Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Mail Clerk and Six Hours of Standing/Walking

Marian Marracco testified at a hearing yesterday.  Marracco has a bulk provider agreement to testify before the Social Security Administration as a vocational expert.  She was in New Jersey.  Now she works out of Desert Hot Springs.  She is prolific.

The ALJ directed Marracco to assume an ability to perform light work as defined in the regulations with other limitations.  Marracco identifies three occupations:  night cleaner; mail clerk; and garment sorter.  On cross-examination, the question turns to the medical expert's testimony: six hours of standing and walking in an eight-hour day.  Marracco says no change because the DOT defines light work as six hours of standing/walking in an eight-hour day.  Marracco further testifies that no light work ever requires more than six hours of standing/walking in a day; no light work requires standing/walking throughout the day; and Labor does not have data to the contrary.  We covered the DOT, regulation, and ruling in the preceding piece on this blog.  We turn our attention to mail sorter or mail clerk.

Marracco used DOT code 209.687-026.  Occu Collect confirms that Labor puts this occupation in maids and housekeeping cleaners (SOC 43-9051).


MAIL CLERK

209.687-026

DOT Narrative: 209.687-026 MAIL CLERK (clerical) alternate titles: mailroom clerk; mail sorter; postal clerk
Sorts incoming mail for distribution and dispatches outgoing mail: Opens envelopes by hand or machine. Stamps date and time of receipt on incoming mail. Sorts mail according to destination and type, such as returned letters, adjustments, bills, orders, and payments. Readdresses undeliverable mail bearing incomplete or incorrect address. Examines outgoing mail for appearance and seals envelopes by hand or machine. Stamps outgoing mail by hand or with postage meter. ay fold letters or circulars and insert in envelopes [FOLDING-MACHINE OPERATOR (clerical) 208.685-014]. May distribute and collect mail. May weigh mail to determine that postage is correct. May keep record of registered mail. May address mail, using addressing machine [ADDRESSING-MACHINE OPERATOR (clerical) 208.582-010]. May be designated according to type of mail handled as Mail Clerk, Bills (clerical).
GOE: 07.05.04 STRENGTH: L GED: R3 M1 L2 SVP: 2 DLU: 87
SOC Code: 43-9051.00

There are 14 DOT codes in the group.

DOT Code
DOT Title
SVP
STRENGTH
208.462-010
MAILING-MACHINE OPERATOR
5
M
208.582-010
ADDRESSING-MACHINE OPERATOR
4
L
208.685-014
FOLDING-MACHINE OPERATOR
2
L
208.685-018
INSERTING-MACHINE OPERATOR
2
L
208.685-026
SEALING-AND-CANCELING-MACHINE OPERATOR
2
L
208.685-034
WING-MAILER-MACHINE OPERATOR
2
L
209.587-018
DIRECT-MAIL CLERK
4
L
209.687-026
MAIL CLERK
2
L
222.367-022
EXPRESS CLERK
4
M
222.387-038
PARCEL POST CLERK
3
H
222.567-018
SLOT-TAG INSERTER
2
L
222.587-030
MAILER
3
L
222.587-032
MAILER APPRENTICE
3
L
249.687-010
OFFICE COPY SELECTOR
3
L

Marracco testifies to 489,750 jobs as a mail sorter with a limit of six hours of standing/walking in a day.

43-9051.00 - Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Typical Education Needed
High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
None
Typical On-The-Job Training Needed to Attain Competency
Short-term on-the-job training
2016 Employment
95,500

Given the breadth of the occupational base, my confidence level of mail sorter represents more jobs than all 14 mail clerks and mail machine operators is low.  Moving right along to the O*NET OnLine:

43-9051.00 - Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Structural Job Characteristics
%
Response
Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week.
42
More than 40 hours
40
40 hours
18
Less than 40 hours

Interesting that of the jobs are part-time and therefore not presumptively substantial gainful activity.  

