SSDI is a type of insurance fund paid into by employees and employers out of payroll taxes. The first requirement, then, is employment – at least within the past 10 years.

In some special situations, there is no payment into Social Security, so the employee would not be eligible. These can include people who have worked long-term for the federal government and were hired before it began collecting Social Security taxes in 1983, employees of some state and local governments that opt out of Social Security, and a few other categories of workers.

Keep in mind that if you have been self-employed or working as an independent contractor, you may still have been in a job covered by Social Security. You should have been paying self-employment taxes, which include Social Security contributions.

The other factor is how long you have worked in covered jobs. SSDI claimants must have enough work history to have acquired the necessary number of “work credits”. In general, workers gain one credit for each quarter of a year worked; self-employed workers need to meet an annual income threshold to qualify for the credits. The number of credits needed for SSDI eligibility is determined by a scale that factors the employee’s age and number of years worked.

Injured workers in New York City or Nassau County should contact a NYC disability attorney to get a better idea of how their work history impacts SSDI eligibility. Aronova & Associates is available to meet and answer your eligibility questions.