The Oklahoma Bar Journal October 2026

and other requirements of work. Physical exertion requirements are categorized as sedentary, light, medium, heavy, and very heavy work. 18 Nonexertional limitations are categorized as mental, pos tural, manipulative, environmen tal, communicative, and visual. 19 The residual functional capacity is “based on all the relevant evi dence” in the file, 20 which includes not only evidence of severe MDIs but nonsevere as well, in addition to the claimant’s report of daily activities, medical source state ments, lay evidence, and more. 21 Once assessed, the residual functional capacity is compared to the claimant’s vocational back ground, which is described as PRW. PRW is defined as work performed within the past five years 22 that was performed at substantial gainful activity and performed long enough to learn it, which means the worker “gained sufficient job experience to learn the techniques, acquire infor mation, and develop the facility needed for average performance in the job.” 23 If work was started and stopped in fewer than 30 calendar days, it is not PRW. 24 The time it takes to learn a job is typically expressed using a specific voca tional preparation (SVP) number, ranging from one to nine, where SVP 1 (unskilled) requires only a short demonstration, while SVP 9 (highly skilled work) generally requires the job be performed for over 10 years. For example, learning to be proficient at the job of fast-food cashier (unskilled, SVP 2) will take much less time than learning to be proficient as an attorney (highly skilled, SVP 8). If the claimant has the residual functional capacity to perform PRW, they are not disabled, and the sequential evaluation pro cess moves to the final step. 25

If the claimant does not meet a grid rule, in other words, if the claimant cannot be found disabled based on exertional limitations alone, the claim is not denied.

For example, if the claimant is 55 years of age or older, with a ninth-grade education, no PRW, and with an RFC to perform light work (defined as six hours of standing and/or walking during the workday and lifting no more than 20 pounds) then the claimant “grids” disabled under rule 202.01. If a claimant is limited to sedentary work (defined as sitting six hours during the day and lifting no more than 10 pounds) and is 50 years of age or older (but not yet age 55) with a ninth-grade education and no PRW, the grid rules will direct a finding that the claimant is dis abled (Rule 201.09). When consider ing PRW, if that work is semiskilled or skilled, and depending on the claimant’s age, education, and RFC, an analysis of whether the claimant acquired any transferrable skills may also be necessary. 31 When the Claimant Doesn’t Meet a Grid Rule If the claimant does not meet a grid rule, in other words, if the claimant cannot be found disabled based on exertional limitations alone, the claim is not denied. Instead, all the claimant’s exer tional and nonexertional (including

Step Five: Can the Claimant Perform Other Work?

Step five considers not whether the claimant can return to PRW, but rather if there is any other work in the national economy 26 that the claimant can perform given the RFC in combination with their age, education, 27 and work experience. 28 Age is divided into three catego ries: younger (under 50), closely approaching advanced age (50-54), and advanced age (55 or older). 29 In order to promote consistency in disability determinations/ decisions, the agency has published medical-vocational guidelines, referred to as the “grid rules.” The grid rules are three tables repre senting sedentary (Table 1/Rule 201.00), light (Table 2/Rule 202.00), and medium (Table 3/Rule 203.00) exertional work, and each table is further divided into age catego ries, education, and previous work experience. These rules answer the question of whether the claimant can perform other work in the national economy by directing certain findings (disabled vs. not disabled) based on the combination of RFC (considering only exertional limitations), age, education, and past work experience. 30

Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff.

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL