Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2015

Beneficiaries Who Have Filed for Workers' Compensation or Public Disability Benefits

Notes

In December 2015, approximately 514,000 disabled workers on the Social Security Disability Insurance program had filed for workers' compensation or public disability benefits. Disability payments from private sources, such as private pension or insurance benefits, do not affect Social Security disability benefits, but workers' compensation and other public disability benefits may reduce them. Workers' compensation is paid to a worker because of a job-related injury or illness. It may be paid by federal or state workers' compensation agencies or employers or by insurance companies on behalf of employers.

Other public disability benefits that may affect Social Security disability benefits are those paid by a federal, state, or local government for disabling medical conditions that are not job related. Examples are civil service disability benefits, military disability benefits, state temporary disability benefits, and state or local government retirement benefits that are based on disability. Persons who receive Social Security disability benefits and one of the following types of public benefits will not have their Social Security disability benefit reduced:

  • Veterans Administration benefits;
  • State and local government benefits, if Social Security taxes were deducted from earnings; or
  • Supplemental Security Income.

The total amount received from workers' compensation or other public disability benefits and Social Security disability benefits cannot exceed 80 percent of the worker's average current earnings before he or she became disabled. The monthly Social Security disability benefit includes benefits payable to family members. If the total amount of these benefits exceeds 80 percent of average current earnings, the excess amount is deducted from the Social Security benefit. The benefit is reduced until the month the worker reaches age 65 (for individuals born before December 20, 1950) or full retirement age (for individuals born on or after December 20, 1950); or the month the other benefits stop; whichever comes first.

Example

Before becoming disabled, the worker's average current earnings were $4,000 a month. The disabled worker, his or her spouse, and their two children would be eligible to receive a total of $2,200 a month in Social Security disability benefits. However, the disabled worker also receives $2,000 a month from workers' compensation. Because the total amount of benefits received ($4,200) is more than $3,200 (80 percent of average current earnings), the family's Social Security disability benefits will be reduced by $1,000.

Chart 7. Distribution of workers, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2015

Among disabled workers who are also receiving workers' compensation or public disability benefits, a disease of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue was the primary diagnosis in December 2015. Mental disorders were the second leading disabling condition. A disorder of the nervous system and sense organs was the third most common disability for women. Injuries were the third most common disability for men. All other impairments were fairly evenly split between men and women.

Bar chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for Chart 7. Distribution of workers, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2015 (percent)
Diagnostic group Men Women
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.3 1.9
Injuries 8.0 4.2
Mental disorders 13.9 18.5
Circulatory system 3.7 2.0
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 63.1 60.5
Nervous system and sense organs 4.5 7.1
All other impairments 5.5 5.9
 
