FAQ > What is Social Security Disability? > How does Social Security decide if I can work?
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Social Security uses a 5 step process (at each level of the administrative review) to decide in an individual is disabled. This is called the 5 step sequential evaluation process:
- Are you working (at an SGA level)?
- Is your impairment severe?
- Do your impairments “meet or equal” one of Social Security’s Listing of Impairments?
- Can you do past work - any of the jobs you performed (at a SGA level) over the last 15 years.
- Can you do other work – any other type of work that exists in substantial numbers in the national economy?
Each of these is dicussed in detail here.
Last updated on October 27, 2011 by stasiukfirm