Part Time Work and Entitlement to Social Security Disability Benefits

You are allowed to work while when filing for disability so long as your earnings do not exceed the years limit for what is call substantial gainful activity (SGA). However, you need to know, that working part time will cause Social Security Disability examiners to look at your case closely.

They will be looking at the following issues:

• 1. Are you able to work more than the current amount of the hours being worked or are you working less than maximum yearly SGA because those hours were reduced either by your or by your employer?
• 2.If you are filing for disability on the basis of any mental condition, such as depression or anxiety, the claims examiner is going to want to know your ability to maintain and sustained employment, even if part time, could mean that you really are capable of working on a full time basis. For Social Security Disability purposes, psychological impairments are based on in part your ability to do normal activities, such as going to work, being able to interact with customers, and being able to follow routine.

If you are able to get up and go to work, interact with customers and follow routine, even on a part time basis you will not be entitled to Social Security Disability benefits.

It’s important that when you apply for Social Security Disability benefits that you explain any part time work you have including any physical or psychiatric problems you have getting to the job, getting to the job on time, being able to do the full range of all the physical or psychological activities, your needs for rests or breaks, and any difficulty you have with interacting with customers.

Before you apply for Social Security Disability benefits, you might want to consider consulting with Nancy Cavey, Polk and Hernando County leading Social Security Disability expert who can assist you through the Social Security Disability process.