• Submitting a Payment Request Online via the Ticket Portal

• Automated ePay process

1. Submitting Payment Requests (Preferred Method)

ENs should submit evidentiary payment requests through the Ticket Portal only as soon as it receives information that satisfies the type of claim (e.g., Beneficiary sends to the EN evidence of earnings at or above Trial Work Level for Phase 1 milestone claims, etc...).

This is the preferred method for ENs to receive payments, as evidence results in a WIN/WIN situation for both beneficiaries and ENs. TPM will start the work Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR) by entering information from evidence in Social Security systems to identify earnings for field office verification.

This verification can result in beneficiaries who have earnings above substantial gainful activity (SGA) level and in current pay, placed in suspense due to work and earnings. This change in beneficiary payment status reduces beneficiary programmatic overpayments and enables TPM to pay outcome claims to ENs (Beneficiaries must have earnings at SGA or above AND in a payment status of suspense due to work and earnings before ENs can qualify for outcome payments).

The first possible payment available to an EN is in the month after the beneficiary's Ticket assignment date, also known as the attainment month. If ENs submit signed Individual Work Plans (IWP) to TPM more than 14 days after the latest signature, the first possible payment available to ENs is the month after TPM receives the IWP.

SSA expects ENs to provide initial and ongoing services and supports based on the IWP. After initial services, SSA requires the EN to contact the Ticketholder at least quarterly to assess whether the Ticketholder needs more services or supports. SSA may contact an EN at any time to review the EN's records certifying the services provided, including documented attempts to provide proffered services..

An EN shall be eligible for payment only for work milestones and outcomes achieved by Ticketholder's beginning the month following the month that TPM assigns the Ticket to the EN. An EN shall request payment no later than 24 months following the month the Ticketholder's work and earnings met the criteria for SSA to make the payment. SSA will not accept payment requests for periods outside this 24-month window.

ENs can check the status of a payment request in the Portal, by selecting the option: Payments Already Made to Me or contacting the EN Payments Help Desk by email at ENPaymentsHelpDesk@yourtickettowork.ssa.gov or calling the toll free number 1-866-949-3687.

2. ePay Process

This process initially involves an automated systems check of all current Ticket assignments that meet Social Security rules for ePay against earnings records in Social Security's databases to assess whether possible payments exist that have not yet been made to your EN.

Under the ePay process, Social Security's Systems staff will create an ePay file that includes qualified ENs that meet the following criteria:

• Have an active contract

• Are not on Hold status

• Have first available claim payable one month after the Ticket assignment date; or if the IWP was received more than 14 days after the latest signature on IWP, one month after the date TPM receives the IWP

• Have passed the Annual Services and Support Review

When the 12th outcome payment is processed, Reconciliation Payments will automatically be triggered if all available milestones have not been previously paid.

If the Ticket was assigned to more than one EN at different times, a Split Payment is possible.

The policy is to check for a potential payment and if all requirements are met, either Social Security or TPM's EN Payments staff will process payments.

3. Certification of Services (COS) Statement

Employment Networks (EN) complete an EN Certification of Services (COS) statement when requesting payments after the Ticketholder unassigns the Ticket. While a Ticketholder may unassign a Ticket at any time, the ENs of record at the time of unassignment still may benefit from its contribution to the Ticketholder’s work achievements. SSA may continue to pay the EN the full payment due for any claim months for which the Ticketholder’s earnings qualify the EN for a period not to exceed 12 claim months in an 18-month period beginning with the unassignment month. Payments are subject to SSA’s evaluation of the ENs service contribution.

ENs must submit a COS statement that list all services provided to the Ticketholder prior to the Ticket unassignment date.

The table below contains frequently asked questions about EN COS for EN Payments.