SSA issued Social Security Ruling 24-2p to clarify how past relevant work (PRW) is evaluated. It is a comprehensive look at PRW. This Ruling rescinds SSR 86-8, and rescinds and replaces SSRs 82-61 and 82-62.
The Ruling poses and answers 10 questions about Past Relevant Work:
- How do we define PRW?
- How do we determine whether an individual’s past work was done within the past 5 years?
- How do we determine whether an individual’s past work started and stopped in fewer than 30 calendar days?
- How do we determine whether an individual performed work long enough to learn to do it?
- How do we determine whether an individual can perform PRW?
- How do we determine whether an individual can perform their PRW as they actually performed it?
- How do we determine whether an individual can perform their PRW as it is generally performed in the national economy?
- How do we obtain evidence concerning an individual’s work history?
- What information do we require when determining whether work is PRW that an individual can perform?
- What findings and rationale must our determination or decision include when we find an individual is able to perform PRW?
The new Ruling becomes effective on June 24, 2024, just two days after the new final rule revising the PRW period from 15 to 5 years. It seems to be an appropriate time to recast how Social Security looks at PRW.