One of the most frequent limitations assessed by Social Security due to a claimant’s mental health symptoms is a limitation to simple tasks. That limitation alone is not disabling, by any means. But it can have a significant effect on a disability claim when combined with physical limitations. For claimants over the age of 50 who have performed skilled or semi-skilled work during the past 5 years, a limitation to simple tasks can make the difference between being awarded disability benefits and being denied those benefits.

Sometimes the obstacle to receiving disability benefits is a person’s ability to perform their past relevant work (PRW), which is considered at Step 4 of Social Security’s sequential evaluation. When that PRW is Sedentary, it can be hard to rule out due to physical limitations alone.

Sedentary work is usually skilled or semi-skilled. A limitation to carrying out simple tasks (and therefore unable to carry out detailed tasks) precludes the performance of skilled work at Step 4. A limitation to simple tasks also prevents the transfer of acquired job skills at Step 5. Therefore, a person limited to unskilled Sedentary work will prevail at age 50, via Medical-Vocational Rule 201.14. The same claimant, in the absence of a mental limitation to simple tasks, may lose at Step 4 or Step 5 (if there are transferable skills).