If the SSA concludes that you have the ability to do sedentary work despite your disability, you may not be eligible for disability benefits. You can do some things to prove you can’t do sedentary work.
The most important things you need to establish are your inability to stoop or bend or squat and the requirement to sit and stand as much as needed throughout the day. The more restrictions you can establish, the better.
Keep reading below to find out more.
What Is Sedentary Work?
According to the SSA, sedentary work includes occupations that require at least two hours per day of standing or walking, but are primarily performed while seated. These jobs occasionally involve carrying small objects and require lifting no more than ten pounds.
It’s important to note that sedentary work does not always involve sitting still all day. Sedentary workers are typically required to be able to lift, carry, walk, and stand objects weighing up to 10 pounds, according to SSA guidelines.
You should remember this distinction as you proceed with the application for disability benefits.
Even so, there are some exceptions, and Social Security may consult a vocational expert to determine which jobs require the least amount of standing and lifting.
In other words, even if you can demonstrate that you cannot perform the lifting or walking tasks required by Social Security’s definition of sedentary work, the government might still be able to reject your claim if they can identify jobs that you could still perform.
Is Sedentary Considered a Disability?
The SSA will create a review known as a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) evaluation during the disability review process. This is a thorough list that consists of the particular functional restrictions that Social Security has determined would prevent you from working.
If the RFC is concurrent with your ability to perform sedentary work, you are unlikely to be eligible for disability benefits unless you are over 50 and meet other requirements. However, you have a higher chance of being determined disabled and qualifying for benefits if the RFC spots restrictions on activity that is “less than sedentary” levels.
There are a variety of impairments and disabilities that might make it difficult for you to perform sedentary work. For instance, you might be unable to work a sedentary job if you have a chronic back condition that prevents you from sitting for more than six to eight hours at a time.
Similarly, if you walk with the assistance of a mobility aid, you might not be able to do a sedentary job.
Several other sedentary work restrictions can make it impossible for someone to perform the tasks required for sedentary jobs.
Examples include the inability to bend, the need to constantly shift positions, the requirement for focus- and concentration-impairing medication, the requirement to sit and stand at will, or the requirement to raise your legs above waist level. Any limitations that would make it difficult to complete an entire eight-hour workday would likewise lower your capacity below “sedentary.”
Sedentary Work Restrictions
Most people under 50 must be able to prove their total disability and their inability to undertake even sedentary jobs continuously in order to be eligible for disability compensation.
It can be challenging to demonstrate that you cannot conduct sedentary vs. light-duty work regularly, but some characteristics can be used to accomplish this.
You may provide evidence of the following to prove you can’t do sedentary work:
- You cannot frequently lift smaller weights or 10 pounds on occasion.
- You cannot stand or walk for more than two hours at a time, nor can you sit for more than six of the eight hours.
- You must have your legs raised to the point where they make it difficult to sit at a desk or workstation;
- You must spend more than an hour lying down during the day; You need a device to assist you to walk, such as a cane or walker;
- A conventional sit/stand desk would not be able to accommodate your frequent position changes.
It is crucial to provide proof of these issues from your medical records. Test findings, statements from your treating doctor outlining your restrictions or limitations, and treatment schedules may be included.
How Does RFC Relate to Sedentary Work Ability?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a residual functional capacity (RFC) assessment tool to identify any potential work-related restrictions an applicant may have due to their disability. An RFC assesses a candidate’s maximum regularly and continuously achievable performance.
An RFC assessment will cover four concerns:
1. The tasks that one can perform at work on an ongoing basis.
2. All functional abilities, including an explanation of how the given data supports or contradicts the claimant’s claims and the findings of healthcare professionals and other data.
3. Problems with functional capacity that affect one’s ability to perform work.
4. Findings regarding functional capacity.
In other words, the RFC will consider your skills and limitations to determine the amount of work you are capable of doing (heavy, medium, light, sedentary, or less than sedentary). You should be granted disability payments if the SSA determines that you cannot undertake sedentary work.
An RFC is mostly supported by medical data. It’s crucial to note that the above statement is not intended to be a recommendation for any specific course of action.
13 Ways for Proving You Can’t Do Sedentary Work
To help in determining what kinds of restrictions may prevent a person from performing a sedentary job, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has published a set of rules. Most often, a person’s capacity to work is severely restricted, leading to a “less than sedentary” classification.
A person may be limited to less-than-sedentary labor due to a variety of physical and non-physical factors. This might comprise:
1. The inability to lift ten pounds or less.
2. An inability to concentrate in noisy settings.
3. Being unable to stand or walk for more than two hours each day in total.
4. A diminished capacity for using your hands and fingers.
5. The use of hand-held mobility aids that are medically necessary.
6. A requirement to maintain one leg elevated.
7, Unsteadiness, even on flat ground, and/or a notable difficulty in stooping or bending, or squatting.
8. An arm that cannot be used due to an elbow amputation.
9. Specific visual impairments.
10. The inability to spend six of the eight hours of a workday sitting still.
11. The requirement to alternate between sitting and standing as needed during the day while needing to stop work tasks.
12. The requirement for regular sick days or additional breaks.
13. The requirement to rest or lie down as often as necessary throughout the day.
The SSA may conclude that you can perform sedentary work even if you have any of these restrictions. Yet, the possibility of a “less than sedentary” rating rises as more restrictions are included in your RFC assessment. This is called “eroding the occupational base” for sedentary labor.
Even if you only experience one of these restrictions, two, in particular, are thought to seriously reduce the employment base. This includes both the requirement to sit and stand only when necessary and the full inability to stoop.
Conclusion
You can do a few things to try and make sure the SSA does not find you capable of doing sedentary work and ultimately deem you ineligible for disability benefits. We hope the information in this article will prove useful for proving you can’t do sedentary work.
