Q: Are the numbers of employable disabled people rising?
It doesn’t matter whether you were born with a disability or acquired it as an unanticipated illness or injury at some point during your lifetime. In either instance, Social Security disability benefits attorneys can help you or a loved one apply for appropriate government benefits.
The Social Security Administration oversees two different federal disability benefits programs. Both require applicants to be suffering from a mental or physical medical condition that satisfies the federal government’s definition of “disabled”. A “disability” is defined as “the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity due to a medically determinable impairment that has lasted or is expected to last a minimum of 12 months or result in death”. Except for the similar definition, the two programs each have different eligibility requirements and purposes.
In a nutshell, Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (“SSDI”) is available to people with sufficient years of work credits during which they paid into the Social Security system through their FICA income taxes. The second disability program, Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) is available only to those with extremely limited financial
Many people trying to live on the disability benefits from either of these programs find it difficult to make ends meet and even cover the basic necessities of life. For many, especially those who took pride in their previous ability to work and earn a paycheck, they would prefer to work but are either unable to work or, if they can work they are unable to find an employer that will hire them.
Fortunately, there is good news for the disabled who are willing and able to work.
Thanks in part to popular TV shows like The Good Doctor and movies like Wonder which focus on the inclusion, high expectations, and success of people with disabilities, real strides are being made in real life nationwide in hiring patterns impacting the disabled. Specifically, “new statistics show 343,483 more people with disabilities joined the American workforce in 2016… four times the rate of the previous year. “
Large corporations have made a commitment to employing people with disabilities and have found they can possess valuable skill sets and be successful employees.
If you or a loved one is suffering from a disability and needs assistance applying for benefits, appealing the denial of benefits, or have any questions regarding disability law, the experts at Roeschke Law can help you. Contact us today for a free consultation.
From our offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and Tempe, we represent the disabled and their families throughout Arizona and the nation.