PRW IS MAKE-IT OR BREAK-IT
Proper classification of your past relevant work (PRW) can MAKE or BREAK a disability claim. Here's why: At Step 4 of the sequential evaluation, Social Security must determine whether you are able to perform any one of your past relevant jobs. If the answer is Yes, you are not legally disabled and a Step 4 denial ensues.
PRW is work you have performed during the 15 years immediately prior to filing for disability (and only 15 years). It also includes only work that you performed at substantial gainful activity, so some part-time jobs might not count.
PRW will be classified during your hearing by a vocational expert. He/she will classify your past work in two ways:
A. What skill level was required to do the work? Was the job skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled?
B. More importantly, at what EXERTION LEVEL was the job performed? Was the required exertion sedentary, light, medium, heavy or very heavy?
The two most important factors in classifying exertion level are:
1. How much stand/walking did you do during an 8-hour shift?
2. What much weight did you lift/carry routinely and how much did you lift and carry as a maximum, even if only occasionally?
If you only lifted 10 pounds or less occasionally, and you had to stand and/or walk less than 2 hours per 8-hour shift, you were engaged in Sedentary work.
If you lifted 10 pounds frequently and up to 20 pounds occasionally, and had to stand/walk more than about 2 hours per shift, you were engaged in Light exertion work.
If the weight you had to lift/carry increases to lifting at least 50 pounds on an occasional basis, the exertion level goes to Medium work.
Over 50 pounds, the exertion level usually rises to Heavy work.
You do not have to classify PRW as to its exertion level. You only need to carefully and fully describe your past work on the Work History Report that Social Security will send to you after you apply for benefits.
The higher the exertion level, the less likely you are able to return to that job. For example, if you performed only heavy work in the past and now you have a bad back, it's highly unlikely that you could return to heavy work. That might be enough to get you approved at Step 4, if you are at least 50 years old. Even if you're under age 50, at least it will get you down to the final step in the process, Step 5.
However, if your past relevant work included sedentary jobs (standing/walking less than 2 hours per day and lifting no more than 10 pounds occasionally), a bad back may not prevent you from going back to sedentary work. Of course, if you cannot perform the sitting required of sedentary work, then you may be disabled.
People often contact me after they have been denied. In several cases, I find that the reason they were denied is because of their past work history, often improperly reported on the Work History Report, which the claimant filled out as part of the original application process. Unfortunately, individuals often carelessly skip over this form because it's confusing, lengthy (7 to 10 pages) and takes a lot of time. The result is improper consideration of past work and a decision by Social Security that the claimant can continue to perform at least 1 of the previous jobs.
In simplest terms, you want to present your past relevant work accurately, as you actually performed it. If it was heavy work, you want to describe it has heavy work. If it was medium work, you don't want it to improperly get described as light or sedentary--because that will hurt your chance of approval.
The type of work you did in the past is a major factor in Social Security disability decision making. Make sure that your past work is accurately and fairly described and classified. Have your attorney/representative review your past relevant work with you prior to submitting our application or attending a hearing. And by all means, pay a lot of attention to that form they send you called 'WORK HISTORY REPORT.' You may need help filling it out--but complete it as if your claim depends on it.