How Past Relevant Work Affects SSDI Claims

In a previous post, I discussed how age affects an SSDI claim.  Now, I want to discuss how "past relevant work" (or PRW) affects a Social Security disability claim:

Definition:  Past Relevant Work is all the work you have performed during the 15-year period prior to filing a disability claim.  It is PRW only if....

1)  It was performed as substantial gainful activity (you earned a certain amount of money from the job).....

2)  You worked at the job long enough to learn how to do the job.  This will vary from job to job because you can learn some jobs more quickly than others.

Some things that may NOT count as Past Relevant Work include:  jobs that lasted only a few days or a few weeks and were not performed long enough to learn the work; jobs that were part-time with only limited earnings that do not rise to level of "substantial gainful activity or SGA."  For example, gross earnings of less than $1,180 in 2018 are not considered substantial gainful activity.  That number changes year to year.

There are five mandatory steps in the disability decision making process, and they are taken in order.  In Step 4, the claimant must prove that he/she cannot perform any of his or her past relevant work.  Failure to prove this will result in a denial of benefits.  So, a careful examination of past relevant work (PRW) is essential.

Here are a few things that must be determined concerning your past relevant work:

1)  What was the exertion level required of each past relevant job?  There are 4 levels--given here from least demanding to most demanding:  sedentary, light, medium, heavy, very heavy. Specifically, exertion level is determined by 2 and 3 below.

2)  How much standing and walking did each past job require?

3)  How much maximum lifting/carrying did each past job involve?

The higher the exertion level, the less likely a claimant can still perform the past work.  For example, it is less likely that a person could continue working as a construction worker (heavy exertion) but more likely he could continue working as a sales executive (light exertion).

Are there non-exertional requirements of a job that may prevent it from being performed?  Yes, of course.  Postural limitations may prevent work:  inability to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, handle, reach, etc.  Psychological restrictions may also prevent the ability to perform past work.

In addition to the mechanical discussion of exertion levels or residual functional capacity-- Social Security must also consider the claimant's age and education level.