As dedicated readers know, at Step 5 of the disability sequential evaluation, Social Security uses the Medical-Vocational Guidliness to determine disability. The guidelines, or “grids,” direct a finding of “disabled” or “not disabled” based upon a person’s age, physical RFC, education and past work/transferable skills.

If the medical-vocational guidlines direct a result of “disabled,” you win the case, regardless of what outdated jobs a vocational witness might name at a hearing. When briefing a claim for a judge, or communicating with a DDS disability examiner, you want to specify the vocational rule that applies for that claim.

I know what each rule will direct for a result, but often need to double-check the rule number. For example, I am briefing a claim for a 52-year old claimant limited to Sedentary work. Her past work was semi-skilled, but the mental RFC limits the claimant to simple tasks, which precludes the transfer of acquired job skills. The applicable rule is 201.14, which directs a finding of “disabled.”

The quickest way to quickly check the rule and the correct rule number is with the website gridrules.net. The website exists thanks to Georgia Social Security disability attorney Jonathan Ginsburg. For those who practice in this area, you should have the site bookmarked, as I do.