Disability Claims

We had one of our employees quit last week. She worked half a shift on Tuesday, left for a doctor’s appointment, then called in Tuesday afternoon to say she was quitting with no notice.

Here’s what was reported to me:

At the woman’s doctor appointment, she had reported symptoms so severe, that her doctor had declared that she should be on permanent total disability. He told her he would support her in her disability claim. The woman promptly went down to the local Social Security office and filed for disability. After filling out the paperwork, the first question the officials asked her was: are you still working? When she told them she was going to give two weeks notice, she was told not to give notice, as it would screw up her claim, by continuing to work after filing for disability status.

Additional information: The woman’s husband just started receiving his disability checks, after waiting almost two years for his claim to wend its way through the system. It usually takes at least a year for Social Security disability claims to be processed. However, it turns out that you get back pay: once your claim is approved, payments are made back to the date of first filing.

A few questions: Why are the bureaucrats at Social Security coaching applicants for disability? I would think that at best, part of their job would be root out attempts to defraud the taxpayers. At worst, they would maintain strict neutrality. If you want to go back to work after filling, who are they to advise against it. Let the chips fall where they may.

This leads me into my next question, and central point. If this woman was able to work two weeks notice, then how disabled could she be? For that matter, she worked a full shift Monday. I saw her do it. There was no evidence that I could see of a disabling medical condition. Not last week, or the week before, or the week before that. She never came to management and asked for an accommodation to any medical condition.

Here’s where I speculate: Our employee worked her job, supporting herself and her husband while his disability claim was processed. Now it’s his turn to support her. His back disability will support them while her claim is processed. Furthermore, now that he has learned the ins and outs of the system, he will be able to coach her while she goes for a second helping from the same pot.

This leads to one more question: How many people on disability have another member of their household also drawing disability? Once somebody in the house figures out how to get free money, how often does another member of the home decide to go for more free money?

Okay, that was two final questions.