A group of lawmakers have introduced a bill that would address a work Social Security work disincentive presently impacting disabled Americans.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) joined nine colleagues to introduce the Work Without Worry Act. The legislation would allow disabled to work to their full potential without causing them to lose out on higher Social Security benefits.
“Americans with disabilities and their families should not lose out on their earned Social Security benefits for seeking to work to their full potential,” Wyden said. “Working families deserve the peace of mind that they will not lose out on their Social Security benefit in the future just because they want to work, and this bill would provide exactly that. I will work tirelessly to get this bill over the finish line.”
The legislation promotes financial security by ensuring that any earnings from work, no matter how much, will not prevent an individual from receiving a Social Security Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefit from their parent’s work history if they have an eligible medical condition that began before age 22.
“Every individual—disabled or otherwise—deserves the freedom to work without worry to secure their own financial future,” Cassidy said. “Government programs should never disincentivize an American from bettering their lot in life. We need to fix this.”
Additionally, the legislation treats all individuals with severe medical conditions that began before age 22 the same, no matter when their parents claim Social Security benefits – adding endorsing organizations include The Arc, the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), the National Down Syndrome Congress, Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and Justice in Aging.