If you’re unable to work because of a disability, you may qualify to receive disability benefits from Social Security. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is administered by the Social Security Administration and is funded through a payroll tax each worker in the country pays into.
SSDI is basically a social insurance program where an applicant must prove they are disabled, which involves a pretty lengthy application process.
To qualify for SSDI benefits, a person must (1) have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from obtaining gainful employment, (2) their condition is expected to last at least 1 year or result in death, (3) they are under 65, (4) and they’ve generally worked 5 out of the last 10 years.
Work requirements are waived for those who can prove they became disabled at or before the age of 22.
The Social Security Administration maintains a list of medical conditions for each of the body’s major systems. If your condition is not on that list, the agency then determines if the severity is equal to what’s on the list. In addition to this, the agency examines whether you can either do the work you were previously doing or if there is another job you can do.
SSDI is different from workers’ compensation in that the medical conditions do not stem from a workplace accident…there are other benefits through the Colorado workers’ compensation system for on-the-job injuries that result in a disability.
