Quadriplegic Finds His Desire to Work May Be a Hindrance

Steven Berry is a man who wants to work.

In a nation with a deeply imbued work ethic, that should be an admirable aspiration. But in Berry’s case, it has proved to be a hindrance.

Berry, 40, is a quadriplegic who must use a wheelchair. With the help of Social Security Supplemental Security Income benefits, he was able to earn a Ph.D. in comparative literature from UCLA in 1986. With his degree in hand, he felt he would soon be able to support himself and went off the SSI rolls.

Instead, he found his field to have few openings, and he has been looking for a full-time job for four years.

Fortunately, Berry’s parents were able to supplement the money he earned as an occasional consultant for the RAND Corp. to help pay his expenses, which include a $200-a-month personal attendant. But Berry’s father is now retired and no longer able to provide him with financial support.

So in May, Berry applied for SSI benefits again so that he could continue to live independently while searching for a full-time job.

Berry, who was considered disabled while he attended school, is still awaiting a final determination on whether he is now disabled according to government criteria.

It seems that the consultant work he has performed at RAND may have affected his eligibility for SSI benefits.

People who work with disabled people say Berry’s dilemma is not uncommon.

“It’s basically an all-or-nothing proposition for disabled people who are already working,” said Douglas Martin, chairman of the National Council on Independent Living and a special assistant to UCLA Chancellor Charles Young. “If he stops working, he can get on all these programs for the rest of his life.”

According to Martin, Berry would have been better off if he had never gone off SSI.

But in the case of someone such as Berry--applying for benefits while working--he must reduce his income to $500 per month to qualify for benefits, even if his monthly expenses exceed that amount.

Social Security spokesman Virgil Kocher could not comment specifically on Berry’s case, but he confirmed that the government had a strict definition of disability. SSI benefits will be granted to a person only if the disability is so severe that the person cannot work.

In addition, someone who receives benefits cannot possess resources or assets in excess of $2,000. Any money received from another source is subtracted from the standard SSI payment of $630 per month. Half of any income earned from work is subtracted from the entitlement. Last year, Berry earned about $650 from RAND. This year, he earned $394.

Finding a job at a university or a community college would solve Berry’s problems. But despite being called for numerous interviews, he has not yet received an offer.

Berry is not optimistic that the Social Security system can make a reasonable assessment of what he needs to live independently.

“It seems to me that this is indicative of the fact that the Social Security Administration doesn’t have a realistic view of how people should be allowed to work and earn an income and receive help simultaneously,” he said.

Meanwhile, Berry is getting frustrated and fears that his attempts to live on his own will ultimately fail.