Your work history plays a major role in whether you can get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Many people don’t realize that Social Security looks at more than just your medical condition. They also want to know about the jobs you’ve done over the years.
To qualify for SSDI, you need to have worked enough years and paid enough Social Security taxes. You also need to have worked recently enough that you’re still covered. Beyond that, Social Security will look at the type of work you did in the past to help decide if you can work now.
This page explains how your work history affects your disability claim. We’ll cover the basic requirements you need to meet and how Social Security uses information about your past jobs to make their decision.
Do You Have Enough Work Credits?
Social Security uses a system of work credits to decide if you qualify for SSDI. You earn credits by working and paying Social Security taxes. In 2024, you earn one credit for each $1,730 you make, up to four credits per year.
Most people need 40 credits total to qualify for SSDI. That works out to about 10 years of work. However, you also need a certain number of credits earned in recent years. The exact number depends on your age when you became disabled.
Here’s what you need to know about work credits:
- You can only earn up to four credits per year, no matter how much money you make
- Credits stay with you even if you stop working or change jobs
- The younger you are, the fewer total credits you need
- You must have earned at least 20 credits in the 10 years before you became disabled (in most cases)
If you started working later in life or had gaps in your work history, you might not have enough credits yet. Some people who haven’t worked much may qualify for SSI instead of SSDI. SSI doesn’t require work credits but has strict income and asset limits.
The Recent Work Requirement
Having enough total credits isn’t the only thing that matters. You also need to have worked recently enough. Social Security calls this the “recent work requirement” or the “20/40 rule.”
For most adults, this means you need 20 credits earned in the 10 years right before you became disabled. That’s the same as working 5 out of the last 10 years.
The recent work requirement changes based on your age:
- Before age 24: You need credits in 1.5 years out of the 3 years before you became disabled
- Ages 24 to 30: You need credits in half the time between age 21 and when you became disabled
- Age 31 or older: You need 20 credits in the 10 years before you became disabled
This requirement catches many people by surprise. You might have worked for 20 years and have plenty of credits, but if you haven’t worked in the last several years, you might not meet the recent work requirement. Some people lose their coverage without realizing it. If you stop working due to illness, your window to apply for SSDI starts closing. That’s why it’s important to apply as soon as you realize you can’t work anymore.
How Your Past Jobs Affect Your Claim
Once Social Security confirms you have enough work credits, they look closely at the jobs you’ve done in the past 15 years. They use this information to decide if you can do your old work or switch to a different type of job.
Social Security will ask you detailed questions about each job:
- What physical tasks did you do? (lifting, carrying, standing, walking)
- What mental tasks did you do? (following instructions, making decisions, working with numbers)
- Did you use any machines or tools?
- Did you supervise other people?
- How much did you earn?
They’ll classify each job by how physically demanding it was. Jobs are rated as sedentary, light, medium, heavy, or very heavy work. This classification matters a lot in disability decisions.
They’ll also look at what skills you learned. Some jobs teach skills that transfer to other types of work. Other jobs are very specialized.
Social Security uses information about your past work in every disability decision. If you’re younger than 50, they’ll look at whether you can do other jobs. If you’re older, they give more weight to the idea that switching careers is harder.
Physical Jobs vs. Desk Jobs
The type of work you did in the past makes a big difference in disability decisions. Social Security divides jobs into five categories based on how much physical effort they require.
Sedentary work means sitting most of the day. These are desk jobs where you might lift up to 10 pounds occasionally. Examples include office work, data entry, or receptionist jobs.
Light work means being on your feet a good part of the day. You might lift up to 20 pounds occasionally. Examples include cashier work, teaching, or light assembly work.
Medium work means lifting up to 50 pounds occasionally and up to 25 pounds frequently. Examples include warehouse work, nursing, or construction.
Heavy work means lifting up to 100 pounds occasionally and up to 50 pounds frequently. Examples include moving furniture, roofing, or working in a lumber yard.
Very heavy work means lifting over 100 pounds occasionally and up to 50 pounds frequently. Examples include heavy construction work or farm labor.
Why does this matter? If you did heavy physical work in the past and now have a back injury, Social Security might agree you can’t do your old job. But they might say you could do sedentary work instead. On the other hand, if you already did sedentary work and can’t do it anymore, it’s harder for them to say you can switch to something easier.
People who did physical labor for many years often have a better chance of approval, especially if they’re over 50. People who did desk work may have a harder time proving they’re disabled, because Social Security will ask what physical problems prevent them from sitting and doing light tasks.
Transferable Skills
Social Security looks at whether skills from your past work could help you do a different job. These are called “transferable skills.”
