An Employment Network (EN) is an organization or group of organizations that provide or coordinate the provision of vocational rehabilitation and other employment-related services and supports to assist Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities (Ticketholders) to enter, maintain and advance towards self-supporting employment.

Organizations must apply to become ENs by responding to the EN Request for Application (RFA).

Once approved by the Social Security Administration, an applicant organization must sign a Ticket Program Agreement (TPA) and key staff must complete the Service Provider Training curriculum, which includes suitability determination, to begin operating as an EN.

ENs can be for-profit or nonprofit entities, state and local government agencies, or a group of organizations working together as a single EN. Federal agencies cannot be ENs.

Some ENs are categorized under a certain type of organization or state agency, such as Workforce ENs.

ENs operate under one or more of the following types of EN business models, according to their approved TPA and business plan:

• Traditional EN – Provides employment and other support services directly to Ticketholders (most ENs fall into this category)
• Employer EN – Primarily employs Ticketholders for whom it has assigned Tickets
• Administrative EN – Serves as the EN of record for a network of provider affiliates who combine their resources to provide services to Ticketholders
• Consumer-Directed Services (CDS) EN - Allows beneficiaries to make their own decisions regarding their employment services and supports, and then subsequently assists the beneficiaries in paying for the services (CDS model no longer awarded since July 2017)

ENs with multiple business models must have separate EN names, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) numbers and System for Award Management (SAM) registrations for each business model they operate. Existing ENs must also complete Part III Section 1.B.2 and Part V of the EN RFA for each business model and submit to enservice@ssa.gov for approval. New ENs must complete and submit a separate RFA for each business model.

Resources for ENs operating multiple business models:

• EN RFA Adding a Business Model
• Business Model Instructions