You Must Have Earned Enough Work Credits

To qualify for SSDI, you must have worked in jobs that paid into Social Security and earned “work credits.” You can earn up to four credits per year, depending on your income.

• Most people need 40 work credits, with 20 of those earned in the last 10 years
• Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits
• Part-time or irregular work may result in fewer credits

SSA will examine your earnings record to determine if you’ve met the requirement based on your age and work timeline.

Your Work History Helps Determine Disability Onset

Your employment record is also used to:

• Pinpoint when your disability began
• Evaluate whether you’ve attempted to work after becoming disabled
• Assess if you are still capable of doing any of your past relevant work

SSA will review your last 15 years of employment to determine whether you can still perform any of those jobs given your current medical limitations.

The Type of Work You Did Matters

SSA evaluates the physical and mental demands of your previous jobs. For example:

• If your work was physically demanding, proving you can’t continue may be easier
• If you performed sedentary work, SSA may expect you to still be capable unless medical proof says otherwise

Your job titles, responsibilities, and how long you held each job are all part of what SSA considers.

Work History Influences the Grid Rules

If you’re over 50 and have limited education or job skills, SSA uses Medical-Vocational Guidelines (also known as “the grid rules”) to decide if you're disabled. These rules are heavily influenced by:

• Age
• Type of past work
• Skill level of your work
• Ability to transfer those skills to lighter jobs

Having a detailed and accurate work history can work in your favor under these rules.