For all the difficulties involved with the Social Security disability process, whether it be extremely long wait times, a lack of service or the frustration with decisions made by the agency, it is important to remember that Social Security is a widely popular program that provides life-sustaining benefits to millions of Americans. It is also important to remember that sometimes the agency produces positive change on rules it used to enforce. That is the case with the unsuccessful work attempt, which Social Security recently announced it was making changes to.
When someone is receiving Social Security disability benefits and attempts to go back to work at a Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, which Social Security defines as earning $1,130 in gross income or more per month, the agency looks at how that worker can sustain their level of employment. Because Social Security doesn’t want to penalize people for attempting to go back to work, Social Security will be looking at a disabled worker’s length of employment earning over an SGA level. Social Security removed additional conditions that were used in evaluating a work attempt that lasted between three and six months and decided to use the current three-month standard for all work attempts that last six months or less.
Additionally, the new requirements should make it easier for those who have an unsuccessful work attempt and have to stop working at an SGA level due to their impairments to request and receive expedited reinstatement of benefits. In its summary of the published new rule the change is an attempt to simplify the understanding of an unsuccessful work attempt.
“We expect these changes will result in simplified case processing and faster and better determinations and decisions,” a statement read.
Previous rules were aimed at penalizing people for attempting to work, which is not right. After all, Social Security should be interested in encouraging people to go back to work if they are able. To see the new rules click here,
