Today, Easterseals CEO Kendra Davenport submitted testimony for the record to a Senate Committee on Finance hearing on work and Social Security benefits for people with disabilities. The testimony expresses support for addressing and modifying Federal programs such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and other Social Security Administration programs that limit an individual’s opportunity to participate fully in meaningful employment due to fear of losing benefits and health care coverage.
Easterseals and its Affiliates frequently see the painful decisions and sacrifices people with disabilities and their families need to make to ensure that they maintain benefits for crucial medical care, equipment, devices, and medication. These choices often result in electing to work less or not at all, eroding self-worth and dignity.
Easterseals works each day to provide workforce development programs like the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) for adults 55+, Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) that serves veterans who are currently or at-risk of houselessness, and the Connecting Communities Program for adults with disabilities who speak a language other than English. Often, Easterseals staff navigates the complex landscape of employment opportunities that do not jeopardize a participant’s eligibility to receive SSI benefits.
Davenport said: “Employment can be key for people with disabilities living full, independent lives, but often work affects a person’s eligibility for disability benefits. Barriers to employment like these hurt people with disabilities and communities as a whole. By addressing these barriers through legislative measures and supportive programs, we can create a more welcoming and empowering environment for individuals with disabilities to participate in the workforce without fear of losing essential benefits.
See the Full Testimony Below:
“Chairman Wyden, Ranking Member Crapo, and Members of the Finance Committee, it is with great pleasure and honor that we submit this testimony to the committee on behalf of Easterseals National Office, Easterseals Louisiana, Easterseals Oregon, and Easterseals Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain which serves Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming, regarding “Work and Social Security Disability Benefits: Addressing Challenges and Creating Opportunities.”
For more than 100 years, Easterseals has worked tirelessly with our partners to enhance quality of life and expand local access to employment, healthcare, and education opportunities. Through our national network of Affiliates, Easterseals provides essential services and on-the-ground supports to more than 1.5 million people each year. Our public education, policy, and advocacy initiatives positively shape perceptions and address the urgent and evolving needs of one in four Americans with disabilities today. Together, we’re empowering people with disabilities, families, and communities to be full and equal participants in society.
We are writing today to express our support for addressing and modifying Federal programs such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and other Social Security Administration programs that limit an individual’s opportunity to participate fully in meaningfully employment due to fear of losing benefits and health care coverage.
Combined, we have decades of experience working on the ground with individuals with disabilities every day. We hear firsthand hundreds of poignant, heart wrenching stories of individuals and families having to make painful decisions and sacrifices to ensure that they maintain benefits for crucial medical care, equipment, devices, and medication. These choices often result in electing to work less or not at all, eroding self-worth and dignity.
For example, one participant of Easterseals Louisiana named Brian has a developmental disability and receives SSI and Medicaid. Brian wants a job but understands that his ability to earn and save income is severely restricted for fear of losing his benefits as he would be unable to pay for his expensive medical needs with the minimum wage salary he would earn at a potential job. Brian, like countless others, are caught between a rock and a hard place. Each year, our Affiliates support thousands of individuals of traditional working age (18 – 64), many who are in situations similar to Brian’s.
Based on our firsthand experience, there are several barriers to work for SSI and SSDI recipients:
- Fear of Loss of Medicaid: Some states offer Medicaid Buy-In programs for working individuals with disabilities. However, not all recipients are aware of these options, and the fear of losing Medicaid coverage remains a significant barrier. To be specific, Easterseals Oregon currently has 31 out of 299 Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) participants that are on reduced hours to avoid disruption of SSI or SSDI benefits.
- Complex Reporting Requirements: Recipients must navigate complex and stringent reporting requirements for changes in income and work status. Failure to comply can lead to benefit suspensions or terminations, discouraging individuals from seeking employment. In fact, many veterans we work with do not seek SSI or SSDI due to the cumbersome requirements and stick with the Veterans Administration. It causes too many challenges navigating the income requirements.
