What Access United Is
Access United is a nonprofit organization that helps people with disabilities find work and keep jobs through employment support services. It does not pay benefits or provide direct financial information. Instead, it connects you with job coaching, training, and resources designed to help you move toward employment or stay employed if you already have a job.
Access United operates in multiple states and works with both public disability programs (like Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income) and private employers. The organization's main goal is to help you understand your work options and navigate the practical steps of finding or keeping employment while managing a disability.
If you receive disability benefits and want to work, or if you have a disability and are looking for employment support, Access United can explain how work affects your benefits and connect you with local resources. You do not need to be on disability benefits to use their services.
Key Takeaways
- Access United provides employment coaching and job support services for people with disabilities, not cash benefits or direct financial aid.
- The organization helps you understand how working affects your Social Security disability benefits and what protections exist when you return to work.
- Services include job coaching, employer connections, and guidance on work incentives that let you earn money while keeping some or all of your benefits.
- You can contact Access United directly through their website or by phone to learn what services are available in your state.
- Access United works alongside your state vocational rehabilitation agency and Social Security, but is a separate organization from both.
The Services Access United Offers
Access United provides several types of employment support. Job coaching means a trained coach works with you on the job site to help you learn tasks, understand workplace expectations, and solve problems as they come up. This support can be intensive at first and then fade as you become more independent.
The organization also offers work incentive information. This is education about how your earnings affect your disability benefits. Social Security has rules that let you work and earn money while keeping some or all of your benefits — but the rules are complicated. Access United staff can explain what those rules mean for your specific situation and help you plan how much you can earn without losing benefits.
Access United connects you with employers who hire people with disabilities and helps match your skills to real job openings. They also provide benefits planning — working with you to understand what happens to your benefits if you take a job, and what happens if you stop working.
How to Contact Access United
Access United's main office is in New York, but the organization serves multiple states. The fastest way to reach them is through their website, where you can find a phone number for your state or region. You can also send an email inquiry through their contact form.
When you call or email, have ready: your state, whether you currently receive disability benefits (and which program — SSDI or SSI), and what kind of work you are interested in or currently doing. This helps them direct you to the right staff member and tell you what services are available where you live.
There is no cost to contact Access United or to receive their services. If they cannot serve you directly in your state, they can often refer you to a similar organization that can.
How Access United Differs From Other Disability Employment Programs
Your state has a vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency that also helps people with disabilities find work. VR is a government program funded by federal and state money. Access United is a nonprofit separate from VR, though the two sometimes work together on the same person's case.
Social Security also runs work incentive programs through field offices and online resources. These programs explain the rules for working while on benefits. Access United staff are trained in these rules and can explain them to you in detail, but they do not make decisions about your benefits — Social Security does that.
If you are already working with a VR counselor or a Social Security work incentive specialist, you can also work with Access United at the same time. Each organization brings different informed and resources.
What Happens When You Work With Access United
The first step is usually a conversation about your work history, your disability, and what kind of work you want to do. Access United staff will ask questions to understand your strengths and what support you might need on a job.
If you are on disability benefits and considering work, they will explain the work incentives available to you — such as the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which lets you set aside income and resources to reach a work goal without losing benefits, or the Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) deduction, which lets you subtract certain disability-related costs from your earnings before Social Security counts them.
Once you are working or have a job lined up, Access United can provide on-the-job coaching. This might mean a coach visits your workplace, helps you learn new tasks, or works with your employer to solve problems. The amount of coaching depends on what you need and what Access United can provide in your area.
When Access United May Not Be the Right Fit
Access United focuses on employment support for people with disabilities. If you need other kinds of help — such as housing information, medical care, or benefits counseling unrelated to work — they can refer you to other organizations but do not provide those services themselves.
If you live in a state where Access United does not operate, they will tell you that when you contact them and can point you toward similar organizations in your area. Some states have multiple nonprofits doing this work, and Access United can help you find the right one.
Access United also cannot override Social Security's decisions about your benefits or change how much you receive. They can explain the rules and help you plan, but the final decisions come from Social Security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Access United pay for job training or education?
Access United does not directly pay for training or school. However, they can connect you with funding sources that do — such as your state vocational rehabilitation agency, which may pay for training if it leads to employment. Access United staff know these resources and can help you explore them.
Will working with Access United affect my disability benefits?
Working with Access United itself does not change your benefits. However, if you take a job as a result of their support, your earnings may affect your benefits depending on how much you earn and which program you are on. Access United helps you understand these rules before you start working so you can plan accordingly.
Can I use Access United if I am not on disability benefits?
Yes. Access United serves people with disabilities whether or not they receive benefits. If you have a disability and want employment support, you can contact them. They will let you know what services they can provide in your situation.
How long does it take to find a job through Access United?
There is no set timeline. It depends on the job market in your area, the type of work you are looking for, and how much support you need. Access United can give you a better sense of timing once they understand your situation and what jobs are available.
What if I already have a job but need support to keep it?
Access United works with people who are already employed and struggling. They can provide job coaching, help you solve workplace problems, and explain how your earnings affect your benefits. Contact them to discuss your specific situation.