SOURCE: Table 34.
Table 31. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by reason for having or not having an offset, December 2015
Reason Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled beneficiaries and dependents 627,657 100.0 514,382 100.0 113,275 100.0
  With offset
Receipt of—  
Workers' compensation only  
Black Lung 461 0.1 328 0.1 133 0.1
Harbor Workers and Longshoremen 520 0.1 387 0.1 133 0.1
Federal employees 3,495 0.6 2,861 0.6 634 0.6
State 92,055 14.7 68,032 13.2 24,023 21.2
Public disability only  
Federal 1,076 0.2 961 0.2 115 0.1
State 7,875 1.3 6,787 1.3 1,088 1.0
Local 461 0.1 352 0.1 109 0.1
Workers' compensation and public disability 478 0.1 405 0.1 73 0.1
Social Security Disability Insurance (reverse offset) 50,562 8.1 41,588 8.1 8,974 7.9
  Without offset
High average current earnings 392,286 62.5 327,235 63.6 65,051 57.4
Entitlement to workers' compensation or public disability benefits is pending 78,388 12.5 65,446 12.7 12,942 11.4
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.
Table 32. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by state or other area of residence, December 2015
State or area Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All areas 627,657 100.0 514,382 100.0 113,275 100.0
Alabama 11,463 1.8 9,066 1.8 2,397 2.1
Alaska 426 0.1 366 0.1 60 0.1
Arizona 7,700 1.2 6,448 1.3 1,252 1.1
Arkansas 5,464 0.9 4,359 0.8 1,105 1.0
California 81,988 13.1 70,632 13.7 11,356 10.0
Colorado 7,324 1.2 6,162 1.2 1,162 1.0
Connecticut 5,362 0.9 4,383 0.9 979 0.9
Delaware 1,687 0.3 1,421 0.3 266 0.2
District of Columbia 305 (L) 268 0.1 37 (L)
Florida 32,663 5.2 27,095 5.3 5,568 4.9
Georgia 21,726 3.5 17,690 3.4 4,036 3.6
Hawaii 1,563 0.2 1,295 0.3 268 0.2
Idaho 2,160 0.3 1,748 0.3 412 0.4
Illinois 17,403 2.8 13,957 2.7 3,446 3.0
Indiana 4,581 0.7 3,666 0.7 915 0.8
Iowa 4,511 0.7 3,692 0.7 819 0.7
Kansas 3,305 0.5 2,712 0.5 593 0.5
Kentucky 16,163 2.6 12,969 2.5 3,194 2.8
Louisiana 9,354 1.5 7,310 1.4 2,044 1.8
Maine 5,391 0.9 4,506 0.9 885 0.8
Maryland 4,524 0.7 3,814 0.7 710 0.6
Massachusetts 16,461 2.6 13,074 2.5 3,387 3.0
Michigan 32,955 5.3 26,656 5.2 6,299 5.6
Minnesota 7,641 1.2 6,399 1.2 1,242 1.1
Mississippi 6,218 1.0 4,889 1.0 1,329 1.2
Missouri 10,822 1.7 8,949 1.7 1,873 1.7
Montana 2,147 0.3 1,830 0.4 317 0.3
Nebraska 1,833 0.3 1,481 0.3 352 0.3
Nevada 3,562 0.6 3,068 0.6 494 0.4
New Hampshire 3,920 0.6 3,128 0.6 792 0.7
New Jersey 15,130 2.4 11,991 2.3 3,139 2.8
New Mexico 3,402 0.5 2,843 0.6 559 0.5
New York 79,525 12.7 63,864 12.4 15,661 13.8
North Carolina 22,542 3.6 18,513 3.6 4,029 3.6
North Dakota 705 0.1 579 0.1 126 0.1
Ohio 14,485 2.3 12,290 2.4 2,195 1.9
Oklahoma 6,607 1.1 5,550 1.1 1,057 0.9
Oregon 6,136 1.0 5,181 1.0 955 0.8
Pennsylvania 38,259 6.1 30,779 6.0 7,480 6.6
Rhode Island 2,893 0.5 2,381 0.5 512 0.5
South Carolina 14,107 2.2 11,401 2.2 2,706 2.4
South Dakota 885 0.1 727 0.1 158 0.1
Tennessee 14,222 2.3 11,479 2.2 2,743 2.4
Texas 11,701 1.9 9,404 1.8 2,297 2.0
Utah 1,672 0.3 1,311 0.3 361 0.3
Vermont 1,069 0.2 878 0.2 191 0.2
Virginia 10,227 1.6 8,310 1.6 1,917 1.7
Washington 12,123 1.9 10,237 2.0 1,886 1.7
West Virginia 5,784 0.9 4,624 0.9 1,160 1.0
Wisconsin 7,330 1.2 5,952 1.2 1,378 1.2
Wyoming 522 0.1 417 0.1 105 0.1
Outlying areas  
Puerto Rico 26,442 4.2 21,702 4.2 4,740 4.2
Other a 129 (L) 91 (L) 38 (L)
Foreign countries 1,138 0.2 845 0.2 293 0.3
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Distribution is by state or other area of residence, not by the state paying benefits.
(L) = less than 0.05 percent.
a. Includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.
Table 33. Distribution of workers who have filed, by diagnostic group and age, December 2015
Diagnostic group Total, all ages Under 35 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–FRA
  Number
Total 514,382 4,675 9,422 20,794 44,274 93,830 157,955 183,432
Congenital anomalies 235 3 11 12 23 49 61 76
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 8,045 51 84 235 579 1,368 2,426 3,302
Infectious and parasitic diseases 3,191 22 62 107 298 689 910 1,103
Injuries 33,576 656 969 1,759 3,286 6,132 9,657 11,117
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 45 8 4 5 6 9 9 4
Developmental disorders 93 (X) (X) 5 13 30 17 23
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 73 6 3 6 7 17 14 20
Intellectual disability 4,221 71 95 188 535 916 1,193 1,223
Mood disorders 48,194 550 1,070 2,398 5,060 9,533 13,650 15,933
Organic mental disorders 11,012 222 364 652 1,213 2,128 2,999 3,434
