Social Welfare Law Commons^™

The Impact Of Social Security Of Dependents And Financing Of Post-Secondary Education Of Dependents On Support Obligations In Particularly California Divorces After The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Of 2017, John R. Dorocak

Marquette Benefits and Social Welfare Law Review

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made alimony in divorce decrees and separation agreements entered into after December 31, 2018, neither deductible by the payor nor income to the payee for federal income tax purposes. Likely, that change in the tax law will result in less income to payees in a divorce and higher taxes for payors. In California, support in divorces is basically calculated by the software program Dissomaster. With payors facing higher taxes, such payors may look for possible sources of additional income for paying support. Payors may receive a credit in California against the support obligation …

Surrogacy, Equal Status And Social Welfare Benefits, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

Social Security, Discrimination And Justification Under The European Convention On Human Rights, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This article considers the current state of the law concerning justification of potentially discriminatory treatment in the area of social security under the European Convention on Human Rights. Over time the UK courts have become familiar with the Convention and have improved their interpretation of human rights law and, in particular, non-discrimination under Article 14 of the Convention. The final step in this process is the consideration of proportionality in relation to the justification of potentially discriminatory provisions. There have been a number of recent important decisions on this issue from the Supreme Court including the Recovery of Medical Costs …

Social Welfare Appeals, Appeal Revisions And Oral Hearings, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This note discusses two recent Irish High Court decisions which concern when a social welfare appeals decision can be revised and when an oral hearing may be held as part of the social welfare appeals process. It would appear that the claimants (or their legal teams) were seeking to establish when an oral hearing should be held. However, the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) – having originally decided both cases without an oral hearing – proposed to reconsider the appeals with an oral hearing after judicial review proceedings were initiated.

The European Convention On Human Rights, The Un Convention On The Rights Of The Child And The ‘Benefit Cap’ - R (Sg) V Secretary Of State For Work And Pensions [2015] Uksc 16, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This note looks at the recent decision of the UK Supreme Court in the 'benefit cap' case. The Court narrowly rejected the appeal concerning whether the benefit cap was in breach of Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights but some judges would have held that the cap was in breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Right To Freedom From Discrimination: Child Poverty Action Group V Attorney General, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This case comment examines recent jurisprudence concerning the right to freedom from discrimination under the New Zealand Human Rights Act (HRA) and Bill of Rights Act (NZBORA). In particular, it examines the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) v Attorney General, and also considers relevant aspects of the decisions in Ministry of Heath v Atkinson and Attorney General v IDEA Services. These three decisions have marked an important step forward in the interpretation of the human rights provisions by the New Zealand courts. Following an introduction to the issues raised in the CPAG case …

Disability Pensions, Property Rights And Legitimate Expectations: Béláné Nagy V. Hungary, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

Social Insecurity: A Modest Proposal For Remedying Federal District Court Inconsistency In Social Security Cases, Jonah J. Horwitz

Pace Law Review

This Article addresses a relatively narrow but consequential problem in the system: the inadequacy of federal judicial resolution of appeals from the denial of Social Security disability benefits. It addresses the problem with an equally narrow, and hopefully equally consequential, solution: granting a published district court decision in such a case the power of binding precedent with respect to the judicial district in which the opinion is issued. In so doing, greater uniformity, consistency, fairness, and efficiency would be brought to a process that is badly in need of all.

The Article proceeds in five parts. Part I provides some …

Mr. Dooley And Mr. Gallup: Public Opinion And Constitutional Change In The 1930s, Barry Cushman

Barry Cushman

Scholars interested in the development of political and constitutional culture during the 1930s sometimes draw inferences about popular preferences on various issues of social and economic policy from the results of presidential and congressional elections. A review of contemporary public opinion polls taken by George Gallup for the American Institute of Public Opinion and by Elmo Roper for the Fortune Magazine survey offers a more granular understanding of popular views on the public policy issues of the day. This article canvasses all of the public opinion polls taken by Gallup and Roper between 1935, when they began publishing their results, …

Decisions And Appeals In Irish Social Welfare Law: Recent Case Law, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

Civis Europeus Sum? Social Assistance And The Right To Reside In Eu Law., Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This article examines the current status of EU law as regards making a right to social assistance dependent on having a legal right to reside in the ‘host’ member state. In particular, it looks at the recent decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Brey and discusses whether this ruling helps to clarify the legal position.

Sistema Pensionistico Enasarco, Michele Faioli

Michele Faioli

La Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini e la SERI - Scuola Europea di Relazioni Industriali hanno svolto per conto di FIARC una ricerca sul sistema pensionistico ENASARCO. La ricerca sarà presentata al convengo che si terrà il 4 ottobre p.v. , a Roma, presso la Sapienza, Università di Roma. In occasione di tale Convegno, saremmo onorati della Sua autorevole presenza presenza in qualità di discussant alla tavola rotonda.

A2 Workers And The Right To Reside In Ireland – Genov And Gusa V Minister For Social Protection, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

Right To Reside Test Found Incompatible With Eu Law, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

In Patmalniece the UK Supreme Court ruled that in the case of state pension credit, where the right to reside test forms part of the habitual residence test, the right to reside test was not incompatible with EU law as it was objectively justified. However, the Chief Social Security Commissioner for Northern Ireland has recently ruled that the right to reside test is contrary to EU law in a case involving child benefit. This note analyses this decision. The EU Commission has also commenced infringement proceedings against the UK in relation to the compatibility of the test with EU law.

Note: Bush V. Shalala And Pratts V. Chater: Social Security Disability Ping Pong And Contrasting Approaches In The Second Circuit: The Central Role Of An Active Alj, Jorge J. Vera Jr.

