50+ Age Light to Limited Grid Table

Social Security vocational guidelines define work activity as medium, light, or sedentary. These work activity levels are defined as follows:

1. Sedentary work means that you are able to sit for up to 6 hours in an 8 hour day, and lift up to 10 lbs. occasionally during a day;

2. Light work means that you can stand and walk for up to 6 hours in an 8 hour day, lift 10 lbs. frequently and 20 lbs. occasionally;

3. Medium work means that you can stand and walk for up to 6 hours in an 8 hour day, lift 25 lbs. frequently and 50 lbs. occasionally.

In determining disability it is recognized that individuals approaching advanced age (age 50-54) may be significantly limited in vocational adaptability if they are restricted to sedentary work.

Disability Finding Based on Grid

A finding of disabled ordinarily obtains when individuals have:

1.  No past work experience

OR

2.  Can no longer perform vocationally relevant past work

AND

3.  have no transferable skills

However, recently completed education which provides for direct entry into sedentary work will preclude such a finding.

For this age group, even a high school education or more (ordinarily completed in the remote past) would have little impact for effecting a vocational adjustment unless relevant work experience reflects use of such education.

Limited to Light Maximum Sustained Work Capacity Grid Table
Rule Age Education Previous work Decision
202.01 55+ Limited or less Unskilled or none Disabled
202.02 55+ Limited or less Skilled or semi-skilled Disabled
Skills not transferrable
202.03 55+ Limited or less Skilled or semi-skilled Not Disabled
Skills transferrable
202.04 55+ HS grad or more – does not provide for direct entry into skilled work Unskilled or none Disabled
202.05 55+ HS grad or more – provides for direct entry into skilled work Unskilled or none Not Disabled
202.06 55+ HS grad or more – does not provide for direct entry into skilled work Skilled or semi-skilled Disabled
Skills not transferrable
202.07 55+ HS grad or more – does not provide for direct entry into skilled work Skilled or semi-skilled Not Disabled
Skills transferrable
202.08 55+ HS grad or more – provides for direct entry into skilled work Skilled or semi-skilled Not Disabled
Skills not transferrable
202.09 50-54 Illiterate or unable to communicate in English Unskilled or none Disabled
202.1 50-54 Limited or less – at least literate and able to communicate in English Unskilled or none Not Disabled
202.11 50-54 Limited or less Skilled or semi-skilled Not Disabled
Skills not transferrable
202.12 50-54 Limited or less Skilled or semi-skilled Not Disabled
Skills transferrable
202.13 50-54 HS grad or more Unskilled or none Not Disabled
202.14 50-54 HS grad or more Skilled or semi-skilled Not Disabled
Skills not transferrable
202.15 50-54 HS grad or more Skilled or semi-skilled Not Disabled

Social Security Administration Medical Vocational Guidelines

Maximum sustained work capability which is limited to sedentary work is an important classification.  The means that as a result of severe medically determinable impairment(s) only sedentary work can be performed.  What is this and will you be classified as sedentary?  First let’s look at what ‘sedentary work’ is.

Most sedentary occupations fall within the skilled, semi-skilled, professional, administrative, technical, clerical, and benchwork classifications.  Approximately 200 separate unskilled sedentary occupations can be identified, each representing numerous jobs in the national economy.  Approximately 85 percent of these jobs are in the machine trades and benchwork occupational categories.  Unskilled sedentary occupations may be performed after a short demonstration or within 30 days.

Age 50 to 55 Worker Plus Must have Little to No Vocational Retraining

In order to find transferability of skills to skilled sedentary work for individuals who are of advanced age (55 and over), there must be very little, if any, vocational adjustment required in terms of tools, work processes, work settings, or the industry.

Individuals approaching advanced age (age 50-54) may be significantly limited in vocational adaptability if they are restricted to sedentary work. When such individuals have no past work experience or can no longer perform vocationally relevant past work and have no transferable skills, a finding of disabled ordinarily obtains. However, recently completed education which provides for direct entry into sedentary work will preclude such a finding. For this age group, even a high school education or more (ordinarily completed in the remote past) would have little impact for effecting a vocational adjustment unless relevant work experience reflects use of such education.

Age 45 to 49 and Under Must Make Vocational Training Adjustments

The term younger individual is used to denote an individual age 18 through 49. For individuals who are age 45-49, age is a less advantageous factor for making an adjustment to other work than for those who are age 18-44. Accordingly, a finding of “disabled” is warranted for individuals age 45-49 who:

(i) Are restricted to sedentary work,

(ii) Are unskilled or have no transferable skills,

(iii) Have no past relevant work or can no longer perform past relevant work, and

(iv) Are unable to communicate in English, or are able to speak and understand English but are unable to read or write in English.

Age 45 and Under

Individuals who are under age 45, will be required to make a more significant adjustment to other work, including an adjustment to unskilled sedentary work, even when the individuals are unable to communicate in English or are illiterate in English.

A decision of “disabled” may be appropriate for some individuals under age 45 who do not have the ability to perform a full range of sedentary work.

The inability to perform a full range of sedentary work does not necessarily equate with a finding of “disabled.” Whether an individual will be able to make an adjustment to other work requires an assessment of factors such as the type and extent of the individual’s limitations or restrictions and the extent of the erosion of the occupational base.

This requires an individualized determination that considers the impact of the limitations or restrictions on the number of sedentary, unskilled occupations or the total number of jobs to which the individual may be able to adjust, considering his or her age, education and work experience, including any transferable skills or education providing for direct entry into skilled work.

What Is Sedentary Work?

“Sedentary work” represents a significantly restricted range of work, and individuals with a maximum sustained work capability limited to sedentary work have very serious functional limitations. Therefore, as with any case, a finding that an individual is limited to less than the full range of sedentary work will be based on careful consideration of the evidence of the individual’s medical impairment(s) and the limitations and restrictions attributable to it.

The evidence must support the finding that the individual’s residual functional capacity is limited to less than the full range of sedentary work.

It is rare to have a finding on disability with the large number of sedentary work positions available.  The functional capability for a full range of sedentary work represents a substantial vocational scope for individuals age 18-44 even if they are illiterate or unable to communicate in English.

Light, Medium or Sedentary Work and Age

When combining Social Security vocational guidelines for work activity classified as medium, light, or sedentary with a claimants age it is important to document the functional capacity of the claimant.  Age categories play a significant role in whether or not a claimant will be expected to undergo vocational retraining for a sedentary work position.