CONCENTRATION, PERSISTENCE AND PACE ISSUES

When trying to prove disability, claimants should not neglect the problems of concentration, persistence and pace (CPP).

Every competitive job in America requires that you do a certain amount of work in an 8-hour shift.  And every job expects a worker to be on task and performing in a productive manner.

However, pain, fatigue, depression or other health related problems may cause severe issues that can slow down a worker's ability to concentrate and turn out work efficiently.

Concentration is the ability to stay focused on the job or task at hand.  In most jobs, a worker must remain focused and on task for two-hour periods without a break and must be able to complete an 8 hour shift.  Most vocational experts will testify that while everyone is off task a small percentage of the time, a person who is off task more than about 10 percent of the time is unemployable.

Persistence is the ability to perform your job 8 hours per day, 5 days per week or an equivalent schedule.  Many people are able to work a few hours per day; however, if they can't regularly work 8 hours, they lack persistence.  Other individuals can work some days but not others.  If they cannot regularly work 5 days per week, they cannot persist in full-time work.  Most vocational experts agree that missing more than about 1 day per month due to health related problems will disqualify a person from holding a full-time job.

Pace refers to a worker's ability to keep up with the job's demands--to turn out an acceptable quantity and quality of work for every 8-hour shift.  If an individual requires extra time to get his work done, needs more breaks than is normally provided or needs other accommodations, this may well be cause for finding the worker disabled.

Concentration, Persistence and Pace are only a few areas that your attorney/advocate should explore in a Social Security disability hearing.

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