If you are filing a Social Security disability claim (SSDI), your past work history is really important, especially if you are age 50 plus.
Most older claimants have their case decided at "Step 4" in the sequential process. The Step 4 question is: Can this claimant perform any of his/her past relevant work? If not, a finding of disabled is warranted by the rules.
So, what is past relevant work or PRW? It is the work a claimant has performed on a full-time basis during the preceding 15 year period.
To determine whether an individual can still perform any PRW, a vocational expert must understand the nature of all the past jobs a claimant has performed. Three facts are of vital importance when each past job is considered:
1. Was the work skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled?
2. What was the maximum lifting/carrying required on each job?
3. Out of an 8-hour day, how much did the claimant sit/stand/walk on each job?
SEDENTARY WORK - would be the easiest work physically. It would be performed mostly from a seated position (sitting about 6 hours out of an 8-hour day). It requires lifting/carrying up to 10 pounds occasionally.
LIGHT WORK - would be stand and/or walking up to 6 hours per day and requires lifting 10 pounds frequently and up to 20 pounds occasionally.
MEDIUM WORK - is where an individual stands and/or walks up to 6 hours per day but would lift up to 50 pounds.
HEAVY WORK - is also performed standing and/or walking up to 6 hours per day but requires lifting a maximum of up to 100 pounds occasionally.
VERY HEAVY WORK (which we don't see often) has an individual standing/walking most of the day but lifting more than 100 pounds on occasion.
It's easy to see that a person with sedentary work in their background might be determined able to perform that work as compared to a claimant who has only performed medium to heavy work previously. The more difficult the work, the less likely a claimant can still perform it. Conversely, the easier the work (sedentary) the more likely that a claimant can still perform it.
Social Security decision makers gather information about past relevant work form two main sources:
1. The Work History Report which the claimant files with his/her application for benefits.
2. Testimony about past jobs at a disability hearing.
I review hundreds of Work History Reports each year. I'm no longer surprised to find that 95 percent of them are incomplete, inaccurate, or simply left blank. This really hurts a claim with decision makers. In the absence of a good job description from the claimant, Social Security will use their own sources to determine requirements for each past job. These sources may not reflect what the claimant was required to in his/her jobs.
As an advocate for the claimant, one of the things I do is to make sure that Past Relevant Work is reported fully and accurately. I help the claimant to report the amount of sitting/standing/walking was involved in each past job. I report how much reaching, bending, crouching, crawling, kneeling, lifting, handling, etc. each job required.
If you are handling your own SSDI claim, be sure to describe in detail all of your past relevant work, going back fifteen years. The Work History Report is detailed, meticulous and confusing. But it plays a vital role in deciding if you qualify for benefits. Don't neglect it. If it takes a week to complete the form, it's worth it. And for heaven's sake, don't turn in the form half completed or even worse--blank. It's the best way to get a quick denial.
The Forsythe Firm in Huntsville is available to assist you with completion of forms or applications. Our advocates have years of Social Security experience and know the law, the rules and the process of SSDI claims and appeals. Can we help you?
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The Forsythe Firm, Huntsville, AL. (256) 799-0297 or (256) 538151. Initial consultations are free (for Social Security only).
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