What Is Your Residual Functional Capacity?

In order to know whether you can work, the Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to know what you are still able to do, after considering the effects of your disability.

What Is Your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC)?

To learn what your capabilities are, a disability claims examiner works with a medical consultant at DDS (Disability Determination Services, a state agency that works for the SSA) to perform an RFC (residual functional capacity) assessment on your claim. The consultant will determine what level of exertion you are capable of, and what restrictions limit the jobs you can do. The medical consultant will rely on your medical record and your doctor’s notes about your functional abilities and restrictions to come up with your RFC.

What Level Of Activity Are You Capable Of?

Your physical RFC determines whether you can be expected to do sedentary work, light work or medium work. For instance, if your doctor has restricted you to walking and standing no more than two hours per day, your RFC will be for sedentary work. Here are the various exertional levels that could appear in your RFC.

• Sedentary work. This means you have the ability to lift no more than 10 pounds at a time, and occasionally lift or carry things like files or small tools. A sedentary job is mostly sitting, but you must be able to walk and stand occasionally.
• Light work. This means you can lift up to 20 pounds occasionally, and frequently lift or carry up to 10 pounds. Light work requires frequent walking and standing and the ability to push and pull with your arms or legs. If you can do light work, you can do sedentary work.
• Medium work. This means you can lift up to 50 pounds at a time, and frequently lift or carry up to 25 pounds. If you can do medium work, you can also do light and sedentary work.
• Heavy work. This means you can lift up to 100 pounds at a time, and that you can frequently lift or carry up to 50 pounds. If you can do heavy work, you can do medium, light or sedentary work.
• Very heavy work. This means you can lift objects that weigh more than 100 pounds, and frequently lift or carry 50 pounds or more. If you can do very heavy work, you can do all other levels as well.

Your RFC will also include any nonexertional restrictions, such as not being able to stoop, use your fingers, or remember instructions.

How Your RFC Is Used

The disability claims examiner at DDS will first use your RFC to determine if you can be expected to do your prior job. The examiner will look at your work history for the past 15 years to see what type of work you know how to do. If your prior job was sedentary and your RFC is for sedentary work (or higher), the claims examiner will probably find you should be able to return to your job, unless your RFC has further nonexertional restrictions. (If you have mental or emotional limitations, such as memory problems from a psychiatric or neurological disorder, or you are unable to concentrate, DDS should create a mental RFC for you as well.)

Note that to be considered able to work, you must be able to work full time, attend work regularly, be productive at work and not need to take frequent rest breaks.

If the disability examiner determines you can’t do your prior job, the examiner will then use the SSA’s medical-vocational rules grid to determine whether, given your RFC, your age, your education and your skills, you should be able to learn another job.

Contact McCormick & Vilushis LLC today to learn how we can assist you with your SSD claim.