Agency's construction of statute was permissible, and made considerable sense in terms of the statute's basic objectives. In addition, the agency's regulations reflected the agency's own longstanding interpretation. An individual is not entitled to a trial work period if he or she performs work demonstrating the ability to engage in SGA within 12 months of the onset of the impairment(s) that prevented the performance of SGA and before the date of any notice of determination or decision finding that he or she is disabled. Duration requirement in the definition of disability means that both the medical impairment and the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) must have lasted or be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

When a court reviews an agency's construction of a statute which it administers, there are 2 issues: (1) if Congress spoken to the issue, the court must give effect to the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress; (2) if the statute is silent or ambiguous on an issue, the court must determine whether the agency's position is based on a permissible construction of the statute.

Express statutory language indicates legislative intent that revised medical criteria in the Reform Act of 1984 are inapplicable to a claim of mental impairment in which the initial determination, reconsideration, and hearing on the initial disability determination were made or held prior to the Act's enactment. General principle that a court applies regulations that are in effect at the time of judicial decision unless to do so would result in manifest injustice or there is statutory direction or legislative history to the contrary does not help plaintiff in this situation.

Own motion reopening by Appeals Council limited to 60 days; reopening after 60 days allowed only on the motion of claimants. Court gives considerable deference to an agency's interpretation of its own regulations,and construe the provisions of the relevant regulations and statutes to have cohesive meaning. Where only declaratory and injunctive relief sought, plaintiffs not required to identify class members once the existence of the class has been demonstrated. Courts have broad discretion to grant or deny class certification. Class certification issue remanded where plaintiff's lack of evidence supporting class certification was due to defendant's failure to respond to discovery requests.

In calculating benefits of dependent child of disabled worker , family maximum cap does not reduce child's benefits by amount of spousal benefits to which worker's wife is entitled but which were never payable. Calculation of family maximum only includes benefits on worker's record that are payable. The plain meaning of a statute's text must be given effect unless it would produce an absurd result or one manifestly at odds with the statute's intended effect.

Court gives considerable deference to an agency's interpretation of its own regulations,and construe the provisions of the relevant regulations and statutes to have cohesive meaning. It looks first to the intent of Congress as expressed in the statutory language, and, if silent or ambiguous, secondly to whether the administrative interpretation is a "sufficiently rational [choice] to preclude a court from substituting its judgment for that of the [agency]." The validity of a regulation so promulgated will be upheld as long as it is reasonably related to the language or purpose of the Act. Court upholds validity of SSI regulation that eligible individual married to eligible spouse continues to be treated as member of an eligible couple for first six months of separation.