Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners -- Standing, Walking; Full-Time; and Public

A staple of the vocational expert corps -- housekeeping cleaners and hospital cleaners as light unskilled work with simple repetitive tasks or one- and two step instructions and little public contact. 

323.687-010 CLEANER, HOSPITAL (medical ser.) alternate titles: housekeeper, hospital

    Cleans hospital patient rooms, baths, laboratories, offices, halls, and other areas: Washes beds and mattresses, and remakes beds after dismissal of patients. Keeps utility and storage rooms in clean and orderly condition. Distributes laundered articles and linens. Replaces soiled drapes and cubicle curtains. Performs other duties as described under CLEANER (any industry) I Master Title. May disinfect and sterilize equipment and supplies, using germicides and sterilizing equipment.
GOE: 05.12.18 STRENGTH: M GED: R2 M1 L2 SVP: 2 DLU: 87

323.687-014 CLEANER, HOUSEKEEPING (any industry) alternate titles: maid

    Cleans rooms and halls in commercial establishments, such as hotels, restaurants, clubs, beauty parlors, and dormitories, performing any combination of following duties: Sorts, counts, folds, marks, or carries linens. Makes beds. Replenishes supplies, such as drinking glasses and writing supplies. Checks wraps and renders personal assistance to patrons. Moves furniture, hangs drapes, and rolls carpets. Performs other duties as described under CLEANER (any industry) I Master Title. May be designated according to type of establishment cleaned as Beauty Parlor Cleaner (personal ser.); Motel Cleaner (hotel & rest.); or according to area cleaned as Sleeping Room Cleaner (hotel & rest.).
GOE: 05.12.18 STRENGTH: L GED: R1 M1 L1 SVP: 2 DLU: 86

 The O*NET OnLine informs as that this is a huge occupational base with 10 DOT codes covering 1,458,000 jobs.  The first line of attack focuses on standing and walking and the need to sit for two hours per day in most light work findings.  The work context report states that these jobs require standing continually or almost continually in 80% of jobs.  Walking or running are required continually or almost continually in 70% of jobs.  Sitting never happens in 91% of jobs.  A tenth of 1.4 million jobs is still a lot of jobs.  We need more reasons to erode this occupation as not a realistic option for the disabled beyond standing and walking six of eight hours as precluding this kind of work. 

Does the occupation represent substantial gainful activity as it is performed in the national economy?  The O*NET OnLine suggests, "no." 

22

Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week.

4    More than 40 hours 35    40 hours 60    Less than 40 hours

 Most of the jobs are not full-time.  The occupation has median hourly wages of $10.48 per hour per the O*NET OnLine wages and employment trends report.  SGA for 2018 is $1,080 per month.  A worker needs 23.3 hours per week, every week, 52 weeks a years to get over that threshold.  Do the less than full-times maids and housekeepers work in excess of half-time and how does the vocational expert know that data? 

A third line to pursue in cross-examination focuses on the occasional public contact.  The  work context report states that these jobs involve contact with the public addresses the question on frequency and on the importance of contact with the public. 

87

Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

59    Constant contact with others 35    Contact with others most of the time 2    Contact with others about half the time 3    Occasional contact with others 2    No contact with others

35

Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

8    Extremely important 21    Very important 6    Important 34    Fairly important 31    Not important at all

Maids and housekeeping cleaners have more than occasional contact with others in 96% of jobs.  The contact with the public is at least fairly important in 69% of jobs. 

Putting the three moving parts together:  most maids and housekeepers require standing and walking to the exclusion of any sitting in over 90% of jobs; 60% of those jobs are not full-time; 96% of those jobs require frequent contact with others; and the contact with the public constitutes an important job function in 69% of jobs.  With limited standing and walking to six hours; simple repetitive tasks; and occasional contact with others -- there isn't much of anything left.