Vocational Experts And Their Secret Weapon

This podcast highlights a troubling trend in vocational expert testimony at Social Security disability hearings. The speaker raises concerns that the standard for "time off task"—the amount of time a claimant can be unproductive during a workday—is shifting from the established 10% to a potentially unrealistic 15-20%. This change could harm claimants' chances of obtaining or keeping disability benefits, as a higher allowance for off-task time makes it easier to argue that they are capable of working. The speaker argues that this adjustment does not reflect actual workplace expectations and could be detrimental to those seeking disability support.