More on Long Covid & Disability

From the Financial Post, another good article exploring anecdotal evidence and some preliminary data about the effects of Long Covid on workers in the U.K. and U.S.:

Policy-makers are starting to suspect the condition is a factor behind the labour shortages seen in the U.S. and U.K., where many older workers are looking to work fewer hours or have left the workforce completely. One study by the Brookings Institution in January speculated that long COVID could potentially account for upwards of 15 per cent of the 10.6 million unfilled jobs in the U.S.

SSA Releases Equity Action Plan

On Thursday, April 14th, the Social Security Administration (SSA) released an Equity Action Plan (a 22-page PDF) in compliance with President Biden’s executive order of January 20, 2021 directing all federal agencies “to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and other people who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.”

SSA’s Equity Action Plan will:

  • Increase collection of race and ethnicity data to help understand whether programs are equitably serving applicants and beneficiaries,

  • Revise policies and practices to expand options for service delivery,

  • Ensure equitable access for unrepresented claimants in the Social Security disability application process,

  • Decrease burdens for people who identify as gender diverse or transgender in the Social Security number card application process, and

  • Increase access to research grant programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions and procurement opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses.

After Disability: Can I Work?

If you file a claim for Social Security disability benefits, and your claim is approved, this does not mean you can never work again. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides various work incentives for people receiving Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. One of these incentives is something called the Trial Work Period during which you can test your ability to work without losing SSD benefits.

For more information about work incentives, register for a free webinar hosted by SSA on April 27th from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar will “provide information about Social Security programs, Work Incentives and other resources that may help you, or someone you know, succeed on the path to financial independence through work.”

NOSSCR Conference - Austin, Texas

The registration deadline is April 29th for the annual NOSSCR conference being held in Austin, Texas from May 11 through May 14. All participants must be fully vaccinated and masked throughout the conference, subject to CDC guidance at the time of the conference. More than 18 hours of CLE credit is available.

Registration rates:

  • Sustaining Member: $680

  • Regular NOSSCR Member: $850

  • Non-Profit Member: $750

  • Non-Member Rate: $1,020

  • Law Student: $100