What Does Social Security Consider Basic Work-Related Activities?

At the second step of the sequential evaluation process, the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers the medical severity of an individual’s impairment(s). An individual must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment (or a combination of impairments) that is severe and meets the duration requirement. For an impairment to be sufficiently severe under the Social Security Act, impairment or impairments must interfere with basic activities related to work. What activities are considered “basic work-related activities” under the Act?

Our Social Security lawyer can help you understand the differences and explore your case. If you’re dealing with Social Security issues and job-related activities, call for a free consultation with a California Social Security disability lawyer.

What Is a Work-Related Activity?

Basic work-related activities include physical as well as the “non-exertional” activities rated in the Selected Characteristics of Occupations Defined in the Revised Dictionary of Occupational Titles (SCO). Basic work-related activities examples also include mental activities such as the ability to understand, carry out, and remember simple instructions, as well as the ability to make simple, work-related judgments and decisions. Mental activities also include the ability to respond appropriately to supervision, coworkers, and work situations, and the ability to deal with changes in a routine work setting.

Examples of physical basic work-related activities include:

• Pushing and pulling
• Sitting and standing
• Walking
• Carrying
• Handling
• Certain non-exertional activities

The ability to do work-related activities, mental and physical, is essential for any worker. Non-work-related activities, like an extended lunch break or a company sporting event, don’t add to the safety or productivity of a business and may even detract from a company’s growth.

What Are Non-Exertional Activities?

Non-exertional activities are those that require little to no physical strength but are essential for the performance of your job. Although they are not typically related directly to strength, many non-exertional activities require basic physical functioning.

Examples of such activities include:

• Following detailed instructions
• Interacting appropriately with co-workers and supervisors
• Remaining focused on work activities
• Use of workplace judgment
• Adjusting to changes in the workplace
• Remembering work-related instructions and details
• Maintaining proper focus
• Manipulative activities with the hands and fingers, such as grasping, typing, or writing

Anything that limits a worker’s ability to engage in these basic non-exertional activities can effectively make a worker unfit for the job. In many cases, non-exertional limitations can completely remove a worker from the workplace until they can overcome the limitation. While in this period of recovery, the worker is considered disabled, at least for that specific occupation.

What Does the SSA Define as a ‘Severe’ Impairment?

The SSA defines a “severe” impairment as one that significantly limits a person’s ability to perform at least one work-related physical activity such as:

• Walking, sitting, standing, pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying;
• Hearing, speaking, and seeing;
• Understanding and following simple directions; and
• Interacting with co-workers and supervisors, as well as adjusting to changes in the workplace.

When the Social Security Administration considers an impairment to be severe, that worker can receive Social Security disability benefits according to their case details. Some impairments the SSA recognizes as severe include mental disorders, skin disorders, immune system disorders, respiratory system disorders, cardiovascular disorders, and digestive system disorders, to name a few.

How Our Social Security Disability Lawyers Can Help

The ability to do work-related activity forms the basis of a worker’s competence in any given industry. But sorting out the Social Security rules surrounding basic work-related activities can be complex.

My staff and I are dedicated to helping our clients establish eligibility for disability and workmen’s compensation benefits. It’s difficult enough recovering from suffering a disability or work-related injury, you must obtain and receive the financial means necessary to support yourself and your family during your recovery. The Kenton Koszdin Law Office exists to help individuals in your situation. If your lawyer doesn’t have a lot of experience with social security disability or workers’ compensation, he or she simply won’t be able to represent and guide you through the process as effectively as the Kenton Koszdin Law Office. Contact us today for your free consultation with our Los Angeles workers’ comp attorneys. Call 818-381-5211 or visit us online. Se habla espańol!