GAO Investigation Urged Into Social Security Overpayments
U.S. Representative John Tanner, Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, has asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate overpayments made by the Social Security Administration to disability beneficiaries who returned to work.  A Nov. 6 letter to the GAO referenced reports that SSA often does not stop benefit payments when a beneficiary returns to work, even when beneficiaries inform SSA they are working.  Resulting overpayments can amount to thousands of dollars which beneficiaries may be forced to repay, even in cases where beneficiaries are without fault and were unaware they were being overpaid.  The fear of large overpayments may discourage beneficiaries from returning to work and undermine SSA’s own return-to-work policies.

National APSE Calls for End of Sub-Minimum Wage Employment
The Executive Board of APSE issued a dramatic statement this month calling for “the complete phase out of sub-minimum wage for all individuals with disabilities by the end of 2014.”  The Board’s statement outlines recommendations to ensure that phasing out sub-minimum wage is carried out over time, in a way that avoids unintended consequences and leads to integrated employment opportunities.  Recommendations include amending the Rehabilitation Act to prohibit VR closures to sub-minimum wage jobs and for the Department of Labor immediately to stop issuing new sub-minimum wage 14(c) certificates to employers.  The statement was endorsed by the Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination.  Read the full statement.

New Disability and Employment Website Launched
As part of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Workforce3 One launched a new Disability and Employment Resource Page to provide employment-related resources for the workforce system.  The page was created to disseminate promising practices that promote positive employment outcomes of people with disabilities and expand the capacity of the One-Stop Career Center system to serve customers with disabilities.  Visit the new resource page.

Disability and Employment Resource Page
In connection with National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October, Workforce3 One will soon be unveiling a new Disability and Employment Resource Page to provide employment-related resources for the workforce system.  The purposes of this page are to disseminate promising practices to promote the positive employment outcomes of people with disabilities and expand the capacity of the One-Stop Career Center system to serve customers with disabilities.  The page will compile information related to disability and employment in one location on Workforce3 One and along with the addition of a new “Disability” super search category will make it easier for users to find this information.

Millions face Shrinking Social Security Payments
Millions of older people face shrinking Social Security checks next year, the first time in a generation that payments would not rise.

RentWise Train the Trainer
Training on December 8 and 9, 2009 in Ogallala, Nebraska.  Download the registration form.

Resources for Employers and the Visually Impaired
HR Magazine’s April issue featured an article of interest to ODEP’s (Department of Labor – Office of Disability Employment Policy) stakeholders: An Underestimated Talent Pool – Able, eager people who are blind or visually impaired want to work; now it’s up to employers.

Ticket to Work Employment Network Partners’ Teleconference Call
The Social Security Administration (SSA) and CESSI, the Ticket to Work Program Manager for Recruitment and Outreach (PMRO), invite you to participate in a Ticket to Work Teleconference for organizations interested in becoming an Employment Network (EN) or current ENs to understand the support available from SSA, PMRO, and MAXIMUS, the Ticket to Work Operation Support Manager. Tuesday, December 15, 2009 1:00 – 2:30 pm Central Time; 12:00 – 1:30 pm Mountain Time. To participate in this Teleconference, please register at www.cessi.net/ttw to click on the Region 7 teleconference icon.