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 5,828 165 208 349 712 1,180 1,621 1,593
Other 11,015 315 407 722 1,335 2,315 2,837 3,084
Neoplasms 5,669 114 142 257 467 970 1,677 2,042
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 345 13 13 22 36 58 95 108
Circulatory system 15,544 88 156 372 905 2,306 4,713 7,004
Digestive system 2,838 39 57 120 209 524 811 1,078
Genitourinary system 2,642 98 98 175 329 558 685 699
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 319,339 1,709 4,743 11,474 25,404 57,271 102,187 116,551
Nervous system and sense organs 28,292 439 719 1,403 2,795 5,366 8,130 9,440
Respiratory system 6,845 23 61 166 363 1,043 2,246 2,943
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 528 9 13 30 53 106 150 167
Other 493 4 11 19 52 82 151 174
Unknown 6,319 (X) (X) 318 594 1,180 1,716 2,314
  Percent
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Congenital anomalies (L) 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 (L) (L)
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.6 1.1 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.8
Infectious and parasitic diseases 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6
Injuries 6.5 14.0 10.3 8.5 7.4 6.5 6.1 6.1
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders (L) 0.2 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Developmental disorders (L) (X) (X) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified (L) 0.1 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Intellectual disability 0.8 1.5 1.0 0.9 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7
Mood disorders 9.4 11.8 11.4 11.5 11.4 10.2 8.6 8.7
Organic mental disorders 2.1 4.7 3.9 3.1 2.7 2.3 1.9 1.9
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 1.1 3.5 2.2 1.7 1.6 1.3 1.0 0.9
Other 2.1 6.7 4.3 3.5 3.0 2.5 1.8 1.7
Neoplasms 1.1 2.4 1.5 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.1
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Circulatory system 3.0 1.9 1.7 1.8 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.8
Digestive system 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.6
Genitourinary system 0.5 2.1 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 62.1 36.6 50.3 55.2 57.4 61.0 64.7 63.5
Nervous system and sense organs 5.5 9.4 7.6 6.7 6.3 5.7 5.1 5.1
Respiratory system 1.3 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.8 1.1 1.4 1.6
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Other 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Unknown 1.2 (X) (X) 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.1 1.3
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: FRA = full retirement age; (X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals; (L) = less than 0.05 percent.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.
Table 34. Distribution of workers who have filed, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2015
Diagnostic group Total Men Women
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled workers 514,382 100.0 313,043 100.0 201,339 100.0
Congenital anomalies 235 (L) 120 (L) 115 0.1
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 8,045 1.6 4,127 1.3 3,918 1.9
Infectious and parasitic diseases 3,191 0.6 2,566 0.8 625 0.3
Injuries 33,576 6.5 25,187 8.0 8,389 4.2
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 45 (L) 35 (L) 10 (L)
Developmental disorders 93 (L) 59 (L) 34 (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 73 (L) 46 (L) 27 (L)
Intellectual disability 4,221 0.8 3,199 1.0 1,022 0.5
Mood disorders 48,194 9.4 22,186 7.1 26,008 12.9
Organic mental disorders 11,012 2.1 8,204 2.6 2,808 1.4
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 5,828 1.1 3,832 1.2 1,996 1.0
Other 11,015 2.1 5,748 1.8 5,267 2.6
Neoplasms 5,669 1.1 3,015 1.0 2,654 1.3
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 345 0.1 166 0.1 179 0.1
Circulatory system 15,544 3.0 11,440 3.7 4,104 2.0
Digestive system 2,838 0.6 1,773 0.6 1,065 0.5
Genitourinary system 2,642 0.5 1,791 0.6 851 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 319,339 62.1 197,578 63.1 121,761 60.5
Nervous system and sense organs 28,292 5.5 14,077 4.5 14,215 7.1
Respiratory system 6,845 1.3 3,998 1.3 2,847 1.4
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 528 0.1 277 0.1 251 0.1
Other 493 0.1 221 0.1 272 0.1
Unknown 6,319 1.2 3,398 1.1 2,921 1.5
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
NOTE: (L) = less than 0.05 percent.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.