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Unsuccessful Work Attempts
What is Unsuccessful Work Attempts?
Definition of Unsuccessful Work Attempts
The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers an unsuccessful work attempt as "an effort to do substantial work, in employment or self-employment that the claimant stopped or reduced to below the SGA level after 6 months or less". The unsuccessful work attempt must be the result of a claimant's mental or physical health condition or the removal of special conditions which were related to the claimant's mental or physical health condition that were necessary for the claimant to perform their work. The Social Security Administration does not count a claimant's earnings during unsuccessful work attempts when determining eligibility for Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance eligibility. Unsuccessful work attempt earnings, however, may be considered in other SSA decisions. Talk to a Social Security Disability lawyer or the Social Security Administration for more information about returning to work. Social Security Disability claimants who return to work and do not follow the SSA work rules may lose their Social Security Disability benefits.
