Why Does Your Work History Matter?
When you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) looks at your work history to determine whether you can still perform the type of work you have done in the past. This part of the process is called evaluating your “past relevant work,” and it plays a role in whether your claim is approved or denied. Understanding how SSA looks at past work can help you prepare a complete application or appeal.
What Counts as “Past Relevant Work”?
Past relevant work refers to jobs you have held within the last five years that meet certain criteria. For a job to count, it must:
- Have been performed long enough for you to learn it
- Have been done at a level considered substantial gainful activity (SGA), which usually means it met minimum earnings amounts that SSA updates each year
Example: If you worked as a warehouse laborer for 10 years but briefly held a part-time job for a few weeks afterward, the warehouse job is more likely to be considered past relevant work because of its duration and skill level.
How SSA Evaluates Your Ability to Work
The SSA uses a five-step process to decide disability claims. Past relevant work becomes important at Step Four, when the SSA asks: Can you still perform the work you did before?
To answer this, the SSA looks at your “residual functional capacity” (RFC), which is a detailed assessment of what you can still do despite your condition. This includes physical abilities like lifting, standing, and walking, as well as mental abilities like concentration and memory.
If the SSA believes you can still perform your past work—either as you actually did it or sometimes as the job is generally performed in the national economy—your claim will likely be denied.
Job Duties Matter More Than Job Titles
A common misunderstanding is assuming that job titles alone determine eligibility. In reality, the SSA looks closely at what your actual job required on a daily basis. They may consider:
- How much you had to lift or carry
- Whether you stood, walked, or sat for long periods
- The level of skill or training required
- Mental demands such as problem-solving or customer interaction
Example: Two people may both have the title “manager,” but one may spend most of the day doing physical tasks while the other performs primarily administrative work. The SSA will evaluate each worker’s actual duties. The SSA will also evaluate how workers with similar duties perform their jobs.
Sedentary Work: Why It Matters
The type of work you performed can significantly affect your claim.
Workers in construction, manufacturing, maintenance, or similar fields often perform tasks that require heavy lifting, bending, standing, and repetitive motion. If a medical condition limits these abilities, it may be easier to show that returning to this type of work is not possible.
Example: A construction worker with severe back injuries who can no longer lift or stand for extended periods may be unable to return to past work, helping their claim move forward.
Jobs that involve mostly sitting, such as office or administrative roles, can be more challenging in SSDI claims. The SSA may determine that even with physical limitations, the individual can still perform this type of work.
However, sedentary work is not always easy to sustain with certain conditions.
Example: An office worker with chronic pain, severe migraines, or cognitive impairments may struggle with concentration, attendance, or basic job tasks, making even sedentary work unrealistic.
Composite Jobs
Often a worker’s job duties do not neatly match other jobs in the national economy.
For example, a small business may hire a salesperson to answer customer questions, fill out sales paperwork, and package and ship products after an order is placed. Because this job includes significant parts of at least two different occupations, the SSA may call it a “composite job.”
This distinction can matter. If the SSA finds that your past work was a composite job, it no longer matters whether you can do your past work as it is generally performed in the national economy. The SSA will only ask whether you can do the actual duties of your past job. If you cannot, your claim can proceed to the next step.
What Happens If You Cannot Do Your Past Work?
If the SSA determines that you cannot return to your past relevant work, your claim moves to the next step. At this stage, they evaluate whether you can adjust to other types of work based on your:
- Age
- Education
- Transferable skills
- Remaining physical and mental capacity
Older workers or those with limited education and highly physical job histories may have a stronger case, especially if their skills do not easily transfer to less demanding work.
How a Lawyer Can Strengthen Your Case
Accurately describing your past work is critical, but it is not always simple. Small details about your job duties can make a big difference in how the SSA evaluates your claim.
An experienced Social Security disability attorney can help by:
- Carefully documenting all details of the physical and mental demands of your past jobs
- Identifying inconsistencies or gaps in your work history
- Gathering supporting evidence, including vocational expert opinions when needed
Spector & Lenz works closely with clients to ensure their work history is clearly and accurately presented. This can be especially important during appeals, where a more detailed explanation of your past work may change the outcome.
Take the Next Step
Your past work can either support or complicate your SSDI claim. Understanding how the SSA evaluates your job history and ensuring that the SSA has enough details about your past work are key parts of building a strong case.
If you are applying for SSDI or appealing a denial, Spector & Lenz can help you navigate the process and advocate for your rights.
Contact Spector & Lenz today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you move forward with your claim.
