Disabled Employee Requirements for SSD Benefits

If you are an employee who is disabled or someone afflicted with a serious medical condition, you can be eligible to receive disability benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance. SSD is a federal government benefit program available to people, especially employees who are unable to work due to their disability.

Applying

You can apply for SSD benefits through the Social Security Administration’s online benefit application, through phone, mail or in person by going to the nearest Social Security office. Arrange for an appointment if you prefer to go to the office in person by calling the SSA national toll-free service. It is not required to do so, but it can minimize your waiting time in the office.

Social Security Disability requirements 

Prepare the following documents in order to make the application process as smooth as possible. These will determine whether you are eligible for benefits or not.

• Birth certificate or other proof of birth
• Naturalization papers
• US military discharge papers

And since you are applying for disability benefits, some forms from the SSA should also be filled out and submitted, which include but are not limited to the following:

• SSA-199: Vocational Rehabilitation Provider Claim
• SSA-3368: Disability Report Adult
• SSA-3369: Work History Report
• SSA-3373: Function Report-Adult
• SSA-3381: Medical and Job Worksheet Adult
• SSA-546: Worker's Compensation/Public Disability Questionnaire
• SSA-820/821: Work Activity Report
• SSA-827: Authorization to Disclose Information to the SSA
• W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for the previous year

Copies of the W-2 forms, self-employment tax returns, and medical records to be submitted can be photocopies. As for most of the documents, especially birth certificate, original copies must be presented.

Questions

These are some of the questions that will be asked to you, even if some of them have been indicated on the documents you submitted. Your answers can help the Disability Determination Service know whether you are approved or denied of benefits.

• Name (including name at birth), gender, and SS number
• Date and place of birth
• Citizenship status
• A public or religious record of your birth before five years old
• Your civil status, and your spouse’s name, date of birth, age, and SS number, if applicable
•  Name, date of birth, age, and SS number of any former spouses
• Date and place of the marriages, and the official date of separation/ divorce
• Names of children
• Names of employers, or information about your self-employment and the amount of earnings for previous and current year
• Date of when you became unable to work