Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2011

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

Notes

In December 2011, approximately 574,000 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 2011

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 2011. 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 2011 (percent)
Diagnostic group Men Women
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.6 2.5
Injuries 8.3 4.4
Mental disorders 16.5 21.6
Circulatory system 4.1 2.2
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 58.9 55.6
Nervous system and sense organs 4.7 7.4
All other impairments 5.9 6.2
 
SOURCE: Table 34.
Table 31. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by reason for having or not having an offset, December 2011
Reason Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled beneficiaries and dependents 727,045 100.0 573,681 100.0 153,364 100.0
  With offset
Receipt of—  
Workers' compensation only  
Black Lung 399 0.1 285 (L) 114 0.1
Harbor Workers and Longshoremen 589 0.1 441 0.1 148 0.1
Federal employees 2,963 0.4 2,320 0.4 643 0.4
State 108,763 15.0 77,126 13.4 31,637 20.6
Public disability only  
Federal 1,476 0.2 1,254 0.2 222 0.1
State 9,696 1.3 8,051 1.4 1,645 1.1
Local 519 0.1 385 0.1 134 0.1
Workers' compensation and—  
Federal public disability 14 (L) 13 (L) 1 (L)
State public disability 569 0.1 448 0.1 121 0.1
Local public disability 5 (L) 5 (L) 0 0.0
Social Security Disability Insurance (reverse offset) 56,909 7.8 45,069 7.9 11,840 7.7
  Without offset
High average current earnings 386,186 53.1 313,360 54.6 72,826 47.5
Entitlement to workers' compensation or public disability benefits is pending 158,957 21.9 124,924 21.8 34,033 22.2
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 32. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by state or other area of residence, December 2011
State or area Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All areas 727,045 100.0 573,681 100.0 153,364 100.0
Alabama 13,536 1.9 10,398 1.8 3,138 2.0
Alaska 624 0.1 496 0.1 128 0.1
Arizona 9,250 1.3 7,527 1.3 1,723 1.1
Arkansas 6,765 0.9 5,265 0.9 1,500 1.0
California 103,228 14.2 85,867 15.0 17,361 11.3
Colorado 9,100 1.3 7,432 1.3 1,668 1.1
Connecticut 5,865 0.8 4,565 0.8 1,300 0.8
Delaware 2,025 0.3 1,598 0.3 427 0.3
District of Columbia 350 (L) 294 0.1 56 (L)
Florida 37,645 5.2 30,057 5.2 7,588 4.9
Georgia 22,447 3.1 17,665 3.1 4,782 3.1
Hawaii 1,985 0.3 1,609 0.3 376 0.2
Idaho 2,460 0.3 1,939 0.3 521 0.3
Illinois 18,267 2.5 14,193 2.5 4,074 2.7
Indiana 5,534 0.8 4,226 0.7 1,308 0.9
Iowa 4,382 0.6 3,466 0.6 916 0.6
Kansas 3,758 0.5 3,003 0.5 755 0.5
Kentucky 20,166 2.8 15,693 2.7 4,473 2.9
Louisiana 11,347 1.6 8,287 1.4 3,060 2.0
Maine 5,782 0.8 4,645 0.8 1,137 0.7
Maryland 5,217 0.7 4,256 0.7 961 0.6
Massachusetts 16,519 2.3 12,618 2.2 3,901 2.5
Michigan 37,384 5.1 29,276 5.1 8,108 5.3
Minnesota 7,322 1.0 6,016 1.0 1,306 0.9
Mississippi 7,227 1.0 5,470 1.0 1,757 1.1
Missouri 13,356 1.8 10,554 1.8 2,802 1.8
Montana 2,805 0.4 2,313 0.4 492 0.3
Nebraska 2,171 0.3 1,713 0.3 458 0.3
Nevada 3,933 0.5 3,277 0.6 656 0.4
New Hampshire 4,044 0.6 3,093 0.5 951 0.6
New Jersey 18,580 2.6 14,125 2.5 4,455 2.9
New Mexico 3,798 0.5 3,082 0.5 716 0.5
New York 85,849 11.8 65,732 11.5 20,117 13.1
North Carolina 22,608 3.1 17,929 3.1 4,679 3.1
North Dakota 926 0.1 735 0.1 191 0.1
Ohio 17,879 2.5 14,663 2.6 3,216 2.1
Oklahoma 8,246 1.1 6,579 1.1 1,667 1.1
Oregon 6,375 0.9 5,260 0.9 1,115 0.7
Pennsylvania 38,459 5.3 29,696 5.2 8,763 5.7
Rhode Island 3,136 0.4 2,561 0.4 575 0.4
South Carolina 14,670 2.0 11,437 2.0 3,233 2.1
South Dakota 1,027 0.1 821 0.1 206 0.1
Tennessee 14,918 2.1 11,718 2.0 3,200 2.1
Texas 16,030 2.2 12,421 2.2 3,609 2.4
Utah 2,013 0.3 1,542 0.3 471 0.3
Vermont 1,099 0.2 870 0.2 229 0.1
Virginia 11,634 1.6 9,090 1.6 2,544 1.7
Washington 12,882 1.8 10,549 1.8 2,333 1.5
West Virginia 8,708 1.2 6,819 1.2 1,889 1.2
Wisconsin 9,282 1.3 7,298 1.3 1,984 1.3
Wyoming 616 0.1 495 0.1 121 0.1
Outlying areas  
Puerto Rico 42,131 5.8 32,271 5.6 9,860 6.4
Other a 238 (L) 138 (L) 100 0.1
Foreign countries 1,447 0.2 1,039 0.2 408 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 2011
Diagnostic group Total, all ages Under 35 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64
  Number
Total 573,681 8,134 14,463 33,692 67,539 120,114 160,245 169,494
Congenital anomalies 308 10 11 30 46 65 74 72
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 11,169 86 161 462 1,084 2,127 3,320 3,929
Infectious and parasitic diseases 4,156 47 76 276 661 967 1,129 1,000
