Monday, May 21, 2018

Occu Collect Users Guide


Users’ Guide
Occu Collect uses the data from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (unskilled occupations), the printed and the electronic files of the Selected Characteristics of Occupations (unskilled occupations), the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Occupational Information Network, and the Occupational Requirements Survey.  These are all publications of the Department of Labor through either the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment and Training Administration, and/or the through a grant to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.  See our Documentation page for a list of sources and methods used for compiling the data from the five sources. 

Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed. Revised (Dept. of Labor 1991)
The DOT (unskilled occupations) reports contain a reference to a SOC code. The reference to the SOC code allows users to access the correct data in the OOH, the O*NET, and the ORS.  Each DOT report contains a hyperlink to the DOT-O*NET Crosswalk to allow users to verify the statement and to print the page as necessary. 
Occu Collect breaks down the four categories DOT/SCO reports (cognitive and mental; education, training, and experience; environmental conditions; and physical demands) into those categories.  Occu Collect does that to assist the user in focusing on the critical inquiry rather than inundating the user with all available data. 
All DOT reports contain the occupation title, DOT code, SOC code, link to the O*NET OnLine, link to the DOT-O*NET Crosswalk, and DOT narrative with the trailer information.  The three reports available for the DOT breakdown the available data:
          1.                Cognitive demands report contains the Data-People-Things codes from the DOT number and a definition of the DTP code. 
          2.                Education, training, and experience report contains the Specific Vocational Preparation code with definition; the Reasoning, Mathematical, and Language development levels with definitions. 
          3.                Physical demands report contains the strength designation with the DOT definition.

Selected Characteristics of Occupations Defined in the Revised Dictionary of Occupational Titles (Dept. of Labor 1993)
All SCO (unskilled occupations) reports contain the occupational title, DOT code, SOC code, and link to the O*NET OnLine.  The three reports available for SOC break down the available data:
          1.                Cognitive demands report contains the aptitudes and temperaments from the SCO electronic files. 
          2.                Environmental conditions report contains the SCO statement of environmental conditions with the SCO definitions. 
          3.                Physical demands report contains the SCO statement of physical demands with the SCO definitions.

Occupational Information Network (O*NET) (Dept. of Labor 2018)
Occu Collect has three sections for work abilities (two) and work context from the O*NET OnLine.  The O*NET OnLine has 24 different reports.  Occu Collect reports the three most important to the cross-examination of vocational experts.  This product focuses on the unskilled DOT codes (3,100) and ignores the skilled and semi-skilled DOT codes (another 10,000).  The O*NET OnLine provides the work abilities report in two flavors: importance and level.  Occu Collect provides that data.  The O*NET OnLine provides one flavor of work context and Occu Collect reports that data.  Occu Collect provides the data for all occupational groups. 
Occu Collect uses the same data fields and two versions of the reports for work abilities, importance and level.  Importance uses a five-point scale from not important to extremely important.  The O*NET provides a numerical score on a scale of 1 to 100, using the five-point scale as 20 points each.  Occu Collect reports that 1–100 score. 
The O*NET uses a eight-point scale that isn’t obvious without getting into the weeds of the data.  The O*NET provides examples of each scored item, converting the 0–7 score into a percentage.  The score for the actual level for the occupational group is reported on a 0–100 score with a bar graph.  Occu Collect reports that data with more detail than is provided in the O*NET.  
Work Abilities Reports
Occu Collect breaks down the importance and level work abilities reports (cognitive and mental; education, training, and experience; environmental conditions; and physical demands).  The importance and the level reports have the same categories but address the data in two different ways — importance and level.  The sorting of the data among the four broad areas of concern is the same.
Cognitive abilities reports:
1.          Oral Comprehension
2.          Written Comprehension
3.          Oral Expression
4.          Written Expression
5.          Fluency of Ideas
6.          Originality
7.          Problem Sensitivity
8.          Deductive Reasoning
9.          Inductive Reasoning
10.       Information Ordering
11.       Category Flexibility
12.       Mathematical Reasoning
13.       Number Facility
14.       Memorization
15.       Speed of Closure
16.       Flexibility of Closure
17.       Perceptual Speed
18.       Spatial Orientation
19.       Visualization
20.       Selective Attention
21.       Time Sharing

