Social Security has some strict rules when it comes to who is disabled under their rules. We have talked previously that of all the disability programs in modern societies that Social Security is one of the most difficult to qualify for medically. Those who apply are expected to provide evidence that they cannot only do specific types of jobs, but sometimes any job available due to their impairments. The rules and regulations can overwhelm most people and are considerably frustrating to deal with, but now Social Security will come to the rescue to provide jobs for people the agency believes can work – well sort of.
Recently the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) has proposed that federal agencies do a better job of hiring employees with disabilities or medical impairments. Specifically, the EEOC wants to increase the goal for federal agencies, presumably this includes Social Security, from 7 percent of its workforce to 12 percent.
This is a really interesting initiative from the EEOC as it wants Social Security to increase its disabled workforce. Does this mean that Social Security will attempt to hire employees with severe mental health issues who by any reasonable standards are unable to maintain gainful employment? Many of the mentally disabled have spent considerable amounts of time in psychiatric hospitals and have been dismissed from prior employment because their conditions impact their ability to work alongside co-workers.
Everyday millions of Americans receive medical denials on Social Security disability claims informing them they are not disabled under the agencies rules. These same notices mention that these claimants can work. I wonder how Social Security will look at this situation if it indeed hired some of these individuals and it resulted in these impaired employees being dismissed from their duties because of their inability to perform work as a result of their disabilities.
