Can I Get Social Security and Workers’ Compensation at the Same Time?
This is one of those questions where the short answer is yes, but the real answer is “it depends.”
You can receive both Social Security and federal Workers’ Compensation — but the interaction between them is complex, and the type of benefit you’re receiving matters a lot.
Let’s walk through the main scenarios.
If You’re Receiving Workers’ Comp Temporary Total (TT) and Social Security Disability (SSDI)
Many injured federal workers who are off work and receiving Temporary Total (TT) compensation also apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
Here’s the key rule:
Social Security limits your total combined benefits to 80% of your pre-injury earnings.
So if you earned $1,000 per week before your injury, the most you can receive from all sources combined is $800 per week. If Workers’ Comp is already paying you 75%, Social Security will usually only pay the remaining 5% — or may be reduced significantly.
In this situation, SSDI is typically the benefit that gets reduced, not Workers’ Comp.
What Happens When You Reach Retirement Age While on Workers’ Comp?
Things change again when someone receiving Temporary Total reaches Social Security retirement age (which could be 65, 66, 67, or later, depending on birth year).
At that point:
Social Security retirement benefits begin (or are considered available), and
Workers’ Comp is reduced to “back out” the portion of your earnings that are attributable to federal employment.
Even if you choose to delay collecting Social Security retirement, Workers’ Comp looks at your mandatory retirement age, not whether you actually started drawing SSA benefits.
How Schedule Awards Fit In
Schedule Awards work differently.
If you’re receiving Social Security retirement, a Schedule Award does not reduce your retirement benefits. There’s no offset.
If you’re receiving SSDI, a Schedule Award can trigger an offset because it may push you over the 80% earnings limit.
Why This Gets Tricky
Every calculation depends on:
your pre-injury earnings,
which benefits you’re receiving,
when you started receiving them, and
your age and retirement status.
A small mistake can lead to reduced benefits or overpayments that have to be paid back.
That’s why this is one of the situations where getting professional guidance matters. The right choice depends on timing, math, and strategy — not just eligibility.
Every Schedule Award and compensation case is unique. The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) does not publish fixed timelines or guaranteed outcomes. Benefits depend on your medical evidence, impairment rating, and OWCP’s review process. The information provided here is for general educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. For guidance on your specific claim, consult with an experienced federal workers’ compensation attorney.