Workers' compensation: 1976-80 benchmark revisions.

Because the two systems directly affect each other, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has had a long-standing interest in workers' compensation. In some cases, workers' compensation fills the gaps in protection not covered by Social Security and, in others, it may duplicate such protection. Since 1965, Social Security disability benefits have been subject to reduction if the beneficiary also receives workers' compensation and the combined benefits exceed 80 percent of previous earnings. SSA has also been directly involved in providing income maintenance for disability from work-related diseases since 1969, when the Federal Black Lung program was established. Every 4 years, SSA prepares a new set of benchmark figures to serve as a basis for its series on national workers' compensation benefits and program operations. The 1980 benchmark figures, presented here, provide an opportunity to review program operations during the decade of the 1970's.