Social Security Grid Rules:

The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) that decide social security disability cases at the hearing level frequently use a grid of the Medical-Vocational Rules to determine if a claimant is disabled or not.  If the “grid rules” indicate a finding of disabled, then it is referred to as “gridding out” and the analysis essentially stops in the claimant’s favor.  On the other hand, if the grids indicate a finding of not-disabled, it is still possible that you can be found disabled if your functional capacity is further eroded by other limitations and restrictions that prevent you from working.  It is noteworthy to point out that the grid rules are primarily a Step 5 tool.  For instance, if DDS or the ALJ find you are capable of light-duty work, but if your past relevant work (PRW) includes light-duty work then you will be denied at Step 4 of the analysis regardless of whether the grid rules would otherwise dictate a finding of disabled.

A number of variables go into analyzing whether or not someone will grid out.  First and foremost is their residual functional capacity (RFC).  It will be applied in general terms to determine a claimant’s maximum level of sustained work, i.e., whether the claimant is capable of sedentary, light, medium, or heavy work.  Each level has its own set of grids.  This is a crucial point of the social security disability analysis.  The ALJs have great latitude in assessing a claimant’s RFC, but it is not uncommon for them to just defer to what the Disability Determination Services (DDS) found (which is oftentimes overly conservative).  This is why it’s important to gather as many relevant medical records as possible, and also to try to obtain an RFC questionnaire from claimant’s treating physician(s).  

Once a claimant’s RFC and corresponding grid is determined, the other factors include Claimant’s:

1. Age;
2. Education;
3. Literacy;
4. Whether their education provides for direct entry into skilled work;
5. Whether their past work was skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled, or if they have no PRW; and
6. If PRW was skilled or semi-skilled, are the skills transferable to a lower RFC level. 

The answers to some of these factors are self-explanatory, but others require testimony from a vocational expert (VE) who are almost always present at SSDI and SSI hearings.  Once all the factors are determined, the Medical-Vocational Rules offer guidance as to whether claimant is disabled or not.  The grid rules have contemplated an answer to virtually every combination, thus, an easy to read grid can be created to quickly find the answer.  Note that a set of grids for a heavy RFC is not needed because the Rules always dictate a finding of not-disabled, not to mention a person capable of heavy work would always be capable of their past work from an exertional standpoint.

Table No. 1 – Sedentary RFC:

Table No. 2 – Light RFC:

Table No. 3 – Medium RFC: