WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The Supreme Court says Social Security can reject someone's claim of disability without considering the scarcity of jobs the person can physically do.
Federal law says someone can be classified as disabled -- and eligible for Social Security insurance benefits and Supplemental Security Income -- "only if his ... impairments are of such severity that he is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering his age, education and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy."
But the court ruled Wednesday in a New Jersey case the Social Security Administration's rejection of a claim of disability when someone remains physically and mentally able to do previous work, without investigating whether that work still exists in "significant numbers" in the "national economy," is a "reasonable interpretation of federal law.
