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WHAT ARE GRID RULES?

Grid Rules is a term referring to the Medical-Vocational Rules found in CFR 20 404, Subpart P, Appendix II.  They guide a finding of either "disabled" or "not disabled" based on the claimant's exertional capacity* and vocational factors such as age, education and transferable skills.

 The "Grids" divide age into categories as follows:

  • Advanced age (55 and over)
  • Closely Approaching Advanced Age (50-54)
  • Younger Individual (45 - 49)
  • Younger Individual (18-44)
As a Social Security disability case is being prepared, it is very important to refer to the Grid Rules. The judge who decides your case will likely use them as a guide if your medical condition does not meet a specific listing or your exertional capacity is sedentary or greater.

 Grid Rules do not apply to impairments caused by strictly mental disorders.

*Exertional capacities are the classifications of work based on such factors as lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, etc.  The classifications of work used by Social Security are:  sedentary, light, medium, heavy and very heavy.  If an individual is not capable of performing even sedentary work because of a medically determinable impairment, he or she is disabled.  Grid Rules usually apply when a claimant is found capable of performing at least sedentary level work (mostly sitting jobs).

*Social Security divides work into 5 categories based on the claimant's residual function capacity:  sedentary, light, medium, heavy and very heavy.

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