Table No. 1—Residual Functional Capacity: Maximum Sustained Work Capability Limited to Sedentary Work as a Result of Severe Medically Determinable Impairment(s)

RuleAgeEducationPrevious work experienceDecision
201.01Advanced ageLimited or lessUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.02……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable 1  Do.
201.03……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable 1Not disabled
201.04……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled work 2Unskilled or noneDisabled
201.05……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled work 2……doNot disabled
201.06……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled work 2Skilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable 1Disabled
201.07……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable 1Not disabled
201.08……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled work 2Skilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable 1  Do.
201.09Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.10……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
201.11……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferableNot disabled
201.12……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled work 3Unskilled or noneDisabled
201.13……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled work 3……doNot disabled
201.14……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled work 3Skilled or semiskilled—skills not transferableDisabled
201.15……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferableNot disabled
201.16……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled work 3Skilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
201.17Younger individual age 45-49Illiterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneDisabled
201.18……doLimited or less—at least literate and able to communicate in English……doNot disabled
201.19……doLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
201.20……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
201.21……doHigh school graduate or moreSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
201.22……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
201.23Younger individual age 18-44Illiterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or none  Do.4
201.24……doLimited or less—at least literate and able to communicate in English……do  Do.4
201.25……doLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.4
201.26……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.4
201.27……doHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or none  Do.4
201.28……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.4
201.29……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.4

202.00 Maximum sustained work capability limited to light work as a result of severe medically determinable impairment(s). (a) The functional capacity to perform a full range of light work includes the functional capacity to perform sedentary as well as light work. Approximately 1,600 separate sedentary and light unskilled occupations can be identified in eight broad occupational categories, each occupation representing numerous jobs in the national economy. These jobs can be performed after a short demonstration or within 30 days, and do not require special skills or experience.

(b) The functional capacity to perform a wide or full range of light work represents substantial work capability compatible with making a work adjustment to substantial numbers of unskilled jobs and, thus, generally provides sufficient occupational mobility even for severely impaired individuals who are not of advanced age and have sufficient educational competences for unskilled work.

(c) However, for individuals of advanced age who can no longer perform vocationally relevant past work and who have a history of unskilled work experience, or who have only skills that are not readily transferable to a significant range of semi-skilled or skilled work that is within the individual’s functional capacity, or who have no work experience, the limitations in vocational adaptability represented by functional restriction to light work warrant a finding of disabled. Ordinarily, even a high school education or more which was completed in the remote past will have little positive impact on effecting a vocational adjustment unless relevant work experience reflects use of such education.

(d) Where the same factors in paragraph (c) of this section regarding education and work experience are present, but where age, though not advanced, is a factor which significantly limits vocational adaptability (i.e., closely approaching advanced age, 50-54) and an individual’s vocational scope is further significantly limited by illiteracy or inability to communicate in English, a finding of disabled is warranted.

(e) The presence of acquired skills that are readily transferable to a significant range of semi-skilled or skilled work within an individual’s residual functional capacity would ordinarily warrant a finding of not disabled regardless of the adversity of age, or whether the individual’s formal education is commensurate with his or her demonstrated skill level. The acquisition of work skills demonstrates the ability to perform work at the level of complexity demonstrated by the skill level attained regardless of the individual’s formal educational attainments.

(f) For a finding of transferability of skills to light work for persons of advanced age who are closely approaching retirement age (age 60 or older), there must be very little, if any, vocational adjustment required in terms of tools, work processes, work settings, or the industry.

(g) While illiteracy or the inability to communicate in English may significantly limit an individual’s vocational scope, the primary work functions in the bulk of unskilled work relate to working with things (rather than with data or people) and in these work functions at the unskilled level, literacy or ability to communicate in English has the least significance. Similarly, the lack of relevant work experience would have little significance since the bulk of unskilled jobs require no qualifying work experience. The capability for light work, which includes the ability to do sedentary work, represents the capability for substantial numbers of such jobs. This, in turn, represents substantial vocational scope for younger individuals (age 18-49) even if illiterate or unable to communicate in English.

