Generally, to be relevant, the claimant’s past work must have been performed within
the five years prior to the date of adjudication (the date of the determination or
decision at any level of review). However, for some Title II claims, the relevant
period may end prior to the date of adjudication. See DI 25001.001A.65 for instructions on how to determine the relevant period for different types of claims.
NOTE: When determining the relevant period for a concurrent Title II or Title II and Title
XVI claim, the relevant periods and the step four determinations for each claim may
differ if the Title II relevant period ended prior to adjudication.
When determining whether work is within the relevant period, consider the relevant
period to begin five years prior to its ending date (e.g., if the relevant period
ended 12/20/2024, it began on 12/21/2019).
IMPORTANT: When establishing onset of disability, do not consider the date on which work was
no longer relevant.
EXAMPLE: A 60-year-old claimant with a high school education filed a DIB claim alleging onset
on 1/1/2020. The claimant performed an SGA-level, unskilled job from 12/1/2013 to
10/30/2018. The physical and mental requirements of this work are within the claimant’s
RFC. All of their other work required greater lifting and carrying than their RFC
allowed. The date of adjudication is 7/10/2024 and the claimant has a future DLI of
12/31/2025. The claimant has a prior denial dated 7/7/2021 for ability to perform
the past relevant work (PRW) they performed 12/1/2013 to 10/30/2018.
Summary of case facts:
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Potential onset date (POD): 1/1/2020
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Date Last Insured (DLI): 12/31/2025
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Prior finding: Able to perform PRW performed from 12/1/2013 to 10/30/2018
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Current claim adjudication date: 7/10/2024
Based on an adjudication date of 7/10/2024 and future DLI of 12/31/2025, the relevant
period in the current claim is 7/10/2019 to 7/9/2024, the five years prior to the
date of adjudication. The job that is within the claimant’s RFC would not be within
the relevant period because the work ended 10/30/2018, more than five years prior
to the 7/10/2024 date of adjudication. Therefore, the claimant had no PRW within their
RFC at the time of adjudication.
The adjudicator proceeded to step five of sequential evaluation. An allowance was
appropriate based on the medical-vocational rules. The claimant met the disability
requirements as of the claimant’s POD; however, it was not possible to reopen the
prior denial determination of 7/7/2021 because the DDS appropriately denied the claim
based on an ability to perform PRW. The adjudicator awarded an established onset date
as of 1/1/2020, setting onset in the prior period under the change of position (CoP)
policy provisions. When we establish onset, we do not consider the date past work
was no longer relevant. Although the prior denial could not be reopened under the
one-year rule, it is appropriate to establish onset in the prior period (see DI 27505.020).
IMPORTANT: If any portion of the period when the claimant performed past work extends into the
relevant five-year period, the work is in the relevant period. If it meets the other
criteria for PRW, consider it at step four of the sequential evaluation.
EXAMPLE: The claimant worked as a cashier from 1/20/2006 to 12/10/2020. If the DDS adjudicates
the case on 1/20/2025 and the claimant has a future DLI, the claimant’s cashier work
is within the relevant period because a portion of the period of performance is within
the five-year period prior to the 1/20/2025 adjudication date.