The disability evaluation process has just gotten easier for applicants in need of Social Security disability benefits. Under a new rule that began June 22, 2024, the Social Security Administration has changed how past relevant work is evaluated when determining if an applicant is considered to have a disability that impairs their ability to work.

In general, the disability benefits evaluation process goes like this: first, your ability to partake in “substantial gainful activity” is evaluated. This is whether you can do work that requires significant physical or mental activity and/or make a certain income each month. After that, the severity of your disability is determined by whether you can do basic physical and mental work tasks such as standing, walking, carrying around items, following instructions or handling changes in routine. Your disabilities are compared to an existing list of disabilities, both physical and mental conditions. The final step of this evaluation is the consideration of your work history, your ability to do any of your “past relevant work,” and any ability to transition to another line of work. This process is used to determine eligibility for disability benefits programs like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Under the new rule, the Social Security Administration will only consider the past five years of your work history. The previous policy required people to give information about the past 15 years of work history. According to the agency, many people found this difficult and accidentally gave incomplete or inaccurate information. In addition, the agency will not consider any past work that lasted for fewer than 30 calendar days.

This is just one of several rule updates that the Social Security Administration is making to its disability program. Previously, the Social Security Administration removed obsolete jobs from its list of occupations that an applicant can possibly do. This is intended to ensure that applicants’ ability to do other work is not evaluated against possible occupations that no longer exist in the United States. Other Social Security disability updates in 2024 include allowing applicants to receive informal food assistance, SNAP payments and rental subsidies without jeopardizing their eligibility for needs-based disability benefits.

The change comes after President Biden’s executive order “Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government,” which requires government agencies to update its processes in an effort to make it easier for the public to apply for and acquire much-needed services.

The Social Security Administration says this new rule will decrease the amount of time an applicant has to wait for a decision to be made. Learn more about how work and employment applies to Social Security disability benefits. If you have further questions about how your work and employment history impact your eligibility for Social Security disability benefits, call us for a free consultation at 833-MY-DISABILITY (833-693-4722).