Long COVID disability

June 6, 2023

Social Security disability has not (yet) increased due to Long COVID

Those who suffer from Long COVID will attest to the devastating impact it has had on their lives, and some policy experts suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic might be the “greatest mass disabling event in history.”  I’ve written about this earlier; and many suffer terrible symptoms and disability from Long COVID. 

Jeremy Faust of Inside Medicine reports reassuring preliminary data from the Social Security Administration, which has not seen either a huge influx of new claims or an increase in new determinations of disability.  This could be that disability rules are daunting for those with symptoms of a condition that doesn’t have a definitive imaging or blood test, so we shouldn’t consider this the final word.  However, this is potentially very reassuring - especially as we face a future world where the virus which causes COVID-19 is widespread, and vaccination prevents many cases of death and hospitalization, but doesn’t prevent infection outright.

Source: Inside Medicine May 30, 2033 LINK

Implications for employers:

-        Even if Social Security is not seeing a surge of new cases of Long COVID, employers will continue to have workers with persistent symptoms, some of whom will be disabled, and others who will need accommodations to return to work.

-        The best way to avoid Long COVID continues to be to avoid getting infected or reinfected, so promoting vaccination with bivalent boosters now and the expected fall COVID-19 vaccine can reduce the future risk of Long COVID.

-        Long COVID can be a disability under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) if it substantially limits one or more life activities. If so, employers must make reasonable accommodations to allow them to continue to perform their essential functions. Some employees could be eligible for unpaid leave as an accommodation under ADA. The ADA requires that employers review each employee’s circumstances individually.

-        Employers can train supervisors to recognize symptoms of Long COVID and to treat those who are suffering with empathy.

Instead of a long note on Friday, this week I am again spreading my posts through the week. Please let me know whether you’d rather this newsletter as one long note or 3-4 shorter notes.