Your work history can play an important role in an SSDI claim, but not every job you have held will count when the Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews your ability to work. The agency uses specific rules to determine which past jobs qualify and how those jobs relate to your current limitations.
Here are the key factors SSA uses when deciding whether your previous work qualifies.
Work that falls within the relevant period
SSA generally considers work you performed during the five years before the agency makes a determination or decision on your claim. The agency changed this period from 15 years to five years under a final rule that took effect June 22, 2024.
This change means you generally do not need to provide the same level of detail about jobs you held more than five years ago. However, the relevant period can depend on the type of claim and the date SSA uses for its determination, so you should provide accurate information about your recent work when requested.
Work that meets SSA’s requirements
A recent job does not automatically qualify as past relevant work. SSA generally considers whether the job:
- Reached the substantial gainful activity level
- Lasted long enough for you to learn how to perform it
- Did not start and stop within fewer than 30 calendar days
For example, a short job that ended before you learned its basic duties may not qualify, even if you performed it recently.
How SSA looks at your past work
SSA compares your remaining ability to work with the physical and mental demands of your past relevant work. The agency considers both how you actually performed the job and how employers generally perform that work in the national economy.
That makes accurate information about your duties especially useful. Your description should reflect what you actually did, including the physical demands, mental demands and skills required.
Make sure your work history tells the full story
A detailed and accurate work history can help SSA evaluate whether your recent jobs qualify as past relevant work. Reviewing your work history with an attorney can also help you identify which jobs matter and explain the duties you performed, particularly if your actual responsibilities differed from the job title.