Table No. 2—Residual Functional Capacity: Maximum Sustained Work Capability Limited to Light Work as a Result of Severe Medically Determinable Impairment(s)
RuleAgeEducationPrevious work experienceDecision
202.01Advanced ageLimited or lessUnskilled or noneDisabled.
202.02……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
202.03……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable 1Not disabled.
202.04……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled work 2Unskilled or noneDisabled.
202.05……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled work 2……doNot disabled.
202.06……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled work 2Skilled or semiskilled—skills not transferableDisabled.
202.07……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable 2Not disabled.
202.08……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled work 2Skilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
202.09Closely approaching advanced ageIlliterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or noneDisabled.
202.10……doLimited or less—at least literate and able to communicate in English……doNot disabled.
202.11……doLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
202.12……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
202.13……doHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or none  Do.
202.14……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
202.15……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
202.16Younger individualIlliterate or unable to communicate in EnglishUnskilled or none  Do.
202.17……doLimited or less—at least literate and able to communicate in English……do  Do.
202.18……doLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
202.19……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
202.20……doHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or none  Do.
202.21……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
202.22……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.

203.00 Maximum sustained work capability limited to medium work as a result of severe medically determinable impairment(s). (a) The functional capacity to perform medium work includes the functional capacity to perform sedentary, light, and medium work. Approximately 2,500 separate sedentary, light, and medium occupations can be identified, each occupation representing numerous jobs in the national economy which do not require skills or previous experience and which can be performed after a short demonstration or within 30 days.

(b) The functional capacity to perform medium work represents such substantial work capability at even the unskilled level that a finding of disabled is ordinarily not warranted in cases where a severely impaired person retains the functional capacity to perform medium work. Even the adversity of advanced age (55 or over) and a work history of unskilled work may be offset by the substantial work capability represented by the functional capacity to perform medium work. However, we will find that a person who (1) has a marginal education, (2) has work experience of 35 years or more doing only arduous unskilled physical labor, (3) is not working, and (4) is no longer able to do this kind of work because of a severe impairment(s) is disabled, even though the person is able to do medium work. (See § 404.1562(a) in this subpart and § 416.962(a) in subpart I of part 416.)

(c) However, the absence of any relevant work experience becomes a more significant adversity for persons of advanced age (55 and over). Accordingly, this factor, in combination with a limited education or less, militates against making a vocational adjustment to even this substantial range of work and a finding of disabled is appropriate. Further, for persons closely approaching retirement age (60 or older) with a work history of unskilled work and with marginal education or less, a finding of disabled is appropriate.

Table No. 3—Residual Functional Capacity: Maximum Sustained Work Capability Limited to Medium Work as a Result of Severe Medically Determinable Impairment(s)
RuleAgeEducationPrevious work experienceDecision
203.01Closely approaching retirement ageMarginal or noneUnskilled or noneDisabled.
203.02……doLimited or lessNone  Do.
203.03……doLimitedUnskilledNot disabled.
203.04……doLimited or lessSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.05……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.06……doHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or none  Do.
203.07……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.08……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.09……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.10Advanced ageLimited or lessNoneDisabled.
203.11……do……doUnskilledNot disabled.
203.12……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.13……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.14……doHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or none  Do.
203.15……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.16……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.17……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.18Closely approaching advanced ageLimited or lessUnskilled or none  Do.
203.19……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.20……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.21……doHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or none  Do.
203.22……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.23……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.24……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.25Younger individualLimited or lessUnskilled or none  Do.
203.26……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.27……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.28……doHigh school graduate or moreUnskilled or none  Do.
203.29……doHigh school graduate or more—does not provide for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
203.30……do……doSkilled or semiskilled—skills transferable  Do.
203.31……doHigh school graduate or more—provides for direct entry into skilled workSkilled or semiskilled—skills not transferable  Do.
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