Wendy M. v. Andrew Saul

INTRODUCTION

Wendy M. (“Plaintiff”) applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits and Supplemental Security Income, alleging disability beginning March 26, 2016. See Dkt. 14, Administrative Record (“AR”) 383, 385, 411.1 After being denied initially and on reconsideration, Plaintiff requested and received a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) on September 20, 2018. See AR 38-68.

1 The Court partially redacts Plaintiff’s name in compliance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(c)(2)(B) and the recommendation of the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management of the Judicial Conference of the United States.

Additionally, all citations the administrative record are to the record pagination. All other docket citations are to the CM/ECF pagination. The ALJ issued an unfavorable decision on November 8, 2018. See AR 19-32. The ALJ followed the five-step sequential evaluation process for determining whether an individual is disabled. At step one, the ALJ found that Plaintiff had not engaged in substantial gainful activity since the application date. See AR 24. At step two, the ALJ determined that Plaintiff had the severe impairments of…