Separate eligibility facts from the story you are telling
Use the Ladder of Inference to distinguish observed facts, selected data, interpretations, and actions in benefits decisions.
The move: label facts before you act on interpretations. The Ladder of Inference helps benefits administrators avoid turning thin evidence into confident decisions. Start at the bottom: observable data. Then name the data you selected, the meaning you added, the assumption underneath, the conclusion, and the action. In eligibility work, this is the difference between 'the employee uploaded the birth certificate on day 33' and 'the employee did not care about the deadline.' The first is evidence. The second is a story. The story may be wrong, and if it drives the action, the decision becomes harder to defend. A…
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