What skill level is your work?

SKILLED, SEMISKILLED WORK AND TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

Often times in a case you will hear the terms unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled work.  Explaining what skilled and semiskilled work is, and whether or not these skills are transferable is difficult to understand and explain, and is one of the reasons why Vocational Expert testimony is required at the hearing. If a claimant had past relevant work that was skilled or semiskilled then there is an issue as to whether or not these skills are transferable to other types of work within their physical and mental limitations. If a claimant’s past work was unskilled, there is no issue of transferability because by definition unskilled work does not incorporate learned or acquired skills.

With job data obtained through the Department of Labor, the SSA categorizes jobs into broad classifications. The skill set required for successfully performing the work is what determines which job class a position falls under. 

In reviewing your application for SSD benefits, the SSA will evaluate your medical or psychological condition and the limitations it places on you. The SSA also looks at the job skills you possess. Your skills are compared to the type of jobs available, and your limitations will be reviewed at the same time.

This is done in order to determine if your limitations prevent you from performing work appropriate for your skills. If they do, then you’re disabled according to SSD guidelines and would therefore be eligible for benefits. If however, your skills would allow you to gain and maintain employment, even with your limitations, then you would be denied benefits.

The three types of work are: 

Unskilled – work which needs little or no judgment to do simple duties that can be learned on the job in a short period of time (i.e. 30 days or less). This includes jobs in which the primary duties are handling, feeding and offbearing (that is placing or removing materials from machines which are automatic or operated by others), or machine tending, are generally unskilled since a person can usually learn to do them within 30 days and limited judgment is necessary.

Semi skilled – work which needs some skills but does not require doing the more complex duties.  May require alertness and close attention to: watching machine processes; or inspecting, testing or otherwise looking for irregularities; or tending or guarding equipment, property, material, or persons against loss, damage or injury; or other types of activities which are similarly less complex than skilled work, but more complex than unskilled work. A job may be classified as semiskilled where coordination and dexterity are necessary, as when hands or feet must be moved quickly to do repetitive tasks.

Skilled – work which requires qualifications in which a person uses judgment to determine the machine and manual operations to be performed in order to obtain the proper form, quality, or quantity of material to be produced. May require: laying out work, estimating quality, determining the suitability and needed quantities of materials, making precise measurements, reading blueprints or other specifications, making necessary computations or mechanical adjustments to control or regulate the work, or dealing with people, facts, or figures or abstract ideas at a high level of complexity.

If you need help applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 20 years experience with Social Security Disability cases.