Injuries 38,835 1,128 1,403 2,806 4,895 7,923 10,022 10,658
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 54 14 4 6 3 14 7 6
Developmental disorders 97 6 8 12 24 14 23 10
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 74 8 4 7 9 17 22 7
Intellectual disability 5,615 159 153 504 932 1,350 1,324 1,193
Mood disorders 65,872 1,270 2,223 4,897 9,508 14,371 17,265 16,338
Organic mental disorders 13,299 356 539 1,016 1,826 2,890 3,393 3,279
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 7,607 324 348 706 1,211 1,802 1,789 1,427
Other 13,464 378 528 1,095 1,935 2,795 3,051 3,682
Neoplasms 6,069 166 147 320 665 1,245 1,691 1,835
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 407 24 18 32 63 89 93 88
Circulatory system 19,336 125 220 613 1,372 3,139 5,807 8,060
Digestive system 3,501 52 72 158 385 722 1,080 1,032
Genitourinary system 2,979 124 126 265 444 608 730 682
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 330,526 3,017 7,064 17,492 36,668 69,833 95,660 100,792
Nervous system and sense organs 33,009 673 1,028 2,202 4,191 6,859 8,688 9,368
Respiratory system 8,152 42 124 292 613 1,473 2,463 3,145
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 700 19 25 52 81 153 178 192
Other 622 13 17 42 68 141 180 161
Unknown 7,830 93 164 407 855 1,517 2,256 2,538
  Percent
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Congenital anomalies 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 (L) (L)
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.9 1.1 1.1 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.1 2.3
Infectious and parasitic diseases 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.8 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6
Injuries 6.8 13.9 9.7 8.3 7.2 6.6 6.3 6.3
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders (L) 0.2 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Developmental disorders (L) 0.1 0.1 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified (L) 0.1 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Intellectual disability 1.0 2.0 1.1 1.5 1.4 1.1 0.8 0.7
Mood disorders 11.5 15.6 15.4 14.5 14.1 12.0 10.8 9.6
Organic mental disorders 2.3 4.4 3.7 3.0 2.7 2.4 2.1 1.9
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 1.3 4.0 2.4 2.1 1.8 1.5 1.1 0.8
Other 2.3 4.6 3.7 3.3 2.9 2.3 1.9 2.2
Neoplasms 1.1 2.0 1.0 0.9 1.0 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 3.4 1.5 1.5 1.8 2.0 2.6 3.6 4.8
Digestive system 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6
Genitourinary system 0.5 1.5 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 57.6 37.1 48.8 51.9 54.3 58.1 59.7 59.5
Nervous system and sense organs 5.8 8.3 7.1 6.5 6.2 5.7 5.4 5.5
Respiratory system 1.4 0.5 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.9
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 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 1.4 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.4 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.
Table 34. Distribution of workers who have filed, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2011
Diagnostic group Total Men Women
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled workers 573,681 100.0 348,030 100.0 225,651 100.0
Congenital anomalies 308 0.1 168 (L) 140 0.1
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 11,169 1.9 5,550 1.6 5,619 2.5
Infectious and parasitic diseases 4,156 0.7 3,316 1.0 840 0.4
Injuries 38,835 6.8 28,921 8.3 9,914 4.4
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 54 (L) 35 (L) 19 (L)
Developmental disorders 97 (L) 62 (L) 35 (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 74 (L) 47 (L) 27 (L)
Intellectual disability 5,615 1.0 4,277 1.2 1,338 0.6
Mood disorders 65,872 11.5 30,462 8.8 35,410 15.7
Organic mental disorders 13,299 2.3 9,921 2.9 3,378 1.5
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 7,607 1.3 4,997 1.4 2,610 1.2
Other 13,464 2.3 7,457 2.1 6,007 2.7
Neoplasms 6,069 1.1 3,206 0.9 2,863 1.3
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 407 0.1 191 0.1 216 0.1
Circulatory system 19,336 3.4 14,269 4.1 5,067 2.2
Digestive system 3,501 0.6 2,226 0.6 1,275 0.6
Genitourinary system 2,979 0.5 1,998 0.6 981 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 330,526 57.6 205,112 58.9 125,414 55.6
Nervous system and sense organs 33,009 5.8 16,282 4.7 16,727 7.4
Respiratory system 8,152 1.4 4,645 1.3 3,507 1.6
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 700 0.1 371 0.1 329 0.1
Other 622 0.1 287 0.1 335 0.1
Unknown 7,830 1.4 4,230 1.2 3,600 1.6
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.