How to Describe What You Actually Did at Work for a Disability Claim
Describe each job as you actually did it: the tasks, how much you lifted and how often, how long you stood or sat, and the tools you used. Social Security classifies past work by its physical demands, so an honest, specific description carries more weight than the title.
Why a job title is not enough for Social Security
At several points in a claim, Social Security compares what your past work required with what you can still do. A title such as “cashier” or “warehouse associate” can describe very different jobs, and at a hearing a vocational expert may testify about how your past work is classified. The description you give is what that classification starts from.
Source: 20 CFR 404.1560.
How Social Security measures the physical demands of work
Social Security groups work by how much lifting it involves:
| Level | Most lifted at one time | Lifted or carried frequently |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 10 pounds | Light items such as files or small tools, occasionally |
| Light | 20 pounds | Up to 10 pounds |
| Medium | 50 pounds | Up to 25 pounds |
| Heavy | 100 pounds | Up to 50 pounds |
| Very heavy | More than 100 pounds | 50 pounds or more |
That is why the weight you lifted, and how often, matters more than almost anything else you write.
Source: 20 CFR 404.1567.
Writing it down, one job at a time
- Tasks. List what you did in a normal shift, in order, in plain words.
- Lifting. The heaviest thing you lifted, and what you lifted most often.
- Standing, walking, sitting. Hours of each in a typical day.
- Tools and skills. Machines, computer work, and whether you trained or supervised anyone.
Two short examples show the difference. “Cashier” becomes “stood at a register eight hours, bagged groceries, lifted cases of water onto the belt several times a shift.” “Office manager” becomes “sat most of the day at a computer, scheduled four staff, carried boxes of copy paper about once a week.”
Describe the job honestly, without rounding up or down
The goal is accuracy. This is not a job interview, where people round their duties up, and it is not the place for modesty either. Describe the job you actually did. A description that matches your employer’s records and your own later testimony holds up; one that shifts from form to form invites questions.
A worksheet to keep the details straight
The Work History Worksheet has a block for each job with these exact prompts. Fill it in once and use it every time the question comes up.
Change log
October 19, 2026: First published.
Talk with Downard & Associates about your claim
Downard & Associates represents adults with SSDI and SSI claims in every state by phone and video, from applications through Appeals Council review. Sending an inquiry starts a conversation; it does not file anything with Social Security. We respond to inquiries within 3 business hours.
Representation before Social Security nationwide: 42 U.S.C. 406; 20 CFR 404.1705.