What are the GRID Rules of Social Security?

The social security office has recently brought about the GRID rules. These rules apply in the following circumstances:

  • The applicant’s illness or condition is not listed by the social security department
  • The impairment is extremely severe
  • The applicant is not working substantial gainful activity
  • The illness prevents the applicant from working any previous jobs

In these cases, the social security department will first decide on what level of exertion you can perform in a work environment. The categories are divided from the least level of exertion to most:

  • Sedentary
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy
  • Very heavy

Once the social security office has concluded on your level of exertion, they will then correlate it with the GRID chart with your age, education, level, and past work. From this, they will make their decision about whether you can legally be considered disabled.

Your physical abilities are not the only factor in determining your disability. Generally, the older and less educated you are, the more likely you will be found disabled. The social security office does have specific ages and categories in which they place you according to your age.

  • 18-49 years of age is considered to be a “younger individual”
  • 50-54 years of age is “approaching advanced age”
  • 55 and older is “advanced age”

Below you will find a copy of the GRID the social security office will use when determining your case. How it works:

  • Find which category you fall under listed above by your age
  • Next, consider your education – are you “limited or less” by not completed 12 years of schooling, “high school graduate” or “high school graduate and more”?
  • Then, determine whether your previous work experience was skilled, unskilled, transferrable, or not transferable
    • (Specifically, if you have a special skill needed to perform your job and if the experience be carried to a new job)

Understanding GRID rules can be overwhelming and confusing. If you still have questions concerning social security benefits or how to read the GRID rules, please call our office today for a free consultation!

GRIDs for Sedentary Work

RuleAgeEducationPrevious Work ExperienceDecision
201.01Advanced AgeLimited or lessUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.02Advanced AgeLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableDisabled
201.03Advanced AgeLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
201.04Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.05Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workUnskilled or noneNot disabled
201.06Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableDisabled
201.07Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
201.08Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
201.09Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.10Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableDisabled
201.11Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
201.12Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.13Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workUnskilled or noneNot disabled
201.14Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skillsnot transferableDisabled
201.15Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
201.16Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
201.17Younger individual age 45-49Illiterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.18Younger individual age 45-49Limited or less-at least literate and able to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneNot disabled
201.19Younger individual age 45-49Limited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
201.20Younger individual age 45-49Limited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
201.21Younger individual age 45-49High school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
201.22Younger individual age 45-49High school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
201.23Younger individual age 18-44Illiterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneNot disabled
201.24Younger individual age 18-44Limited or less-at least literate and able to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneNot disabled
201.25Younger individual age 18-44Limited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
201.26Younger individual age 18-44Limited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
201.27Younger individual age 18-44High school graduate or moreUnskilled or noneNot disabled
201.28Younger individual age 18-44High school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
201.29Younger individual age 18-44High school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled

GRIDs for Light Work

RuleAgeEducationPrevious Work ExperienceDecision
202.01Advanced AgeLimited or lessUnskilled or noneDisabled
202.02Advanced AgeLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableDisabled
202.03Advanced AgeLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
202.04Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workUnskilled or noneDisabled
202.05Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workUnskilled or noneNot disabled
202.06Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableDisabled
202.07Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
202.08Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
202.09Closely approaching advanced ageIlliterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneDisabled
202.10Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or less-at least literate and able to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneNot disabled
202.11Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
202.12Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
202.13Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or noneNot disabled
202.14Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
202.15Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
202.16Younger individualIlliterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneNot disabled
202.17Younger individualLimited or less-at least literate and able to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneNot disabled
202.18Younger individualLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
202.19Younger individualLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
202.20Younger individualHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or noneNot disabled
202.21Younger individualHigh school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
202.22Younger individualHigh school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled

GRIDs for Medium Work

RuleAgeEducationPrevious Work ExperienceDecision
203.01Closely approaching retirement ageMarginal or noneUnskilled or noneDisabled
203.02Closely approaching retirement ageLimited or lessNoneDisabled
203.03Closely approaching retirement ageLimitedUnskilledNot disabled
203.04Closely approaching retirement ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.05Closely approaching retirement ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.06Closely approaching retirement ageHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or noneNot disabled
203.07Closely approaching retirement ageHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.08Closely approaching retirement ageHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.09Closely approaching retirement ageHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.10Advanced AgeLimited or lessNoneDisabled
203.11Advanced AgeLimited or lessUnskilledNot disabled
203.12Advanced AgeLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.13Advanced AgeLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.14Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or noneNot disabled
203.15Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.16Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.17Advanced AgeHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.18Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessUnskilled or noneNot disabled
203.19Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.20Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.21Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or noneNot disabled
203.22Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.23Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.24Closely approaching advanced ageHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.25Younger individualLimited or lessUnskilled or noneNot disabled
203.26Younger individualLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.27Younger individualLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.28Younger individualHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or noneNot disabled
203.29Younger individualHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled
203.30Younger individualHigh school graduate or more-does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills transferableNot disabled
203.31Younger individualHigh school graduate or more-provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled-skills not transferableNot disabled

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