What is disability in the sense of social security?

Verified 14 March 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You are considered disabled within the meaning of Social Security if, after an accident or illness in your private life (of non-professional origin), your ability to work or earn is reduced by at least 2/3 (66%).

For example, you are considered disabled if you are unable to earn more than 1/3 (33%) of the normal wages of workers in your category working in your region.

Disabled persons are classified by the Social Security according to the following 3 categories:

  • Invalids able to engage in gainful employment
  • Invalids absolutely unable to practice any profession
  • Invalids who are absolutely incapable of practicing a profession and who are forced to resort to a third party to perform the ordinary acts of everyday life

The recognition of invalidity by the Social Security allows you to receive a pension to replace the loss of salary caused by your medical condition.

The request must be made to your Social Security organization.

You depend on CPAM
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You depend on the MSA
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The concept of invalidity must not be confused with that of unfit, which is evaluated by occupational medicine. An unfit employee is not systematically entitled to an invalidity pension. Similarly, an invalid insured person is not systematically unfit for work.

Example :

If your job was heavy lifting and you had an accident causing you chronic back pain, you could be declared unfit without receiving a disability pension. You can no longer work in your original occupation, but your earning capacity remains intact in another occupation (e.g. office occupation).

Finally, the invalidity pension may, under certain conditions, be cumulable with other allowances or allowances.

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