A recent article in the New Mexico Political Report had praise for the Social Security Disability program, claiming that it works. However, the piece posed an interesting idea to make the Social Security Disability program even stronger, which is to provide those who are denied disability benefits with assistance finding work.
In the article, Social Security’s disability test is said to be one of the strictest in the world. Currently, if the government determines that a person can perform any type of work, they will deny the person’s disability benefits application. Social Security Administration does not have to prove that a person would be able to get a job performing any type of work to deny their application for disability benefits. This results in people who are disabled and have no real shot at finding work having their applications for Social Security benefits turned down.
The story in the New Mexico Political Report suggests that people should not be denied disability benefits just because it is determined they can do a certain job. Instead, the government should have to provide people with specific openings for jobs they can do before being able to deny their disability applications. In addition, the government should be required to provide people denied disability benefits with the training necessary for them to be able to get the job.
Can I Work and Collect Disability Benefits?
As Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyer Steve Troutman explains in the video below, if the Social Security Administration determines you can do any type of work, you will be denied disability benefits.