WAC 182-508-0060 PEP Step III--Determining the severity of physical impairments.

The agency or the agency's designee must decide if the individual's physical impairment is serious enough to limit the individual's ability to be gainfully employed.  "Severity of a physical impairment" means the degree that an impairment restricts the individual from performing basic work-related activities (see WAC 182-508-0015).  Severity ratings range from one to five, with five being the most severe.  The agency or the agency's designee will assign severity ratings according to the table in WAC 182-508-0035.

(1)  The agency or the agency's designee assigns to each physical impairment a severity rating that is supported by medical evidence.

(2)  If the individual's physical impairment is rated two, and there is no mental impairment or a mental impairment that is rated one, the agency or the agency's designee denies incapacity.

(3)  If the individual's physical impairment is consistent with a severity rating of five, the agency or the agency's designee approves incapacity.