Heidi Little | Your Employment Network

Getting Hired: What’s So Important About Soft Skills?

August 8, 2019 By Heidi Little Leave a Comment

By: Charmaign Lomastro, Career Specialist, Human Solutions LLC

No matter how far back in time you go, the most important skills for job success are well-developed soft skills. Whether you are in the industrial era or the technology era, having strong soft skills is essential in the job market. It was yesterday, is today and still will be tomorrow.

So, what are soft skills?

Soft skills make up the kind of person you are, both in your job and in your life. In the workplace, soft skills include how you work with and relate to others - in other words, people skills; both verbal and non-verbal. Candidates with strong soft skills are in high demand for many different types of jobs.

According to the Forbes Coaches Council, the 15 soft skills you need to succeed when entering the workforce are:

Empathy
Ability to influence peers
Emotional intelligence
Curiosity and positivity
Active listening
Humility
Communication skills
Creative problem-solving
Resilience
Observation skills
Ability to contextualize
Willingness to ask questions
Courage to make recommendations
Relationship building
Self-awareness

Why are soft skills important to employers?

In order for a company to stay in business, they must have good relationships with customers, shareholders, vendors, clients and employees. It makes sense then, for employers to hire people who have excellent soft skills who can help build and maintain these relationships.

Additionally, in order to succeed at work, it is important to get along well with the people you interact with, including managers, and co-workers, along with the clients, customers, and anyone else you communicate with while on the job. These are the types of skills all employers value.

How do you show employers that you have good soft skills?

Since soft skills cannot be easily taught, employers are looking for job candidates who already have the soft skills to be successful in the job. So, when applying for a job, you need to determine if you have the soft skills they are looking for. This will require some self-reflection. Take some time to think about the types of tasks and responsibilities at which you excel. Are you good at making others happy by finding solutions to problems? Are you good at explaining complicated ideas to others? Do you enjoy creating new ways to stay organized? You can also reach out to family members, friends and any past co-workers to discover characteristics or qualities about yourself that you might not recognize on your own.

Of course, you wouldn’t be expected to possess all 15 of the soft skills listed above, but to be a viable candidate, you would need to have those that would be critical to the position you are applying for.

When you're writing resumes and cover letters, it's essential to reference the soft skills the employer is seeking in the job application. The same is true when you're interviewing. Review the job posting and be prepared to give specific examples of the skills you have that match the job requirements. Also, be sure to present your soft skills to the hiring manager during interviews and focus on keeping your skills top-notch on the job.

Medicare: What Happens When I Go Back to Work?

March 28, 2019 By Heidi Little Leave a Comment

By Jessica Andino, Human Solutions Work Incentive Specialist

Many people who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) think that if they lose their cash benefits due to employment, they will also lose their Medicare coverage. In fact, this is NOT the case! It is important to understand that if you are eligible to receive a cash payment, you will keep your Medicare coverage. Most individuals with disabilities who work will continue to receive at least 93 consecutive months of Medicare coverage after the Trial Work Period ends. This is called the Extended Period of Medicare Coverage or EPMC. In some cases, EPMC coverage can continue much longer than 93 months.

The Extended Period of Medicare Coverage is a work incentive for SSDI beneficiaries. Individuals who have lost benefits due to work are eligible. It will not allow you to keep Medicare when benefits are lost due to medical recovery. Beneficiaries in the EPMC must meet the Social Security disability requirement, even though they may not be due a cash payment.

The EPMC always begins the month after the 9^th Trial Work Period Month, regardless how much your income is. Medicare is guaranteed if entitlements for cash benefits continue. There are three rules that determine how long the Extended Period of Medicare coverage will be. These rules depend on when you earned a gainful wage after the Trial Work Period during the 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility.

Rule 1: If in the first month you earn a gainful wage after the Trial Work Period occurs before the 14^th month of the Extended Period of Eligibility AND there are gainful level earnings also in the 16^th month of the EPE, then Medicare continues for 78 months after the 15^th month of the EPE. That is 93 months from the end of the Trial Work Period. There are important things to remember about Rule 1:

By earning a gainful wage of $1,220 gross (2019), that means the SSA has ceased the cash payments. Cessation occurs when you first earn a gainful wage after the 9-month TWP.
When your benefits are ceased, you receive a cash benefit for three months—the cessation month and two grace months before payments stop.
For Rule 1 to apply, you must still be earning a gainful wage in the 16th month after the Trial Work Period ends.
If you remain disabled but work long enough for the cash benefits to be terminated, then you will have Medicare coverage for at least 93-months after the Trial Work Period ended.

