The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a significant update this summer that could help more people qualify for disability benefits. This change addresses a crucial aspect of the application process and aims to make it fairer for those in need.
One of the key steps in determining eligibility for disability benefits involves assessing whether an applicant can find another job based on their abilities. To make this assessment, the SSA has been relying on a jobs database to identify potential employment opportunities for applicants.
Social Security is trying to improve the determination system
Many experts and applicants have long argued that this database is both unjust and poor, as it was last updated 47 years ago and contains dozens of outdated occupations.
The database includes old-fashioned jobs such as reptile farmer, railroad telegrapher, and watch repairer. In response to these concerns, the SSA has decided to remove these obsolete occupations from the database.
This decision follows a report by the Washington Post, which highlighted the case of a disability applicant who had worked as an electrician but was denied benefits. A judge determined he could find employment as a nut sorter, dowel inspector, or egg processor—jobs that are effectively nonexistent in today’s job market.
This change is expected to have a significant positive impact on disability applicants, ensuring a more accurate and fair evaluation of their eligibility for benefits. By updating the job database, the SSA is taking a crucial step towards improving the system and supporting those who need it most.
“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, in a statement. “By making this update, our decision-makers will no longer cite these jobs when denying a disability application.”
Important Updates to Disability Programs
This significant change will impact both the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The SSDI provides benefits to individuals who are unable to work due to a medical condition expected to last at least one year or result in death. Meanwhile, the SSI program supports disabled individuals with low incomes.
Addressing Outdated Criteria
Both the Social Security’s and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability programs have been identified as “high risk” by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). This designation is given to federal programs that are particularly vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse, or require significant improvements to enhance their effectiveness. According to an April study by the GAO, both programs currently use “outdated criteria to decide whether individuals qualify for benefits.”
- The update aims to eliminate the use of outdated occupations in disability determinations.
- SSDI benefits those with severe medical conditions preventing them from working for at least one year.
- SSI supports disabled individuals with limited financial resources.
- The GAO highlights the need for modernization to reduce vulnerabilities such as fraud and inefficiency.
This modernization effort is a crucial step towards ensuring that the disability programs are fair, up-to-date, and effective in serving those who need them the most.
What Jobs Is SSA Getting Rid of?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that it is removing 114 occupations from its database, which currently includes more than 12,000 job types. According to the SSA, adjudicators can no longer cite any of these jobs as examples of work that applicants could perform when making a “not disabled” decision.
Some of the jobs that are getting dropped include:
- Canary breeder
- Character impersonator
- Directory assistance operator
- Historian of the dramatic arts
- Motion-picture projectionist
- News wire-photo operator
- Radiotelegraph operator
- Reptile farmer
- Watch repairer
Focusing on Relevant Occupations
The SSA has stated that it will now only consider the most relevant occupations when determining whether someone applying for disability benefits can engage in other forms of work. This shift aims to provide a more accurate assessment of applicants’ abilities and improve fairness in the decision-making process.