Working Part Time on SSDI in Wyoming

Many Wyoming residents receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits wonder whether they can supplement their income with part-time work. The short answer is yes—but the rules are specific, and crossing certain thresholds can trigger a review or even termination of your benefits. Understanding how the Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates work activity is essential before you take on any employment while receiving SSDI in Wyoming.

Substantial Gainful Activity: The Key Threshold

The foundation of any analysis about working on SSDI is the concept of Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). The SSA uses this standard to determine whether your work is significant enough to indicate that you are no longer disabled under their definition.

For 2025, the SGA threshold is $1,620 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,700 per month for individuals who are blind. If your gross earnings from part-time work exceed these limits, the SSA may determine that you are engaging in SGA and could suspend or terminate your SSDI benefits.

Wyoming's labor market is diverse, ranging from energy sector employment in Casper and Gillette to tourism and hospitality work near Yellowstone and the Tetons. Regardless of the industry, the SSA applies the same federal SGA threshold statewide. Your geographic location within Wyoming does not change these federal limits.

The Trial Work Period: A Built-In Protection

The SSA recognizes that many disability recipients want to test their ability to return to work without immediately losing their benefits. This is why the Trial Work Period (TWP) exists. During the TWP, you can work and receive your full SSDI benefits regardless of how much you earn, as long as you report your work activity.

The TWP consists of nine months within a rolling 60-month window. For 2025, any month in which you earn more than $1,110 counts as a trial work month. These nine months do not need to be consecutive. Once you have used all nine trial work months, the SSA will evaluate your work activity against the SGA threshold.

It is critical that Wyoming SSDI recipients report all work activity to their local SSA field office promptly. Failing to report earnings can result in overpayments that you will be required to repay, and in some cases can be treated as fraud. Wyoming residents can contact the SSA field offices in Cheyenne, Casper, or the teleservice center to report wages.

The Extended Period of Eligibility

After your nine trial work months are exhausted, you enter the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE), which lasts for 36 consecutive months. During the EPE, you can still receive SSDI benefits in any month where your earnings fall below the SGA threshold. If you earn above SGA in a given month, your benefits are suspended for that month—but they can be reinstated without a new application if your earnings drop below SGA again within the EPE window.

This safety net is particularly valuable for Wyoming workers in seasonal industries. If you work a few months in construction, agriculture, or tourism and then your income drops below SGA, your benefits can resume without requiring you to start the entire application process over again.

• Month 1–9: Trial Work Period — full benefits regardless of earnings
• Month 10–45: Extended Period of Eligibility — benefits suspended in months with SGA earnings, but reinstatable
• After month 45: Expedited Reinstatement may apply if you cannot continue working

Impairment-Related Work Expenses and Income Deductions

Not all of your gross earnings count toward the SGA threshold. The SSA allows you to deduct Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) from your monthly income before determining whether you exceed SGA. IRWEs include costs that are directly related to your disability and necessary for you to work.

For Wyoming residents, common IRWEs include:

• Prescription medications required to manage your condition while working
• Specialized transportation costs if your disability prevents standard commuting
• Medical devices or adaptive equipment used at work
• Attendant care services required during work hours
• Mental health counseling services directly enabling work activity

If you are paying out of pocket for any of these expenses, documenting them carefully can reduce your countable earnings and help you stay below the SGA threshold. Keep receipts, invoices, and prescriptions to support your IRWE claims if the SSA requests documentation.

The Ticket to Work Program and Wyoming Workforce Services

The SSA's Ticket to Work program is a voluntary initiative that allows SSDI recipients to receive free employment support services while maintaining certain benefit protections. By assigning your Ticket to an approved Employment Network (EN) or your state's vocational rehabilitation agency, you can access job training, career counseling, and placement assistance.

In Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services administers vocational rehabilitation programs that can work in conjunction with Ticket to Work. These services can help you identify part-time employment that accommodates your restrictions, explore suitable occupations based on your functional limitations, and connect you with employers familiar with disability accommodations.

One significant benefit of participating in Ticket to Work is that your case is generally protected from a Continuing Disability Review (CDR) while you are making timely progress toward your employment goals. This means the SSA is less likely to initiate a medical review to determine if your disability has improved, giving you more stability as you test your work capacity.

Steps to Protect Your Benefits While Working

Wyoming SSDI recipients who choose to work part-time should take the following steps to protect their benefits and avoid problems with the SSA:

• Report all earnings immediately. Notify the SSA the month you begin working and submit monthly wage documentation. Delays can lead to overpayments.
• Track your trial work months. Know exactly where you stand in your TWP so you are not caught off guard when the evaluation period begins.
• Document impairment-related expenses. Maintain organized records of all costs associated with your disability and your ability to work.
• Consult with a disability attorney before taking a new job. Employment decisions that seem minor can have significant consequences for your benefits.
• Understand your employer's reporting obligations. If you work for a Wyoming employer who reports wages to the SSA through data matching programs, discrepancies can trigger reviews.

The interaction between part-time work and SSDI benefits is one of the most nuanced areas of Social Security law. A single month of earnings over the SGA threshold at the wrong point in your benefit timeline can result in a suspension or termination of benefits that requires a formal appeal to resolve. The administrative appeal process—Request for Reconsideration, Administrative Law Judge hearing, and beyond—can take months or years to complete in Wyoming, making prevention far preferable to remediation.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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