In our previous post, we took a look at the five-step series of questions the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers when making disability determinations.

As we have seen, some of the questions can be seen as rather vague or subjective, particularly those concerning whether the applicant can do the work they did previously, and if not, whether they can do any other type of work. Both of these are determinations to be made when the conditions affecting an applicant does affect their ability to work, but not as severely as an impairment on the administration's official listing of impairments. Here we'll consider the question of whether the applicant can do the work they previously performed.

When the SSA makes the first determination, they will consider a number of factors. The following are some of them:

  • Ability to exert oneself physically for work-related activities
  • Ability to tolerate certain environmental conditions
  • Ability to see, hear and speak, as well as maintain concentration and attention
  • Ability to remember, understand and follow instructions

In terms of the past work that is considered, the SSA will consider work done over the last 15 years for pay or profit, and which was performed long enough to learn how to do it. The applicant's capacity for work will be compared to how they performed the work in the past and how that work is generally performed in the national economy.

The SSA will consider disabled any candidate who can perform past work, but who cannot find a job doing so. To the SSA, inability to find a job is irrelevant.

In our next post, we'll look at some specifics regarding the determination of whether an applicant who cannot do past work can do any other type of work.

Source: Online: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/step4and5.htm; Social Security Administration website; gives overview of process for determining how applicants are disabled.