11 Million On Disability: Why Are Rolls Rising So Fast?

Investor's Business Daily ^ | 06/17/2014 | John Merline

[IBD editorial writer]

The total number of Americans now on the Social Security Disability Insurance program topped 11 million in May, a record high and an increase of 18% since January 2009, according to new data from the Social Security administration, furthering a trend that will have severe economic and budget consequences.

More than 5.2 million workers have enrolled in the program since President Obama took office, and enrollment is climbing faster under Obama than at any time in the program's history. An average 81,000 workers joined the Social Security Disability Program each month during Obama's years. Under President Bush, by contrast, monthly enrollment averaged 66,000, and the overall average since 1975 is 52,000.

While there is debate about the exact causes of the swelling ranks of workers on disability, it's clear that the sluggish economic recovery under Obama played an important role.

[Biggirl]

.....If there are any jobs at all.

[Theoria]

Unfit for Work[FR]

[Kenny Bunk]

Disability. Gravy Train Fraud.

YES! ........... and no.

[Hot Tabasco]

First they go on unemployment.

Depending on the size of the company they were laid off from, quite often the worker faced with the permanent loss of his job will also file a workers comp claim against the company.

Back around '78 - '80, already suffering the effects of the recession, my company in Detroit sold off it's Wheel and Brake division which resulted in the permanent layoff of of 700 - 800 employees.

Over the next year or two, our corporate Workers Comp dept. was deluged with over 300 workers comp claims. The plant's Local union was telling the employees to file the claims and of course refering them to the respective WC attorneys.....

As business started turning around about 1985, we were able to go into hiring mode again. Many of those who were let go were ultimately rehired over the next several years but those who had filed WC claims were ignored........