What Is “Past Relevant Work” in a Social Security Disability Case—and Why Does Social Security Only Looks Back 5 Years into Your Work History?

What Is “Past Relevant Work” in a Social Security Disability Case—and Why Does Social Security Only Looks Back 5 Years into Your Work History?

If you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits, one of the initial questions you will be asked is about your “past relevant work.”  Many people are surprised to learn that Social Security does not look at every job you have ever held. Instead, the focus is usually on your recent work history—generally the last 5 years.

So what does that mean, and why does it matter?

What Is “Past Relevant Work”?

“Past relevant work” refers to jobs you have performed that Social Security considers:

• recent enough to still reflect your current abilities
• long enough for you to have learned how to do them
• substantial enough to be considered real work (not minimal or part-time work below certain earnings levels)

This is the work Social Security uses when deciding whether you can still return to a job you have done before.

Why Does Social Security Focus on the Last 5 Years?

While Social Security regulations traditionally referenced a longer work history, in practice the Administration often focuses heavily on the most recent 5 years of employment.  There are practical reasons for this:

• Your most recent jobs are the best indicator of your current skill set
• Jobs from many years ago may no longer reflect your physical or mental abilities today
• The workforce itself changes—jobs performed 10–15 years ago may not exist in the same form today or be performed in the same manner (technology has changed a lot of things).

Why Past Relevant Work Matters

Past relevant work becomes critical at Step 4 of the disability process.

At that stage, Social Security asks:

“Can you still perform any of the jobs you have done in the past?”

To answer this, they compare:

• the demands of your past jobs, and
• your current Residual Functional Capacity (RFC)

If Social Security determines that you can still perform one of your past jobs—your claim may be denied.

What You Should Be Careful About

When describing your past work to Social Security, it is important to be accurate about:

• how much lifting was required
• how much standing or walking the job involved
• If you job allowed you to sit or stand as needed
• whether you job required constant or occasional use of both hands and/or bilateral dexterity
• the level of skill or training required

Sometimes jobs are classified differently than you might expect, and how your job is described can affect the outcome of your case, so be sure to go into detail about everything you had to do in your past relevant jobs, and not just on what most of your job duties entailed.

“Past relevant work” is one of the most important concepts in a Social Security Disability claim, and understanding how Social Security evaluates your work history—particularly your more recent jobs—can help you better understand how your claim will be decided.

If you or someone you care for has recently been denied Social Security Disability benefits, or if you just have questions about your right to disability benefits, please do not hesitate to contact and speak with one of the experienced  Social Security Disability Lawyers at Powell and Denny today for a free consultation; and remember, virtual appointments are available through Zoom so you can meet with one of the attorneys of Powell and Denny from wherever you live. And remember, there is no fee unless you win.

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What Is Past Relevant Work in a Social Security Disability Case—and Why Does Social Security Only Looks Back 5 Years into Your Work History?