- Over-Income and Repayment Issues: SSI and SSDI have strict income limits. Earning above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold can result in the suspension of SSDI benefits, and exceeding SSI income limits can reduce or limit benefits. Inaccurate reporting can lead to overpayment issues, where the individual is required to repay benefits received. This creates a financial strain and discourages individuals from pursuing or maintaining employment. As referenced in item 2 above, the reporting requirements are complex for reporting changes in income and work status. The inaccurate reports are often due to misunderstandings of the requirements.
To show the real-world impact that this has, we’d like to share a few impact statements from our participants who have been affected by these barriers:
- “The impact SSDI has had on me is every 2 weeks, I have to make sure I don’t go over the income that affects my SSDI. I had to keep reducing my hours, until I was able to figure out how not to go over income. I don’t want to have to reduce any more hours. When job searching, I’ve had to keep that in mind with finding out how much they pay and how many hours and whether or not that would affect my SSDI. Or I could get a full-time job, and it would eliminate my SSDI. I have to be really careful or I know they will have me pay it back.”
- “It limits me tremendously because I am not able to accept a full-time job or even a part time job that goes over the income limit with fear that I’ll lose my benefits. This discourages me when I look for jobs because I could apply and get them but then I could lose my SSDI and insurance. This affects me trying to be independent and employed, I can’t stress enough how frustrating and discouraging it is. It shuts a lot of doors that otherwise would be open to me and people like me. With cost of living being so high, my SSDI alone just doesn’t cut it so I’m forced to find employment, but it gets so discouraging.”
Employment not only fosters a sense of contribution and purpose, but also positively impacts health and well-being. As one of our participants noted, “Having a job and receiving an income has helped lower my blood pressure and allowed me to stop taking medication.”
This is why Easterseals works each day to provide workforce development programs. In addition to our programs that focus on traditional working age, we also support low-income adults age 55+ through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), veterans who are currently or at-risk of houselessness through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP), and adults with disabilities who speak a language other than English through the Connecting Communities Program. Frequently, our dedicated staff navigate the complex landscape of employment opportunities that do not jeopardize a participant’s eligibility to receive SSI benefits.
To give you a sense of how our workforce development programs increase our participants’ quality of life and to demonstrate the importance and value of work, we’d like to share a few testimonials from our participants:
- “I'm 69 and have been struggling to find affordable housing for over 3 years. Rentals in this and other areas have soared way beyond what I can afford on Social Security alone. For almost 2 years I've been living in a small basement apartment which has plumbing and electrical issues. It's a stopgap solution at best. The extra income I've been earning through the Easterseals program for seniors has allowed me to build up my savings significantly, giving me hope that I will eventually be able to find decent and affordable housing again. In addition to the positive impact on my savings...being able to have a positive impact on the lives of kids again reminds me that I still have something to contribute.
- “I want to spend time working so I can be productive and also stay active to make myself feel better. I am so thankful for Easterseals and I really love how it has built my self-esteem.”
- “Easterseals helps elderly and disabled persons in finding their worth again and encourages them in employment that makes them feel worthy and needed.”
- “My participation in Easterseals Oregon has made a significant difference in the quality of my life. Coming out of Covid and facing challenges in seeking employment, Easterseals Oregon gave me the support and guidance I needed to build my confidence as I reentered the workforce. In addition, the wrap around support in terms of coaching and training has better prepared me for what lies ahead, as a senior looking for work.”
- “Easterseals has given me the opportunity to give back to the citizens of the community.”
We are thankful for proposed legislation such as Work Without Worry and are pleased that the Senate Finance Committee is evaluating current Social Security Administration policies related to work and assessing intended and unintended barriers that discourage those who can, should, and want to work. We are supportive of and appreciative of this attention and willingness to help people with disabilities work and lead complete and meaningful lives.
By addressing the barriers referenced above through legislative measures and supportive programs, we can create a more welcoming and empowering environment for individuals with disabilities to participate in the workforce without fear of losing essential benefits.
Thank you once again for your time. We are available for any further discussion or assistance you might require.”