Rule 2: If you earn a gainful wage after the end of the TWP before the 14^th month of the EPE but there are no gainful earnings in the 16^th month of the EPE, Medicare will end on the last day of the 77^th month. That is at least 93 months from the end of the TWP. Here are important facts about Rule 2:

You earn a gainful wage within 13 months of the end of the TWP-relatively soon after the Trial Work Period ends, just like in Rule 1 except....
You are no longer performing SGA during the 16^th month after the Trial Work Period ends.
The continued Medicare clock doesn't begin to tick again until you earn a gainful wage, no matter how long that takes. In the meantime, you still have Medicare, since you remain in cash payment status.
Once you begin to earn a gainful wage again, you have Medicare at least until the last day of the 77^th month after you perform SGA.

Rule 3: If the first month a gainful wage is earned after the 13^th month of the EPE, Medicare ends with the last day of the 80^th month following the first month of SGA after the TWP. That is at least 93 months from the end of the TWP. Here are some things to remember about Rule 3:

You don’t perform SGA for more than a year and one month after the Trial Work Period ends. This differs from both Rule 1 and 2, which require that cessation occurs before the 14^th month after the end of the Trial Work Period.
You are not performing SGA in the 16^th month after the TWP ends.
Your entitlement to Medicare is indefinite until you earn a gainful wage regardless of how far in the future it occurs.
When SGA is earned, you will receive benefits for the Cessation month and two grace months before benefits stop. Medicare, however, will continue for at least 80 months after you perform SGA.

Regardless of which rule applies, if you become re-entitled to cash benefits, Medicare benefits will continue if cash benefits are payable. Medicare is indefinite if you become re-entitled to benefits either in the Extended Period of Eligibility, or under reapplication, or through Expedited Reinstatement (EXR).

If you need any help or guidance with this, please reach out to me or your Career Specialist at Human Solutions. We’re always here to help!

How Does Social Security Count Self-Employment Income?

March 14, 2019 By Heidi Little Leave a Comment

By Jessica Andino, Human Solutions Work Incentive Specialist

Being self-employed can create a job that fits your needs and gives you the flexibility usually not available in a traditional work environment. It can be a very rewarding and profitable experience. However, when it comes to reporting your earnings, the Social Security Administration has different rules regarding self-employment, and you need to be aware of them so you can plan accordingly.

For people who are self-employed, Social Security does not count gross profits generated by the business. Instead, Social Security counts “net earnings from self-employment” (NESE). The terms “gross” and “net” and what they mean for someone who is self-employed and receiving Social Security disability benefits are explained below:

Gross income is the total amount of money that a business takes in from sales of products or services.

Net income is the amount of profit that the business makes.

Profit is the gross sales minus any legitimate expenses that the business incurs. It is this figure that a business owner reports to the IRS from which it assesses business taxes.

Net earnings from self-employment (NESE) is the net income or net profit from a business less half of the self-employment taxes the beneficiary pays.

Once Social Security determines the NESE for a given month, the agency uses that number as the starting point for Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) decisions. Social Security determines countable income by taking NESE and deducting any allowable work incentives.

Each month, self-employed individuals should keep a detailed account of hours worked, money earned, and money expended toward the business. You can use the paystub submission organizer sent to you by Human Solutions to keep your information in one place.

Unincurred Business Expenses

In determining countable income from self-employment, Social Security deducts from the individual’s NESE any business expenses that the beneficiary incurred and that another person or agency paid for.

The Trial Work Period and Self-Employment

A Trial Work Period (TWP) or month is used when NESE is $880 or more in a calendar month (2019).

A TWP month is used any month that you work 80 or more hours in your business.

Hours that count are hours spent on the ongoing business duties for pay or profit. The beneficiary should not count hours they spend simply planning the business.

This is a basic overview of how self-employment income is counted. If you are self-employed and would like to discuss your individual case, please contact our Work Incentive Specialist at wic@human-solutions.net to schedule an appointment. We’re happy to help!