DISABILITY BENEFIT RECOVERY

Is there work that you are able to do?  If so, you are probably not disabled under Social Security rules.  So, let's consider what Social Security means by the term 'work.' Work refers to the ability to sustain work activity for 8 hours a day, 5 days per week, or an equivalent schedule.  Anything less than that is not work under Social Security rules. You are unable to work, for example, if you can...... work 5 or 6 hours a day but not 8 hours work 3 or 4 days a week but not 5 days work part-time but not full-time work for a few weeks but then have to miss several days due to a flareup work for several months but then have to miss a month or two due to illness on a persistent, regular basis report to work 5 days a week but have to leave early several times a month because of illness, pain, depression, etc. work most days but often have to come in late due to sickness work most days but will be absent 3 or more days per month due to illness. So, the re

It is no secret that Social Security is backlogged in trying to hold hearings.  And we all know it is taking up to 24 months for a claimant to get a hearing scheduled.  The obvious answer would be for Social Security to hire more administrative law judges; however, Congress simply will not appropriate enough money for that.  So, how does the Social Security Administration react?  By offering claimants the option to have a hearing by video-teleconference (VTC).  At a VTC, the claimant and representative appear in a hearing center near the claimant's home.  However, the judge may be in another city, even another state.  Witnesses called by Social Security, such as the vocational expert, may be anywhere:  in the room with the claimant, in the room with the distant judge, or even at home and testifying via telephone. Why would a claimant sign up for a cockeyed arrangement like a hearing by Video-Teleconference?  The main selling point is that it reduces the waiting