Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2014

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

Notes

In December 2014, approximately 527,000 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 will be reduced until the month the worker reaches age 65 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 2014

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 2014. 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 2014 (percent)
Diagnostic group Men Women
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.4 2.1
Injuries 8.2 4.2
Mental disorders 14.7 19.7
Circulatory system 3.7 2.1
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 61.9 58.9
Nervous system and sense organs 4.6 7.2
All other impairments 5.6 6.0
 
SOURCE: Table 34.
Table 31. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by reason for having or not having an offset, December 2014
Reason Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled beneficiaries and dependents 651,212 100.0 526,744 100.0 124,468 100.0
  With offset
Receipt of—  
Workers' compensation only  
Black Lung 486 0.1 338 0.1 148 0.1
Harbor Workers and Longshoremen 554 0.1 411 0.1 143 0.1
Federal employees 3,477 0.5 2,794 0.5 683 0.5
State 97,532 15.0 70,506 13.4 27,026 21.7
Public disability only  
Federal 1,225 0.2 1,080 0.2 145 0.1
State 7,960 1.2 6,750 1.3 1,210 1.0
Local 503 0.1 380 0.1 123 0.1
Workers' compensation and public disability 527 0.1 447 0.1 80 0.1
Social Security Disability Insurance (reverse offset) 52,569 8.1 42,707 8.1 9,862 7.9
  Without offset
High average current earnings 393,565 60.4 324,728 61.6 68,837 55.3
Entitlement to workers' compensation or public disability benefits is pending 92,814 14.3 76,603 14.5 16,211 13.0
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 2014
State or area Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All areas 651,212 100.0 526,744 100.0 124,468 100.0
Alabama 12,069 1.9 9,452 1.8 2,617 2.1
Alaska 454 0.1 383 0.1 71 0.1
Arizona 8,138 1.2 6,687 1.3 1,451 1.2
Arkansas 5,780 0.9 4,557 0.9 1,223 1.0
California 85,621 13.1 72,885 13.8 12,736 10.2
Colorado 7,624 1.2 6,370 1.2 1,254 1.0
Connecticut 5,522 0.8 4,438 0.8 1,084 0.9
Delaware 1,744 0.3 1,442 0.3 302 0.2
District of Columbia 317 (L) 276 0.1 41 (L)
Florida 33,536 5.1 27,491 5.2 6,045 4.9
Georgia 21,950 3.4 17,644 3.3 4,306 3.5
Hawaii 1,671 0.3 1,381 0.3 290 0.2
Idaho 2,155 0.3 1,755 0.3 400 0.3
Illinois 17,737 2.7 14,003 2.7 3,734 3.0
Indiana 4,772 0.7 3,796 0.7 976 0.8
Iowa 4,514 0.7 3,635 0.7 879 0.7
Kansas 3,380 0.5 2,763 0.5 617 0.5
Kentucky 16,786 2.6 13,353 2.5 3,433 2.8
Louisiana 9,809 1.5 7,548 1.4 2,261 1.8
Maine 5,515 0.8 4,548 0.9 967 0.8
Maryland 4,713 0.7 3,945 0.7 768 0.6
Massachusetts 16,764 2.6 13,067 2.5 3,697 3.0
Michigan 34,555 5.3 27,563 5.2 6,992 5.6
Minnesota 7,681 1.2 6,367 1.2 1,314 1.1
Mississippi 6,561 1.0 5,041 1.0 1,520 1.2
Missouri 11,360 1.7 9,283 1.8 2,077 1.7
Montana 2,272 0.3 1,927 0.4 345 0.3
Nebraska 1,891 0.3 1,493 0.3 398 0.3
Nevada 3,700 0.6 3,115 0.6 585 0.5
New Hampshire 3,906 0.6 3,095 0.6 811 0.7
New Jersey 15,743 2.4 12,297 2.3 3,446 2.8
New Mexico 3,488 0.5 2,869 0.5 619 0.5
New York 81,903 12.6 64,778 12.3 17,125 13.8
North Carolina 22,745 3.5 18,487 3.5 4,258 3.4
North Dakota 722 0.1 604 0.1 118 0.1
Ohio 15,260 2.3 12,748 2.4 2,512 2.0
Oklahoma 6,939 1.1 5,737 1.1 1,202 1.0
Oregon 6,197 1.0 5,190 1.0 1,007 0.8
Pennsylvania 38,967 6.0 30,842 5.9 8,125 6.5
Rhode Island 2,923 0.4 2,389 0.5 534 0.4
South Carolina 14,433 2.2 11,501 2.2 2,932 2.4
South Dakota 904 0.1 723 0.1 181 0.1
Tennessee 14,600 2.2 11,643 2.2 2,957 2.4
Texas 12,459 1.9 9,849 1.9 2,610 2.1
Utah 1,711 0.3 1,345 0.3 366 0.3
Vermont 1,112 0.2 903 0.2 209 0.2
Virginia 10,565 1.6 8,471 1.6 2,094 1.7
Washington 12,327 1.9 10,301 2.0 2,026 1.6
West Virginia 6,298 1.0 5,041 1.0 1,257 1.0
Wisconsin 7,354 1.1 5,904 1.1 1,450 1.2
Wyoming 531 0.1 412 0.1 119 0.1
Outlying areas  
Puerto Rico 30,161 4.6 24,373 4.6 5,788 4.7
Other a 155 (L) 99 (L) 56 (L)
Foreign countries 1,218 0.2 935 0.2 283 0.2
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 2014
Diagnostic group Total, all ages Under 35 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64
  Number
Total 526,744 5,158 10,387 23,845 49,253 101,255 161,104 175,742
Congenital anomalies 252 5 11 18 27 53 65 73
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 8,583 48 102 267 683 1,512 2,638 3,333
Infectious and parasitic diseases 3,370 25 68 126 374 755 991 1,031