Exertional%Response
Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting?
24
Continually or almost continually
20
More than half the time
16
About half the time
39
Less than half the time
1
Never
Exertional%Response
Spend Time Standing — How much does this job require standing?
9
Continually or almost continually
70
More than half the time
17
About half the time
4
Less than half the time
0
Never
Exertional%Response
Spend Time Walking and Running — How much does this job require walking and running?
1
Continually or almost continually
48
More than half the time
14
About half the time
22
Less than half the time
14
Never

Mail clerks run the gamut.  Almost 25% sit all day long; 9% stand all day long; and 1% walk/run all day long.  Now for the Occupational Requirements Survey:

43-9051.00 - Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service


Series ID: ORUP1000075700000125
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; hours of standing/walking, mean
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: hours of standing/walking, mean
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual5.87

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000127
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; hours of standing/walking (25th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: hours of standing/walking (25th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual4

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000128
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; hours of standing/walking (50th percentile - median)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: hours of standing/walking (50th percentile - median)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual6.3

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000129
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; hours of standing/walking (75th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: hours of standing/walking (75th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual7.2

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000132
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; hours of sitting, mean
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: hours of sitting, mean
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual1.77

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000133
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; hours of sitting (10th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: hours of sitting (10th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual-

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000137
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; hours of sitting (90th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: hours of sitting (90th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual4.9

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000139
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: % of mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; sitting vs. standing/walking at will is allowed
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: sitting vs. standing/walking at will is allowed
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual38

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000140
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: % of mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; sitting vs. standing/walking at will is not allowed
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: sitting vs. standing/walking at will is not allowed
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual62

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000997
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; % of day sitting is required, mean
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: % of day sitting is required, mean
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual25.1

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000998
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; % of day sitting is required (10th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: % of day sitting is required (10th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual-

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700001002
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; % of day sitting is required (90th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: % of day sitting is required (90th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual80

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700001003
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; % of day standing/walking is required, mean
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: % of day standing/walking is required, mean
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual74.9

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700001006
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; % of day standing/walking is required (50th percentile - median)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: % of day standing/walking is required (50th percentile - median)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual90

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700001007
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; % of day standing/walking is required (75th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: % of day standing/walking is required (75th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual98

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700001008
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; % of day standing/walking is required (90th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: % of day standing/walking is required (90th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual100

Given the disparity of sitting, standing, and walking suggested by the O*NET, the average is meaningless.  We need the percentiles.

The hours of standing/walking at the 25th percentile is standing/walking four hours per day.  The demands at the 50th percentile is 6.3 hours per day.  A person limited to six hours of standing/walking in a day can perform more than 25% but less than 50% of the jobs.  Mail Clerks have a sit-stand option in 38% of jobs making that a probable point for demarcation.  The percentages of the day, 90% at the 50th percentile and 74.9% of the day at the mean bolsters that deduction.  

Nor are a plurality much less a majority of these jobs in the light category.  Mail clerks engage in medium or heavy exertion in at least 57.1% of jobs.  Mail clerks engage in heavy exertion in at least 10% of jobs.  

Series ID: ORUP1000075700000241
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: % of mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; lifting/carrying > 20 lbs & <= 50 lbs is required, seldom
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: lifting/carrying > 20 lbs & <= 50 lbs is required, seldom
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual57.1

Series ID: ORUP1000075700000237
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; pounds maximum weight lifted/carried (75th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: pounds maximum weight lifted/carried (75th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual50

 Series ID: ORUP1000075700000238
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; pounds maximum weight lifted/carried (90th percentile)
Requirement: Physical Demands
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: pounds maximum weight lifted/carried (90th percentile)
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual70

Most of the jobs are unskilled.  

Series ID: ORUV1000075700000065
Not seasonally adjusted
Series Title: % of mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service; svp is beyond short demonstration, up to & including 1 month
Requirement: Education, Training, And Experience
Occupation: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Estimate: svp is beyond short demonstration, up to & including 1 month
YearPeriodEstimate
2017Annual50.6

We summarize the data:

# of Jobs
% Unskilled (ORS)
# Unskilled
95,500
50.60%
48,323
# Unskilled
% Light (ORS)
# Light
48,323
32.90%
15,898
# Light
% Full-Time (O*NET)
# Full-Time
15,898
82.00%
13,037
# Full-Time
% ≤ 6 hour stand/walk (ORS)
# ≤ 6 hour stand/walk
13,037
38.00%
4,954

Unlimited standing/walking in the context of light unskilled work yields 13,037 full-time jobs in the economy.   If limited to six hours of standing/walking in a full-time day, then the person can perform fewer than 5,000 jobs.  .  
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