Effective June 22, 2024, the Social Security Administration has reduced the past relevant work consideration to five years.
Social Security disability determinations use a five step sequential evaluation process: 1) Is the person working or earning less than the defined substantial gainful activity amount? 2) Does the person have a severe impairment? 3) Does the condition meet or equal a listed impairment? 4) Can the person do their past relevant work? 5) Is there any work in the national economy that the person can do?
The rules change is about the fourth step of the sequential evaluation. Previously, Social Security looked at work for the past 15 years to determine if the person could do past relevant work. That past relevant work period is now reduced to five years.
In addition, Social Security will no longer consider work that was done for less than 30 calendar days as past relevant work. (Social Security Matters, June 26, 2024.)