Common Sedentary DOT Codes and Contact with Others

 The sedentary occupational base for unskilled work starts out as narrow.  A significant erosion of that occupational base will frequently leave the job numbers insignificant.  SSR 96-9p.  Today, we examine the impact of a limitation to occasional contact with others, including coworkers, supervisors, and the public.  

The O*NET OnLine collects data from job incumbents through questionnaires.  The work context questionnaire asks:

6.      How much contact with others (by telephone, face-to-face, or otherwise) is required to perform your current job?

 

The report of contact with others for helpers -- production workers (O*NET 51-9198.00) provides answers:

71

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?

39    Constant contact with others 24    Contact with others most of the time 20    Contact with others about half the time 17    Occasional contact with others 0    No contact with others

Across the exertion and skill level of helpers, 17% of incumbents report occasional contact with others.  Counter intuitive, but that is the data report.  

When looking at the common unskilled sedentary occupations identified by vocational experts, the O*NET OnLine reports:

DOT Title	DOT Code	Contact with Others ≤ occasional	ONET 26.0
ADDRESSER	209.587-010	0%	42-9022.00
AMPOULE SEALER	559.687-014	10%	53-7064.00
CALL-OUT OPERATOR	237.367-014	0%	43-4041.00*
CHARGE-ACCOUNT CLERK	205.367-014	0%	43-4111.00
CUTTER-AND-PASTER, PRESS CLIPPINGS	249.587-014	2%	43-9061.00
DOCUMENT PREPARER, MICROFILMING	249.587-018	2%	43-9061.00
LENS-BLOCK GAUGER	716.687-030	2%	51-9061.00
ORDER CLERK, FOOD AND BEVERAGE	209.567-014	0%	43-4151.00
POLISHER, EYEGLASS FRAMES	713.684-038	27%	51-4033.00
SURVEILLANCE-SYSTEM MONITOR	379.367-010	3%	33-9031.00
SURVEILLANCE-SYSTEM MONITOR	379.367-010	1% *	33-9099.02*
TABLE WORKER	739.687-182	2%	51-9061.00
TELEPHONE QUOTATION CLERK	237.367-046	0%	43-4171.00
TOUCH-UP SCREENER	726.684-110	2%	51-9061.00
TUBE OPERATOR	239.687-014	1%	43-5021.00

Surveillance-system monitor is listed twice.  Gaming Surveillance Officers and Gaming Investigators (O*NET 33-9031) is reported by the O*NET.  Protective Service Workers, All Other (O*NET 33-9099.00) does not report detailed data.  The detailed occupational sub-group of Retail Loss Prevention Specialists (O*NET 33.9099.02) is reported.  Some vocational experts use retail establishments and Labor puts that category of work as inclusive of protective service workers.  We use that data here.  

 Missing from this list are the DOT codes that belong to production workers, all other as well as other occupational groups with the terminal SOC digit of "9."  The O*NET does not analyze the date for "all other" occupational groups.  

The clear takeaway from this data is the scarcity of work involving occasional or less contact with others.  We must create the conflict with the vocational testimony invariably based on anecdotal (local) experience.  

___________________________

Suggested Citation:

Lawrence Rohlfing, Common Sedentary DOT Codes and Contact with Others, California Social Security Attorney (December 3, 2021)  https://californiasocialsecurityattorney.blogspot.com