The Birmingham, AL News recently ran an article trying to explain the fact that Alabama has one of the highest rates of Social Security disability benefits receipients in the country. The explanations that the newspaper came up with were high rates of opioid usage, high percentage of the labor force in manufacturing jobs, fraud and the fact that many people qualify for Social Security disability benefits based on "muscle pain." Apparently, the authors of the article didn't understand exactly what the word "musculoskeletal"means.
All newspaper articles are reductive. This one is more so than most. The reporters really should have concentrated more upon one factor they identified, the high percentage of the Alabama labor force in manufacturing jobs. The article doesn't explain the connection, perhaps because the reporters didn't understand it; perhaps because they were in a rush to get to drug abuse and fraud as possible explanations. It's simple, though. Manufacturing jobs are more physically demanding than office jobs. They put workers at greater risk for workplace injuries and repetitive motion disorders, like worn out shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome, bad knees, etc. It's harder for a sick or injured worker to return to a manufacturing job because of the higher physical demands of the work. See, that's not hard to explain. It's not a bit controversial, either. Also, the reporters should have talked about the low educational attainments and poor work skills of the Alabama population and the poor health care available to low income people in the state. All of those contribute mightily to the incidence of disability but why bother talking about such boring explanations when you can talk about drugs and fraud? And, by the way, workplace injuries and repetitive motion disorders tend to be painful. Opioids are often prescribed for such disorders for good reason.
12 comments:
You note, "The reporters really should have concentrated more upon one factor they identified, the high percentage of the Alabama labor force in manufacturing jobs." This really has very little to do with the determination of disability. Step 5, which is the step that most disability is determined at looks at whether a claimant can do any work in the national economy, so the fact that he can't do his past work is of little consequence. Just bcause he can't return to an arduous manufacturing job doesn't mean that there are not light jobs he could do. I doubt if all of the disabled in Alabama are over 55, so I am not considering the GRIDS as a limiting factor.
8:23 AM
Please remember that industrial jobs are more likely to wear down your body. As such, a lifetime of hard labor is more likely to preclude other light and sedentary jobs based off of the rigors of the claimant's work experience.
8:23: you really don't understand the Grid Rules, do you?
Also something that seems to be missing from the conversation is that manufacturing environments are physically,but certainly mentally stressful because of production,supervisors or management,and hateful co workers.
I don't expect ODAR ALJS and attornies to understand that.
8:57, no, I don't understand the GRID rules, I only use them daily. Light illiterate, unskilled, age 45-49, disabled ot not? Wiseguy??
9:23: while you may use the Grid Rules, you evidently don't understand how to apply them as evidenced in your first comment if you don't think that a high level of mfctr jobs don't contribute to higher disability findings.
Surprise. Some types of work lead to higher rates of disability. Surprise, people do commit fraud to receive disability payments. Perhaps you want to do a study on disability for professional football players. Concerns about disability are not so much because of conditions arising from hard work or accidents, but because of those gaming the system. Who doesn't have muscle pains at times, or experience stress, or face periods of depression, or a variety of other conditions? What you can do at 20, or 40, or 60 changes, but most people adjust and accept the need for such changes, and a willingness to help those who need help. However, to ignore that personal choices such as drug or alcohol abuse, a lifetime of very poor eating habits, or a willingness to live off others instead of care for oneself are issues that must be addressed in social welfare programs is foolish. Low educational levels and poor work skills are in themselves not disabling. They may lead to low paying jobs requiring simple skills or a loss of a job if you are lazy, late for work, or other such behaviors, but this is not the definition of disability.
9:40, What I said was, "I doubt if all of the disabled in Alabama are over 55, so I am not considering the GRIDS as a limiting factor." I stand by that. Very few people under 55 can not do sedentary work of some type.
9:40: you do know that the Grids apply to those between 50-54 who are limited to sedentary work, or those 45-49 who are limited to sedentary work and are illiterate? Many people under 55 who can perform sedentary work, per your statement, ARE disabled if you properly apply the Grid Rules.
Anyone that is so disabled that they can't do sedentary work and are under the age of 55 should be so disabled that they will be paid at the State level and not reach hearing status. The illiteracy is bogus. Hardly naybody in the US can't read and write. I love the New York taxi drive of 25 years that testified he couldn't read or write.. I gues he just "knew" his way around New York. Furhter, a Ph.D., from Russia that taught physics in Russia is hardly illiterate just because he doesn't read or write English. Watch this one bite us in the butt when all of the illegals are granted amnesty..
9:14 ODAR ALJs and attorneys understand mental stress from production requirements and hateful managers and supervisors very, very well
My supervisor expects me to do the work I am paid to do. My manager expects my supervisor to do the work the supervisor is paid to do. My mom expects me to clean my room and brush my teeth. What haters.
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