The standards for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are relatively high. Many people assume they qualify when they actually do not. People believe that medical conditions that impact their jobs or daily lives are debilitating enough to warrant benefits.
Typically, SSDI applicants have to submit evidence showing that they can no longer maintain any form of gainful employment because of their medical challenges. The ability to maintain any sort of gainful employment makes them ineligible. A former white-collar professional with a brain injury might be able to work a cash register at a grocery store. Therefore, they may not be eligible for SSDI benefits.
That high standard prevents many people from applying, including some people who might be eligible for benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a special rule in place that makes qualifying for benefits easier for certain blue-collar professionals.
There is a unique blue-collar rule
Blue-collar work takes a toll on a person’s body. It also provides wages that allow them to support spouses and children in many cases. People accept the increased physical demands of their careers in exchange for stable, gainful employment.
Thankfully, the SSA recognizes that blue-collar workers may not be able to comfortably perform other jobs because of their work history. Long-term blue-collar professionals are subject to a different disability standard than other applicants. They do not necessarily need to prove a total inability to work.
Under the worn-out worker rule, professionals who have provided manual labor for their employers for 35 years or longer could qualify for SSDI when they cannot keep their jobs due to medical challenges. Provided that they have a marginal education, meaning that they are not eligible for other, well-paid work, they could qualify for SSDI benefits despite possibly being able to clean at a store or answer phones at an office.
Of course, seeking SSDI benefits by using special rules complicates the application process. Many people find applying for SSDI benefits to be an intimidating process. Blue-collar workers with marginal educations and serious injuries may find the application process overwhelming.
Getting support during the initial SSDI application process can be beneficial for injured blue-collar workers. The worn-out worker rule may help them qualify for benefits with medical conditions that might not make other applicants eligible for SSDI benefits.