Some jobs teach very specific skills that only apply to that one type of work. Other jobs teach broader skills like computer use, customer service, or management that could apply to many different jobs.
Here are some examples of transferable skills:
- Computer skills (typing, using software, data entry)
- Customer service and communication
- Bookkeeping and accounting
- Supervisory or management experience
- Medical knowledge (for nurses or medical assistants)
- Mechanical skills and equipment operation
If Social Security thinks you have skills that transfer to sedentary or light work, they might deny your claim. They’ll say you can use those skills to do a different job, even if it pays less than your old job.
The transferable skills issue affects people differently depending on their age. If you’re under 50, Social Security assumes you can learn new skills or use your old skills in a new job. If you’re over 50, they’re more likely to agree that switching careers isn’t realistic.
Skilled workers often face challenges in disability claims. A carpenter might know a lot about construction, but if his back gives out, those skills don’t help him do desk work. Social Security doesn’t always see it that way, though. They might argue that a carpenter’s math skills, ability to read plans, or supervisory experience could transfer to easier work.
How Social Security Evaluates Work History
Social Security follows a step-by-step process to evaluate every disability claim. Work history comes into play at several points in this process.
Step 1: Are you working now? If you earn more than $1,690 per month (in 2026), you usually won’t qualify. This is called “substantial gainful activity” or SGA.
Step 2: Is your condition severe? Social Security needs medical evidence that your condition significantly limits what you can do.
Step 3: Does your condition meet a listing? Social Security has a book of serious conditions that automatically qualify you as disabled. If you meet a listing, your work history doesn’t matter as much.
Step 4: Can you do your past work? This is where Social Security looks closely at the jobs you did in the past 15 years. They’ll decide what you could physically and mentally do in those jobs. Then they’ll compare that to what you can do now. If you can still do your past work, you won’t qualify.
Step 5: Can you do any other work? If you can’t do your past work, Social Security considers your age, education, work skills, and physical and mental abilities. They’ll decide if there are other jobs in the economy that you could do.
Your work history affects Steps 4 and 5 the most. The jobs you did, how long you did them, and what skills you learned all factor into the decision.
Age and Work History Together
Your age makes a huge difference in how Social Security views your work history. The older you are, the easier it can be to qualify for disability benefits.
Social Security divides people into age categories:
- Younger person: Under age 50
- Person closely approaching advanced age: Age 50 to 54
- Person of advanced age: Age 55 or older
- Person closely approaching retirement age: Age 60 or older
If you’re under 50, Social Security generally expects you to adapt to different work. They might say you can’t do your old job as a construction worker, but you could learn to do desk work.
Once you turn 50, the rules shift in your favor. Social Security is more likely to agree that you can’t switch to a completely different type of work. This is especially true if you did physical labor and don’t have skills that transfer to easier jobs.
At age 55, the rules become even more favorable. Social Security recognizes that it’s very hard for someone this age to start a new career, learn new skills, or adapt to a different work environment.
By age 60, if you can’t do your past work and it was physical labor, you have a strong case for approval. Social Security rarely expects people in their early 60s to start over in a new field.
Your education level also matters. Someone with a college degree might be expected to find different work more easily than someone who didn’t finish high school. This combines with age to affect your chances.
Common Situations That Affect Work History
Several common situations can complicate the work history part of your disability claim.
Gaps in work history: If you haven’t worked in several years, you might not meet the recent work requirement. Some people lose coverage without realizing it. However, if you stopped working because of your medical condition, you should still apply. Social Security will look at when your condition started.
Self-employment: If you were self-employed, Social Security looks at your net earnings. Working many hours but earning little money can complicate your case. You need to show you paid Social Security taxes on your earnings.
Part-time work: Working part-time might mean you earn fewer credits each year. It could take longer to build up enough credits to qualify. However, part-time work can sometimes help your case by showing you’re trying to work despite your limitations.
Work attempts after becoming disabled: If you tried to go back to work but couldn’t continue, make sure Social Security knows about this. These are called “unsuccessful work attempts” and they won’t count against you.
Work under the table: If you worked without paying taxes, those work credits don’t count toward Social Security. This can affect whether you qualify for SSDI.
Multiple jobs: If you worked several different types of jobs, Social Security will look at all of them. Having diverse experience can sometimes hurt your claim if they think you have transferable skills.
Work History for Different Types of Conditions
How work history affects your claim depends partly on what’s wrong with you.
Physical conditions: If you have back problems, arthritis, or other physical conditions, Social Security pays close attention to whether your past work was physical or sedentary. Someone who did heavy labor has a better argument that they can’t work than someone who did desk work, especially if they’re over 50.
