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Vocational Considerations and Trends in Social Security Disability

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Abstract

Along with health, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) evaluates work-limiting disability by considering vocational factors including age, education, and past work experience. As the number of SSDI applicants and awards has increased, these vocational criteria are increasingly important to acceptances and denials. A unique state-level dataset allows us to estimate how these factors relate to the SSDI award process. These estimates are used to asses how changes to the demographic and occupational composition have contributed to awards trends. In our results, the prevalence of workers in their 50s are especially important. Further, increasing educational attainment lowers applications and vocational awards.

Suggested Citation

  • Amanda M. Michaud & Jaeger Nelson & David Wiczer, 2016. "Vocational Considerations and Trends in Social Security Disability," Working Papers 2016-18, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlwp:2016-018
    DOI: 10.20955/wp.2016.018
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    1. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The Skill Content of Recent Technological Change: An Empirical Exploration," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(4), pages 1279-1333.
    2. David Wiczer & Amanda Michaud, 2017. "The Disability Option: Labor Market Dynamics with Macroeconomic and Health Risks," 2017 Meeting Papers 1459, Society for Economic Dynamics.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Rhee, Serena, 2020. "Disability and Occupational Labor Transitions: Evidence from South Korea," KDI Journal of Economic Policy, Korea Development Institute (KDI), vol. 42(3), pages 53-85.
    4. Conesa, Juan Carlos & Costa, Daniela & Kamali, Parisa & Kehoe, Timothy J. & Nygard, Vegard M. & Raveendranathan, Gajendran & Saxena, Akshar, 2018. "Macroeconomic effects of Medicare," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 11(C), pages 27-40.
    5. Anne M. Garvey & Manuel Ventura-Marco & Carlos Vidal-Meliá, 2021. "Does the pension system’s income statement really matter? A proposal for an NDC scheme with disability and minimum pension benefits," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(1), pages 292-310, January.
    6. Alexander Strand & Matthew Messel, 2019. "The Ability Of Older Workers With Impairments To Adapt To New Jobs: Changing The Age Criteria For Social Security Disability Insurance," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(3), pages 764-786, June.
    7. David Wiczer & Amanda Michaud, 2017. "The Disability Option: Labor Market Dynamics with Macroeconomic and Health Risks," 2017 Meeting Papers 1459, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    8. Chao, Ying H., 2025. "A quantitative analysis of relaxing UI eligibility requirements," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private

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