Physical demands reports – strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination:
1.          Dynamic Flexibility
2.          Dynamic Strength
3.          Explosive Strength
4.          Extent Flexibility
5.          Gross Body Coordination
6.          Gross Body Equilibrium
7.          Stamina
8.          Static Strength
9.          Trunk Strength
10.       Arm-Hand Steadiness
11.       Control Precision
12.       Finger Dexterity
13.       Manual Dexterity
14.       Multilimb Coordination
15.       Rate Control
16.       Reaction Time
17.       Response Orientation
18.       Speed of Limb Movement
19.       Wrist-Finger Speed
Physical demands reports – visual, auditory and speech perception:
1.          Auditory Attention
2.          Depth Perception
3.          Far Vision
4.          Glare Sensitivity
5.          Hearing Sensitivity
6.          Near Vision
7.          Night Vision
8.          Peripheral Vision
9.          Sound Localization
10.       Speech Clarity
11.       Speech Recognition
12.       Visual Color Discrimination
Work Context Reports
How does Occu Collect break down the work context reports (cognitive and mental; education, training, and experience; environmental conditions; and physical demands)?
Cognitive work conditions:
          1.                Contact With Others
          2.                Coordinate or Lead Others
          3.                Deal with External Customers
          4.                Deal with Physically Aggressive People
          5.                Deal with Unpleasant or Angry People
          6.                Electronic Mail
          7.                Face-to-Face Discussions
          8.                Frequency of Conflict Situations
          9.                Letters and Memos
       10.                Public Speaking
       11.                Responsibility for the Outcomes and Results
       12.                Responsible for Others’ Health and Safety
       13.                Telephone
       14.                Work with Work Group or Team
Environmental work conditions:
          1.                Exposed to Contaminants
          2.                Exposed to Disease or Infections
          3.                Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
          4.                Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
          5.                Exposed to High Places
          6.                Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
          7.                Exposed to Radiation
          8.                Exposed to Whole body Vibration
          9.                Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting
       10.                In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment
       11.                Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
       12.                Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
       13.                Outdoors, Exposed to Weather
       14.                Outdoors, Under Cover
       15.                Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
       16.                Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
       17.                Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
       18.                Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
       19.                Physical Proximity
Physical demands report – postural:
          1.                Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
          2.                Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body
          3.                Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
          4.                Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
          5.                Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
          6.                Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
          7.                Spend Time Sitting
          8.                Spend Time Standing
          9.                Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
       10.                Spend Time Walking and Running
Physical demands report – exertional:
1.                Spend Time Sitting
2.                Spend Time Standing
3.                Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
4.                Spend Time Walking and Running
The O*NET does not provide detailed data for occupations with the format xx-xxx9.00.  The occupations that have the format xx-xx99.00 have an occasional subset.  E.g.  51-9199.00 for production workers, all other, has a subset of 51-9199.01 for recycling and reclamation workers.  That single subset does not consume the superset but does represent a certain number of jobs that lack a DOT code.  Some occupational groups have multiple constituent parts.  E.g. 43-5081.00 for stock clerks and order fillers contains four subsets:  43-5081.01 stock clerks, sales floor; 43-5081.02 marking clerks; 43-5081.03 stock clerks – stockroom, warehouse, or storage yard; and 43-5081.04 order fillers, wholesale and retail sales.  Occu Collect does not report the group titles (xx-xxxx.00) when the title represents a group of more specific occupations (xx-xxxx.01, .02, etc.).  When the O*NET provides specific data, Occu Collect reports it. 

Occupational Requirements Survey (Dept. of Labor 2017)
Occu Collect breaks down the ORS reports (cognitive and mental; education, training, and experience; environmental conditions; and physical demands) using the data format published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
                1.          Cognitive and mental demands
                2.          Education, training, and experience
                3.          Environmental conditions
                4.          Physical demands
Occu Collect reports the available data in the categories used by BLS. 
Cognitive and mental demands
1.          Adaptability
a.           Work schedules
b.          Work tasks
2.          Regular Contacts
a.           Type of interaction
b.          Frequency of interaction
3.          Other Contacts
a.           Type of interaction
b.          Frequency of interaction
4.          Decision-making
5.          Supervision
6.          Pace of work
7.          Control of work pace
Education, training, and experience
1.          Minimum formal education or literacy required
a.           Degree by type
b.          Associates degree time (days)
c.           Vocational associates degree time days)
d.          High school vocational time (days)
e.           Literacy (if no high school required)
2.          Other training & experience
f.            Pre-employment training (license, certification, other)
g.           Prior work experience
h.          Post-employment training
3.          Requirements calculated for SSA
i.            Specific vocational preparation (SVP)
Environmental conditions
1.          Extreme cold (non-weather related)
2.          Extreme heat (non-weather related)
3.          Wetness (non-weather related)
4.          Humidity
5.          Heavy vibration
6.          High, exposed places
7.          Proximity to moving mechanical parts
8.          Outdoors
9.          Hazardous contaminants
10.       Noise Intensity Level
Physical demands
1.          Sitting or standing/walking
a.           Standing and walking
b.          Sitting
c.           Sitting vs. standing at will
2.          Hearing
a.           One on one
b.          Group
c.           Telephone
d.          Other sounds
e.           Pass a hearing test
3.          Vision
a.           Near visual acuity
b.          Far visual acuity
c.           Peripheral vision
4.          Communication
a.           Verbal
5.          Climbing
a.           Ramps/stairs: structural only
b.          Ramps/stairs: work-related
c.           Ladders/ropes/scaffolds
6.          Lifting/carrying
a.           Weight (range) lifted/carried – seldom
b.          Weight (range) lifted/carried – occasionally
c.           Weight (range) lifted/carried – frequently
d.          Weight (range) lifted/carried – constantly
e.           Most weight ever lifted/carried (pounds)
7.          Manipulation
a.           Foot/leg controls
                                            i.                One or both
b.          Gross manipulation
                                           ii.                One or both
c.           Fine manipulation
                                         iii.                One or both
8.          Postural
a.           Crawling
b.          Crouching
c.           Stooping
d.          Kneeling
9.          Pushing/pulling
a.           With hand/arm
                                            i.                One or both
b.          With foot/leg
                                            i.                One or both
c.           With feet only
                                            i.                One or both
10.       Reaching
a.           Overhead
                                            i.                One or both
b.          At or below shoulder
                                           ii.                One or both
11.       Tasks
a.           Keyboarding: traditional
b.          Keyboarding: touch screen
c.           Keyboarding: 10-key
d.          Keyboarding: other
e.           Keyboarding: any keyboarding
f.            Driving, type of vehicle
12.       Strength

