Overview
Paul O'Leary is an economist with the Office of Program Development and Research at the Social Security Administration. His research focuses on the intersection of workers' compensation systems and Social Security Disability Insurance — two programs that serve overlapping populations of work-disabled individuals but have grown at dramatically different rates over the past three decades. He has also co-authored work on DI program history and legislative intent.
Key Contributions / Features
- O'Leary et al. (2012): First matched WCA-SSA study estimating the causal impact of workplace injuries on DI take-up; found lost-time injury doubles 10-year DI receipt probability; documented the "10-year aging effect" and quantified national fiscal implications (~$12B PV per cohort).
- O'Leary, Walker, and Roessel (2015): Issue paper reviewing whether DI at age 60 still reflects congressional original intent.
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