Changes To Job History Requirements For SSDI

More than 1 million people apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in the United States every year. Getting SSDI is no easy task, as these applicants will tell you. Not everyone gets approved the first time around. In fact, the disapproval rate is more than 60%.

A lot of these disapprovals have to do with work history. Because the inability to work is a main factor in determining who is disabled,  the Social Security Administration (SSA) used to require adult applicants to provide 15 years of work history.

The SSA determines applicants to be disabled if they have a severe medical condition that is expected to last longer than one year or result in death. This definition of disability for SSDI is strict as is the application, which focuses on a person’s illnesses, injuries, limitations, treatment, and work history.

However, unraveling the work history over the course of 15 years was the toughest part for many applicants. The application is very detailed and requires details about job titles, duties, and dates. If a person has worked multiple jobs over the years, this can be a major challenge. This often led to incomplete or inaccurate reporting.

Effective June 22, 2024, the SSA changed their requirements in this regard. The new rule simplifies step four of the disability process, which assesses whether an applicant can perform any of their “past relevant work.”

To simplify this process, the agency began considering work going back five years instead of 15. Also, the work is no longer relevant if the job lasted less than 30 days, so applicants don’t have to worry about including short-term employment.

Decreasing the relevant work period to five years will make it easier for people to accurately report their work history.  This new rule will make it easier for people applying for benefits by focusing on their most recent relevant work activity while providing enough information to continue making determinations.

The new rule also enhances the SSA’s efforts to modernize the vocational policy that is used to make disability decisions. Research indicates that manual skills can significantly deteriorate in five years.

This change will be helpful for everyone. It will reduce the time it takes for applicants to fill out the SSA’s work history forms, which helps simplify the disability application process. The SSA benefits as well by receiving better quality information earlier in the evaluation process. This will help the millions of people applying for disability see a reduction in processing times.

Learn More About Social Security Disability Benefits

While SSDI and work history are closely related, it’s not as big of a deal as it was in the past. The work reporting period has decreased, making the application process easier.

A White Plains Social Security Disability lawyer from The Law Office of Michael Lawrence Varon can help you deal with the intricate laws involved. Fill out the online form or call (914) 228-1770  to schedule a consultation with our office.

Source:

blog.ssa.gov/changes-to-past-relevant-work-and-disability-determinations/