In March 2019, the Social Security Administration (SSA) published proposed regulations on removing “inability to communicate in English” as an education category in making disability determinations for people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

The Diverse Elders Coalition opposes this rule because it would disproportionately lead to denials of benefits for older adults who have medical conditions that prevent them from doing physical labor, but who do not have the English language skills to perform less physically demanding work.

Read our comment to the Social Security Administration here.