How SSDI Benefits for Women Differ From Men

If you’re a woman applying for SSDI, you should be aware that women receive less in disability benefits than men. As a Memphis disability lawyer, I can help you understand how SSDI benefits for women differ from men and why. And if you’re denied, we can help you put together a strong appeal.

Why Women Make Less In Disability Benefits Than Men

Women don’t get injured less than men. They experience disability at the same rate and intensity, if not more. At the same time, a woman tends to make less in SSDI benefits than a man even if they have the same injury and used to do the same job. Why?

The SSA uses a few factors to determine how much to pay in SSDI. One factor is how much you made in your career before becoming disabled.

As a worker, you pay a certain amount of your paycheck into the system every month. Those payments help cover the cost of your SSDI benefits if you ever become disabled and can’t work any more. When looking at your application, the SSA wants to see proof you’ve worked consistently.

This system causes inequality in pay for a lot of reasons. In the US:

  • Women often make much less than men in the same job, and thus pay less into the system.
  • They also tend to take more time off from work to raise children, which affects their SSDI eligibility.
  • In some cases, women can be the victims of discrimination that leads to unemployment and underemployment.

All of these situations are frustrating. Women who take off from work to stay home with their children are no less in need of an income later in life, after they’ve returned to the workforce. Women who have trouble finding adequate work because of their gender certainly shouldn’t be punished for that if they become disabled down the road.

Fortunately, the rates of SSDI benefits are increasing for women, so the gender gap is closing a little more year by year.

Get a Lawyer for Your Appeal

If you’ve applied for SSDI and been denied, we can help. You only have 60 days, and you need to find an attorney who understands SSDI benefits for women and will work hard to make your application successful.

We will fight for you every step of the way, and we don’t get paid a penny unless you do.

Contact our Memphis SSDI attorneys today to get started with your appeal or call me at 901-327-2100.