Disability Terms and Definitions

Elimination Period This is the period of time between the date the disability commences and the beginning of the benefit payment period. It is the period during which an employee must be disabled before payment of benefits begins. It is sometimes referred to as the Qualifying Period. DHU Disability Hearings Unit. A unit in each DDD regional office that conducts in person hearings with disabled beneficiaries who appeal a DDD decision that the individual is no longer disabled. Benefit Year The 52 consecutive weeks for which you are eligible to receive unemployment benefits. The benefit year begins on the day that you file for unemployment benefits. Disability A general term used for the problems a person with a health condition (such as cerebral palsy or deafness) has because of barriers in his or her environment. Indexing Indexing is designed to provide some protection against inflation. After the first year of disability, a disabled employee's pre-disability earnings are usually increased (or indexed) by a certain percentage on an annual basis. ADA Americans with Disabilities Act The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. It also applies to the United States Congress. Windfall Offset A provision to prevent a person from receiving monthly SSI and OASDI benefits in excess of the total amount which would have been paid if the OASDI benefits had been paid when they were due rather than retroactively. Cost-of-living adjustments Each January, your benefits will increase automatically if the cost of living has gone up. For example, if the cost of living has increased by 2 percent, your benefits also will increase by 2 percent. Partial Conservatorship This type of Conservatorship/Guardianship generally applies to the developmentally disabled and restricts the areas in which the Conservator/Guardian may act on behalf of the individual. Auxiliary Aids and Services Devices or services that accommodate a functional limitation of a person with a communication disability.

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	Did You Know?
	Disability Insurance Benefits is a coverage provided by the government If your Disability Insurance Benefits claim is approved, the monthly payment you will receive is set by your earnings (and Social Security tax payments) during your working career. There is no minimum rate. A person must prove that he or she became disabled while disability insurance coverage was in force or you are not entitled to Disability Insurance Benefits