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

No abstract provided.

The Right To Cross-Examine Physicians In Social Security Disability Cases, Victor G. Rosenblum

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

This Article examines the alternative readings and rationales of Richardson v. Perales regarding the cross-examination of reporting physicians in social security disability claim hearings. First, Part II compares the Sixth and Second Circuit's interpretation of the Perales rule, which supports the SSA's regulation and interpretation, to the Fifth Circuit's interpretation, which explicitly proclaims cross-examination, once duly requested, to be an absolute right. Part III questions whether the Perales Court's declaration that the SSA is “an [impartial] adjudicator and not . . . an advocate or adversary” remains empirically valid. Part IV discusses the SSA's recent assertions of management prerogatives that …

Was The Third Circuit Off Base In Failing To Accord Chevron Deference To Social Security Administration's Interpretation Of The Statute's Definition Of Disability?, Victor G. Rosenblum

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

No abstract provided.

Adjudications By Administrative Law Judges Pursuant To The Social Security Act Are Adjudications Pursuant To The Administrative Procedure Act , Robin J. Arzt

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

No abstract provided.

Tobacco Abuse And Disability Benefits: Response To The 2003 Meisburg Analysis, Kathryn A. Kroggel

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

No abstract provided.

Toward A Unified And Reciprocal Disability System, Paul Armstrong

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

No abstract provided.

Mobility Allowance And The Law, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

The Irish government has recently announced the abolition of the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant. It appears that this decision was heavily influenced by the Government’s view that ‘the schemes are illegal in the context of the Equal Status Acts’. Although the reform options considered and legal advice received have not been specified, the impression has been created that reform would be very complex and that it would be impossible to reform the existing scheme to make it legally compliant without a major increase in its budget. This note discuses the legal issues concerning the operation of the mobility …

Equal Treatment And Objective Justification In Social Security Cases Under The European Convention On Human Rights, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This article discusses recent UK case law on equal treatment and social security with particular reference on objective justification in two important recent decisions: the Supreme Court decision in Humphreys and the Court of Appeal’s judgement in Burnip. There has been a marked and progressive improvement in the analysis of equal treatment issues under the ECHR by the UK courts. Decisions of European Court have helped to clarify that Article 14 is not narrowly confined to the grounds set out in Article 14 and that a broader range of statuses are also covered. The more flexible approach to comparators has …

A Case Of Premature Litigation: Surrogacy, Equal Protection And Social Welfare Benefits, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

The issue of surrogacy in Irish law has received considerable (if somewhat belated) attention following the decision of the High Court to recognise a surrogate mother as the child’s mother for the purposes of birth certification. The Equality Tribunal has also referred to the European Court of Justice a complaint in which it has been argued that the failure to provide leave to a surrogate mother was in breach of EU and international law. A claim has also been brought under the Equal Status Acts (ESA) arguing that the failure of the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to provide a …

Social Security Disability Law And The Obstacles Facing Claimants With Mental Disabilities, Oren R. Griffin

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

This Article examines the administrative processes and judicial analytical framework that govern the adjudication of Social Security disability claims for persons suffering with mental disorders. Since the enactment of the Social Security Act as a part of President Roosevelt's "New Deal," the federal government has assumed a significant role in providing a minimum level of support for those citizens beset with unfortunate economic hardship. In 1956, the Social Security Act was expanded to provide disability benefits for those unable to attain gainful employment due to a mental or physical impairment. For the mentally disabled, demonstrating eligibility for disability benefits can …

Access To Quasi-Judicial Decisions – Jama V Minister For Social Protection, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This case involves the important issue of access to the decisions of social welfare appeals officers. The Irish High Court concluded that there was no duty on the Department to maintain a database or open library of decisions to which the public may have access and, therefore, no question of a right of access thereto arose. However, it is submitted that the legal analysis of the general issue is doubtful.

The Impact Of Recent Cjeu Rulings On The Presence And Residence Rules For United Kingdom Disability Benefits, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This article examines a number of recent decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) and their impact on the presence and residence rules for disability benefits, in particular the disability living allowance (“DLA”). It considers the approach which the courts may take to the export of disability benefits in the light of these recent decisions.

An Overview Of The U.S. Retirement Income Security System And The Principles And Values It Reflects, Kathryn L. Moore

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

This article is designed to provide an overview of the U.S. retirement income security system from a comparative law perspective. Like many countries, the U.S. has a three tier pension or retirement income system, with the three tiers consisting of (1) Social Security, (2) employment-based pensions, and (3) individual savings. Thus, superficially, the U.S. retirement income security system resembles that of many around the world. Yet, in other ways, such as its focus on individual rights and responsibility, the U.S. system is unique.

The article begins by discussing the nine guiding principles of the U.S. Social Security system as identified …

Riforma Fiscale E Redditi Di Lavoro Dipendente: Per Una Fiscalità Volta Verso Il Nuovo Millennio, Michele Faioli

Michele Faioli

No abstract provided.

Social Security Spouse And Survivor Benefits 101: Practical Primer Part Ii (Or Another Reason To Put A Ring On It), Francine J. Lipman

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

R. (On The Application Of Child Poverty Action Group) V Secretary Of State For Work And Pensions, Mel Cousins

Mel Cousins

This case concerns the Secretary of State’s right to recover overpaid social security benefits. Section 71 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 provides that overpaid benefits may be recovered where they arise from misrepresentation or non-disclosure of a material fact. As Lord Brown put it, the case raised the question as to whether s.71 provides an exclusive code for recovery of overpayments made in accordance with an award of benefit.