Mental health conditions: For mental health problems like depression, anxiety, or PTSD, Social Security looks at the mental demands of your past work. Could you handle stress? Did you work with people? How much supervision did you need? If you had a high-stress job and your mental health is making that impossible, your work history helps your case.
Combined conditions: Many people have both physical and mental health problems. Your work history matters for both types of limitations. Maybe you did physical work but it also required you to work well with others or manage a team. If you have both back pain and depression, Social Security looks at the full picture.
To learn more about specific conditions, visit these pages:
- Disability benefits for back and spine problems
- Disability benefits for mental health conditions
- Disability benefits for heart problems
- Disability benefits for diabetes
Special Rules and Exceptions
Some situations involve special rules about work history.
Disability before age 22: If you became disabled before age 22 and your parent is receiving Social Security benefits (or died), you might qualify for benefits on your parent’s work record. This is called Childhood Disability Benefits or CDB. Your own work history doesn’t matter for this program.
Widow’s or widower’s benefits: If your spouse died and you become disabled, you might qualify for benefits on their work record. You generally need to be at least 50 years old and become disabled within seven years of their death (or within seven years of when benefits ended).
Unsuccessful work attempts: If you tried to return to work but had to stop within six months because of your condition, this won’t count against you. Social Security recognizes that people sometimes try to work before they realize they can’t sustain it.
Expedited reinstatement: If you received disability benefits before, went back to work, and then had to stop working again because of your condition, you might be able to get benefits again without proving your work credits again.
Documenting Your Work History
When you apply for disability, you’ll need to provide detailed information about your work history. Social Security will ask you to list every job you had in the past 15 years.
For each job, be ready to explain:
- Your job title and main duties
- How long you worked there
- How many hours per week you worked
- How much you earned
- What physical tasks you did (lifting, standing, walking, climbing)
- What mental tasks you did (reading, writing, math, supervising)
- Any machines or tools you used
Be as specific and accurate as possible. Don’t say you sat all day if you really spent half the day on your feet. Don’t say you lifted 50 pounds if you rarely lifted more than 20.
Social Security might send you forms asking about your work. They might also send forms to your past employers. In some cases, they’ll have a vocational expert review your work history.
If you’re not sure how to describe your past work, an attorney can help. They know what information Social Security needs and how to present your work history in the best light.
Understanding Vocational Experts
In many disability cases, especially at the hearing level, Social Security brings in a vocational expert. This is a person who specializes in analyzing jobs and work skills.
The judge will ask the vocational expert about your past work. The expert will classify each job and explain what it required. Then the judge will ask hypothetical questions about what jobs someone with your limitations could do.
The vocational expert’s testimony can make or break your case. If they say you can still do your past work, you’ll likely be denied. If they say you can’t do your past work but could do other jobs, you’ll likely be denied. Only if they say you can’t do any jobs will you be approved.
Having an attorney at your hearing is important because they can cross-examine the vocational expert. They can point out problems with the expert’s testimony or show why the expert’s job suggestions don’t work in the real world.
What If You Haven’t Worked Much?
Some people don’t have enough work history to qualify for SSDI. This might be because:
- You’re young and just starting your career
- You took time off to raise children
- You’ve been sick for a long time and couldn’t work consistently
- You worked but didn’t pay Social Security taxes
If you don’t qualify for SSDI because of work credits, you might still qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI is a needs-based program for people who are disabled, blind, or over 65 with limited income and resources.
SSI doesn’t require any work history. However, it has strict financial limits. You generally can’t have more than $2,000 in resources ($3,000 for couples), and your income must be very low.
The monthly SSI payment is also lower than most SSDI payments. In 2024, the maximum federal SSI payment is $943 per month, though some states add a supplement.
To learn more about the differences between these programs, visit our page on SSDI vs. SSI.
Getting Help With Your Claim
Work history requirements can be confusing. Many people don’t realize they might not meet the recent work requirement, or they struggle to describe their past work accurately.
If you’re not sure whether you have enough work credits, you can create an account at ssa.gov and check your Social Security statement. This shows how many credits you’ve earned and estimates your benefit amount.
If you’re applying for disability, think carefully about how to describe your past work. The way you explain what you did affects how Social Security classifies your jobs. This classification affects whether they think you can work now.
Many people find it helpful to work with a disability attorney from the start. An attorney can:
- Review your work history and credits to see if you qualify
- Help you describe your past work accurately
- Explain how your work history affects your chances
- Gather evidence about your past jobs if needed
- Handle vocational expert testimony at hearings
Most disability attorneys work on contingency, which means they only get paid if you win your case. Their fee comes out of your back pay and is limited by law.
If you have questions about work history and disability benefits, we’re here to help. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss your situation.
