Author: US Social Security Administration (SSA)
Published: 2024/06/24
Post type: Advertisement – Peer Reviewed: Yeah
Content: Summary – Introduction – Major – Related
Synopsis: The new SSA guidance will only consider the most relevant occupations when determining whether someone applying for disability benefits could perform other types of work. When determining adult disability claims, Social Security may have to evaluate whether a person can adapt to other jobs that exist in significant numbers in the national economy. In determining “not disabled,” for purposes of eligibility for benefits, the agency must support the finding with evidence that an individual can adapt to a job that exists in significant numbers in the national economy.
Introduction
Social Security administers disability benefits through two programs: the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
Main summary
While the agency’s disability decision process remains strong, it continually seeks improvements to ensure its disability programs remain up-to-date and ease the burden on clients. When determining adult disability claims, Social Security may have to evaluate whether a person can adapt to other jobs that exist in significant numbers in the national economy. To make this determination, the agency considers a person’s ability to perform work-related activities, as well as the person’s age, education, and work experience.
In determining “not disabled,” for purposes of eligibility for benefits, the agency must support the finding with evidence that an individual can adapt to a job that exists in significant numbers in the national economy. The agency uses the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) and its companion publication, Selected Characteristics of Occupations Defined in the Revised Dictionary of Occupational Titles, as reliable sources of information about such work.
The agency has identified 114 DOT occupations with jobs that exist in very limited numbers, if at all, in each of the country’s nine U.S. Census divisions. Based on this finding, the agency will not use these occupations to support a finding of “not disabled” in the final step of the evaluation process for disability determinations.
The agency also identified 13 DOT occupations where federal courts have questioned the evidence supporting a “non-disability” finding. The agency is implementing additional evidence requirements for these occupations.
“It makes sense to identify occupations that now exist in very limited numbers in the national economy,” said Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley. “By making this update, decision makers will no longer cite these jobs when rejecting a disability application.”
On June 22, 2024, the agency published new guidance and public instructions regarding these changes. The agency anticipates that, as a result, it will only consider the most relevant occupations when determining whether someone applying for disability benefits could perform other types of work.
Longer term, Social Security continues to analyze data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Requirements Survey, which will inform future updates.
These changes add to a growing list of policy updates that Social Security is issuing to improve its disability programs. For example, the agency recently announced that it will reduce barriers to accessing the SSI program by updating the definition of a public assistance household.
The agency also announced that it will exclude the value of food from SSI benefit calculations.
Attribution/Source(s):
This peer-reviewed publication titled US Social Security modernizes disability assessment by updating occupation list was selected for publication by the editors of Disabled World due to its relevance to the disability community. While content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity, it was originally written by US Social Security Administration (SSA) and published on 06/24/2024. For more details or clarifications, you can contact US Social Security Administration (SSA) directly on ssa.gov Disabled World makes no warranty or endorsement related to this article.
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Cite this page (APA): US Social Security Administration (SSA). (2024, June 24). U.S. Social Security modernizes disability assessment by updating list of occupations. Disabled world. Retrieved June 25, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/social-security/usa/occupations-list.php
Permanent link: US Social Security modernizes disability assessment by updating occupation list: New SSA Guidance It will only consider the most relevant occupations when determining whether someone applying for disability benefits could perform other types of work.
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