The social security disability requirements are set by the Social Security Administration of the U.S. The SSA uses a five-step process to determine whether an individual is disabled. First, it asks if the applicant is working. If the applicant earns more than $980 per month, he or she is ineligible. If it is established that the applicant is not working, the severity of his or her condition is examined. If the applicant cannot return to his or her work, then his or her condition is compared to a list of automatic medical conditions. If not on this list, the severity is again examined and it is determined whether another line of work would be suitable for the applicant.