If you work in New Jersey and become disabled because of a physical or mental health condition, you have options available to help replace some of the income lost. Temporary disability benefits in NJ are available through the state government and its Temporary Disability Insurance program with payments available for up to 26 weeks.

As the program’s name implies, the disability benefits available through the state program are for short-term injuries or illnesses. If you have a medically determinable physical or mental health impairment expected to last for at least 12 months or result in your death, you may be eligible for benefits through two programs offered by the Social Security Administration: Social Security Disability Insurance, commonly referred to as SSDI, and Supplemental Security Income or SSI.

The state and federal programs each have their own rules for determining who is eligible to apply for benefits and requirements you must meet to qualify for benefits. After reading the following overview of the programs and the application process for each of them, contact a London Eligibility disability lawyer who can help you to apply for disability benefits to the program best suited to your particular circumstances.

Apply for disability benefits in NJ

Workers in NJ who paid into the temporary disability program through payroll contributions are eligible for benefits. However, you may not be eligible if you are in one of the following categories of workers:

• 1). Employees of the federal government
• 2). Employees of faith-based organizations
• 3). Out-of-state employees
• 4). Independent contractors

Injuries or illnesses that are work-related generally do not qualify for benefits through the Temporary Disability Insurance program are covered through workers’ compensation.

If you qualify for benefits, your weekly payment is 85% of your average weekly earnings. There is, however, a maximum weekly benefit of $993 in 2022, which will increase to $1,025 in 2023.

You may apply for disability benefits in NJ by completing an online application within 30 days from when you first become disabled. If you prefer, you can print an application and submit it by mail or by fax.

How to apply for disability benefits in NJ through Social Security

The state disability program in NJ is limited to only 26 weeks of benefits, so if you have a long-term disability, consider applying for Social Security disability through SSDI or SSI. An SSD lawyer at London Eligibility can help to determine whether you meet the requirements to qualify benefits.

The criteria to determine if you have a disability is the same for adults applying for SSI and SSDI. You must be disabled because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment causing you to be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity. The impairment must have lasted or be expected to last for at least one year or result in death.

If you have a disability that meets the definition used by Social Security to evaluate your claim, you may be eligible for benefits through SSI or SSDI. SSI is a need-based program that has income and resource limits. It does not, however, require you to have a work record as does the SSDI program.

You can receive as much as $841 a month in 2022 through the SSI program as an individual. Couples may receive as much as $1,261. The monthly benefits are subject to change each year through a cost-of-living adjustment. Ask an SSI lawyer to review your income and assets to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements before applying.

SSDI does not impose income and resource limits as does SSI, but there is a requirement that you have a sufficiently long work record. Generally, the younger that you are at the onset of a disability, the shorter the work record required to meet eligibility guidelines.

You must have paid Social Security taxes on the income from jobs or self-employment to be eligible for the SSDI program. An SSDI lawyer can review your work record to determine if you meet the requirements to qualify for benefits.

The SSI and SSDI programs have an online process to apply for disability benefits in NJ. If you prefer, you apply over the telephone or in person. The Social Security Administration reviews your application to determine whether you meet the non-medical requirements for SSI or SSDI. For example, it will look at your work record for SSDI or at your sources of income and value of resources for SSI. If you meet the non-medical criteria for eligibility, the SSA sends your application to the Disability Determination Service to obtain and review your medical records and determine whether your disability meets the Social Security definition.

Learn more from a disability lawyer

When a disability prevents you from working, talk to a disability lawyer at London Eligibility. Learn about the options available to you for disability benefits in NJ during a free consultation by contacting us today.