When most people think about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), they focus on medical records and doctor statements. But there’s another factor that quietly shapes every decision: your work history.
In fact, many disability denials happen not because the person isn’t sick enough, but because their work history suggests they could still do “other” work.
Understanding how SSA analyzes your employment background is one of the most powerful – and overlooked – ways to strengthen your case.
✅ 1. How SSA Uses Your Work History
The Social Security Administration doesn’t just look at whether you worked – it studies what kind of work you did, how long, how recently, and what skills you used.
They call this your Past Relevant Work (PRW) : jobs you performed within the last 15 years that lasted long enough for you to learn the role and that you performed at a “substantial gainful” level.
From there, SSA decides two things:
- Can you still perform your past work despite your condition?
- If not, can you do any other work that exists in significant numbers?
Your answers to those two questions largely determine your claim’s outcome.
✅ 2. Work Credits: The Foundation of Eligibility
Before SSA even looks at your medical condition, it first checks whether you’ve earned enough work credits to qualify for SSDI.
Most workers need 40 credits (about 10 years of work), but younger applicants may qualify with fewer. You earn up to four credits a year based on your wages or self-employment income.
If your work history shows gaps or minimal recent work, it can affect your “date last insured” – the cutoff date by which you must prove you became disabled. That’s why having an experienced attorney review your earnings record early is crucial. A technical denial can end your case before medical review even starts.
✅ 3. How Your Job Duties Define Your Claim
SSA doesn’t just look at job titles. They analyze the actual duties and demands of each position.
For example, a “retail manager” could range from a desk job with paperwork to a physically demanding role involving lifting and long hours.
If you describe your past job vaguely, SSA may assume it was easier than it was -leading to denial.
You need to clearly document:
- How much you lifted or carried
- How long you stood, walked, or sat
- Whether you supervised others
- What tools or equipment you used
- How much decision-making or multitasking was required
Pro tip: A detailed Work History Report (SSA-3369) can make or break your credibility. We help clients complete it precisely to reflect real-world demands.
✅ 4. Transferable Skills | The Silent Spoiler
Even if you can’t return to your old job, SSA asks whether you can use your skills from that job in a new one.
For instance, if you worked as a data-entry clerk, SSA may argue you can do a “sedentary office job.”
If you were a nurse or mechanic, they may claim your training gives you transferable skills to other “light duty” work.
That’s why your attorney’s job is to break down your job tasks and show how your specific limitations – physical, cognitive, or emotional: make even “similar” work impossible.
✅ 5. Why Age and Education Matter
The older you are, the less SSA expects you to “retrain.”
Under SSA’s Medical-Vocational Guidelines (the “Grid Rules”), claimants aged 50 or older often have an advantage especially if they’ve done heavy labor or have limited education.
For example:
- A 30-year-old with back pain may be told to find sedentary work.
- A 56-year-old construction worker with the same condition might be approved due to limited transferable skills.
Understanding how these vocational grids work is key to arguing your case effectively.
✅ 6. The Attorney’s Role: Turning Your Work History Into Evidence
A strong SSDI lawyer knows how to use your work history strategically, not just as background information.
We:
- Analyze every job for exertional level and skill transferability
- Align your RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) with your job duties
- Highlight non-transferable skills
- Use vocational expert testimony to counter SSA assumptions
Your past doesn’t have to hurt your claim – with the right preparation, it can support it.
⚖️ Final Takeaway: Your Work History Tells a Story | Make It Count
Your work history isn’t just paperwork. It’s the foundation of how SSA decides whether you can “adjust to other work.”
Handled correctly, it’s one of your greatest allies in proving you deserve SSDI benefits.
📞 Need Help Strengthening Your SSDI Work History?
Let’s review your job record and build a strategy that wins.
📞 Call for a free SSDI consultation
📋 We’ll analyze your earnings, job duties, and transferable skills
💼 No fees unless you win
