U.S. Social Security Modernizes Disability Evaluation by Updating Occupations List

Author: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA)
Published: 2024/06/24 - Updated: 2024/09/20
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed, Announcement
Category Topic: U.S. Social Security - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: The occupations list change is significant because it offers a comprehensive overview of job categories and specific occupations recognized by the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). This information is crucial for individuals applying for disability benefits, as the SSA uses these classifications to assess an applicant's ability to perform their past work or transition to other suitable employment. Understanding these occupational categories can help claimants and their representatives navigate the complex disability determination process more effectively, potentially improving their chances of a successful claim - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Social Security administers disability benefits through two programs: the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.

Main Content

While the agency's disability decision process remains sound, it continually seeks improvements to ensure its disability programs remain current and to ease the burden on customers. In determining disability claims for adults, Social Security may have to evaluate whether a person can adjust to other work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy. To make this determination, the agency considers a person's capacity to do work-related activities, as well as consider their age, education, and work experience.

When making a finding of "not disabled," for the purpose of benefit eligibility the agency must support the finding with evidence that an individual can adjust to work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy. The agency uses the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) and its companion publication, the 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 nine U.S. Census divisions of the country. Based on this finding, the agency will not use these occupations to support a "not disabled" finding at the last step in the evaluation process for disability determinations.

The agency also identified 13 DOT occupations where federal courts have questioned supporting evidence of a "not disabled" 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 Martin O'Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. "By making this update, our decision makers will no longer cite these jobs when denying a disability application."

On June 22, 2024, the agency published new public guidance and instructions about these changes. The agency anticipates that, as a result, it will only consider the most relevant occupations when determining if someone applying for disability benefits could perform other types of work.

In the 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 publishing to improve its disability programs. For example, the agency recently announced it will reduce barriers to access the SSI program by updating the definition of a public assistance household.

The agency also announced it will exclude the value of food from SSI benefit calculations.

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and published on 2024/06/24, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.