Careers at SSA: Individuals with Disabilities

Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities

The Social Security Administration is actively recruiting and hiring persons with disabilities. We offer a variety of exciting jobs, competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and opportunities for career advancement.

Special Hiring Authorities and Programs

Select a link from the following list to shortcut to the program of your choice:

Selective Placement Program/Schedule A

Individuals with disabilities may apply through the competitive hiring process, or in some circumstances, under the non-competitive hiring authority for individuals with disabilities (Schedule A).

For consideration under the non-competitive hiring authority (Schedule A), send a resume, description of your career interests, your geographic preferences, and proof of disability to the Selective Placement Coordinator in your region.

Disabled veterans may also be considered under special hiring programs. Please contact our Veterans Employment team.

The ABCs of Schedule A For Applicants with Disabilities

In the non-competitive hiring process, agencies may use a special authority to hire individuals with targeted disabilities without requiring them to compete for the job.

Individuals that may fall under this special hiring authority include individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities.

For additional information, please reference this guide to non-competitive hiring authority (Schedule A).

Ticket to Work Program

  • The ticket to work program is voluntary. Through this program, individuals who receive Social Security disability benefits can increase self-sufficiency through a variety of support options.
  • The Ticket to Work Program is a good fit for individuals who want to improve the earning potential and are committed to preparing for long-term success in the workplace.
  • The YourTicketToWork.SSA.gov website is for Employment Networks and State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies participating in the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work and Self Sufficiency Program.
  • Visit Social Security's Work Site for programmatic information about the Ticket to Work program.
  • Visit Social Security’s Work Site webpage for programmatic updates. Visit https://choosework.ssa.gov/mycall/ to sign up for free information.

Vocational Rehabilitation & Reasonable Accommodations

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

Social Security supports the State VR agencies in their efforts to help prepare people with disabilities for jobs and teach them job skills.

State VR agencies provide a range of services including:

  • Vocational counseling & guidance
  • Job placement assistance
  • College/vocational training
  • Supported employment services
  • Skills training
  • Job coaching/tutoring
  • Transportation
  • Interpreter services
  • Services to transition-age youth
  • Accommodations
  • Assistive technology and rehabilitation technology services; referral services; support, advocacy, and follow-up services.

For more information, visit:

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable Accommodations are modifications or adjustments to a job or change in the work environment that enables a person with a disability to compete equally or perform the essential functions of the position.

Reasonable accommodation also includes adjustments to assure an individual with a disability has equal benefits and privileges of employment enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities.

The accommodation must be job related e.g. hearing aids, prosthetic devices, wheelchairs, and transportation to work.

Accommodations also include:

  • Assistive Technology
  • Readers and Assistants
  • Interpreter Services
  • Specialized Training on the use of Assistive Devices
  • Modified Job Duties and Restructured Work Sites
  • Provided Accessible Technology or other Workplace Adaptive Equipment

Reasonable accommodations can apply to the duties of the job and/or where or how job tasks are performed.

For more information, visit OPM's Disability Employment Reasonable Accommodations webpage.

Job Search & Hiring Process

Hiring officials are prohibited from asking questions about your disability unless the questions relate to your ability to perform the essential functions of the position and are consistent with the business needs of the position.

In addition to going to USAJOBS and researching jobs, an individual may also contact a Selective Placement Program Coordinator for employment help.

To review the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's guidance about questions hiring officials can ask about an applicant's disability, please visit the "Enforcement Guidance: Pre-employment Disability-Related Questions and Medical Examinations".

Additional Information