Half of workers potentially eligible for federal disability benefits don’t apply, survey finds
ByChristian Robles,
Technology Reporter, Nextgov/FCW
October 13, 2026 03:18 PM ET
Technology can help the half of Americans who do apply, but education efforts are needed for the half that don’t, a lawyer said.
American workers who may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, rarely know they could have it or how to access it, according to a survey from law firm Atticus that was published Tuesday.
Nearly half of workers covered by SSDI believe they have no disability coverage if an injury or illness keeps them unable to work for a year, according to the survey of 1,033 working-age adults. A majority of surveyed workers did not know that applying for SSDI costs nothing upfront or that attorneys typically do not charge fees if they lose SSDI cases.
Workers also misunderstand SSDI requirements; for example, roughly 46% of respondents mistakenly believe that applicants...
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