Injuries 35,014 715 1,117 2,025 3,651 6,617 10,009 10,880
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 44 9 3 6 4 7 9 6
Developmental disorders 90 4 1 5 14 25 19 22
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 77 4 2 9 8 14 21 19
Intellectual disability 4,565 79 97 241 643 1,043 1,267 1,195
Mood disorders 52,446 620 1,277 2,931 6,034 10,947 14,892 15,745
Organic mental disorders 11,439 243 375 735 1,307 2,325 3,162 3,292
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 6,328 189 262 458 807 1,334 1,762 1,516
Other 11,491 309 433 809 1,442 2,453 3,019 3,026
Neoplasms 5,766 119 128 244 498 1,042 1,761 1,974
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 366 14 18 20 40 66 104 104
Circulatory system 16,091 88 169 418 969 2,474 4,970 7,003
Digestive system 2,976 36 56 130 234 582 900 1,038
Genitourinary system 2,667 103 112 197 319 574 699 663
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 321,162 1,977 5,111 13,020 27,897 61,194 101,881 110,082
Nervous system and sense organs 29,294 457 787 1,611 3,101 5,656 8,472 9,210
Respiratory system 6,987 28 74 174 439 1,113 2,249 2,910
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 559 8 14 30 57 119 163 168
Other 531 10 10 32 48 93 164 174
Unknown 6,646 68 160 339 657 1,257 1,887 2,278
  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 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.9
Infectious and parasitic diseases 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6
Injuries 6.6 13.9 10.8 8.5 7.4 6.5 6.2 6.2
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders (L) 0.2 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Developmental disorders (L) 0.1 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified (L) 0.1 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Intellectual disability 0.9 1.5 0.9 1.0 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.7
Mood disorders 10.0 12.0 12.3 12.3 12.3 10.8 9.2 9.0
Organic mental disorders 2.2 4.7 3.6 3.1 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.9
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 1.2 3.7 2.5 1.9 1.6 1.3 1.1 0.9
Other 2.2 6.0 4.2 3.4 2.9 2.4 1.9 1.7
Neoplasms 1.1 2.3 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Circulatory system 3.1 1.7 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.4 3.1 4.0
Digestive system 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6
Genitourinary system 0.5 2.0 1.1 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 61.0 38.3 49.2 54.6 56.6 60.4 63.2 62.6
Nervous system and sense organs 5.6 8.9 7.6 6.8 6.3 5.6 5.3 5.2
Respiratory system 1.3 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.4 1.7
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Other 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Unknown 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.3
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.
Table 34. Distribution of workers who have filed, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2014
Diagnostic group Total Men Women
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled workers 526,744 100.0 320,575 100.0 206,169 100.0
Congenital anomalies 252 (L) 126 (L) 126 0.1
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 8,583 1.6 4,374 1.4 4,209 2.0
Infectious and parasitic diseases 3,370 0.6 2,697 0.8 673 0.3
Injuries 35,014 6.6 26,250 8.2 8,764 4.3
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 44 (L) 33 (L) 11 (L)
Developmental disorders 90 (L) 59 (L) 31 (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 77 (L) 47 (L) 30 (L)
Intellectual disability 4,565 0.9 3,462 1.1 1,103 0.5
Mood disorders 52,446 10.0 24,171 7.5 28,275 13.7
Organic mental disorders 11,439 2.2 8,538 2.7 2,901 1.4
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 6,328 1.2 4,160 1.3 2,168 1.1
Other 11,491 2.2 6,026 1.9 5,465 2.7
Neoplasms 5,766 1.1 3,081 1.0 2,685 1.3
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 366 0.1 178 0.1 188 0.1
Circulatory system 16,091 3.1 11,876 3.7 4,215 2.0
Digestive system 2,976 0.6 1,884 0.6 1,092 0.5
Genitourinary system 2,667 0.5 1,786 0.6 881 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 321,162 61.0 199,078 62.1 122,084 59.2
Nervous system and sense organs 29,294 5.6 14,565 4.5 14,729 7.1
Respiratory system 6,987 1.3 4,056 1.3 2,931 1.4
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 559 0.1 287 0.1 272 0.1
Other 531 0.1 240 0.1 291 0.1
Unknown 6,646 1.3 3,601 1.1 3,045 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.