Occu Collect reports only the data the BLS provides.  The ORS does not report all occupations currently nor all data fields for all occupations that it does report. 

Friday, May 18, 2018

Updated Index of the Blogs


I have gotten to the point where I tell someone that I wrote about a certain subject, see my blog.  But it isn't necessarily easy to find.  So I created a very rough topical index to help, until I get more ambitious.  May 18, 2018.  Copyright Lawrence D. Rohlfing.

Index of the California Social Security Attorney Blog

I. Vocational Expert Cross-Examination


II. Numbers



III. Vocational Resources


IV. Vocational Factors



V. Occupational Groups

1.     Production Workers, All Other, SOC 51-9199

2.     Packing Jobs


3.     Cashiering


4.     Clerical and Clerks


5.     Sewing Machine Operators


6.     Inspectors


7.     Surveillance Systems Monitor


8.     Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners


9. Other Occupations


VI. Policy, Ethics, and Professionalism



VII. Agency Policy – The Regulations, Rulings, POMS, and HALLEX


VIII. EAJA Fees

IX. Contingency Fees


X. Agency Policy


XI. Court Decisions


Anatomy of a Cross-Examination - Using All the Tools

Court remand followed by a partially favorable decision that gave the client SSI, for which he no longer qualified, followed by an Appeals Council remand to explore mental and job numbers.  The mental symptoms that would be disabling occur after the date last insured.  The claimant is a younger individual with  sedentary residual functional capacity, limited education, and limited to simple, repetitive tasks.  ALJ defines SRT as SVP, Reasoning, and Language level 2.  Can he win?

In the opening dialog, the ALJ asks how the claimant can win that doesn't throw away the grids, which he cannot do.  I point out that 52 of the 137 sedentary unskilled occupations are inside of production workers, all other; that the OOH states that they need a high school education, and now require moderate training making them semi-skilled.  the ORS states that these occupations require standing four hours per day at the 10th percentile.  The rest of the sedentary base is clerical in nature and this person lacks the education or they are reasoning level 3.  The ALJ asks if the case centers on the vocational. Yes, let's go. 

ALJ asks the hypothetical question:  sedentary (sit six, stand/walk two), limited education, and limited to simple, repetitive tasks, SVP, Reasoning, and Language level 2.  Vocational expert identifies:

Addresser – 209.587-010 – 6,026 in the nation; 96 in the region  defined as Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Document preparer – 249.587-018 – 46,532 in the nation; 413 in the region.
Call out operator – 237.367-014 – 6,460 in the nation; 26 in the region. 
ALJ turns over cross to me.  I focus on the DOT first.  
Does call out operator require reasoning level 3?
Yes.
Does document preparer require reasoning level 3?
Yes.  
ALJ asks why that matters.  The hypothetical question asked for reasoning level 2.  That's right.  The ALJ asks for two more occupations.  The VE warns that they are smaller in numbers.  Just tells the VE to proceed.
Table worker – 739.687-182 – 2,316 – 23 in the region
Press clipping cutter and paster – 249.587-014 – 3,840 in the nation; 34 in the region. 

I ask the ALJ if he wants to proceed.  We are sitting on a little over 12,000 jobs and that isn't significant.  ALJ says to proceed. 
Cutter and paster of press clippings – does that still exist?
 After a colloquy and establish that a limited education does not come in with computer skills, The vocational expert concedes that about 30% of the jobs identified would still be unskilled and sedentary.  Mark that 3,840 down to 1,300. 

Without getting into the numbers game, I can't do much with table worker.  I do want to set the stage for post-hearing submissions so I confirm the SOC (51-9061) and NAICS codes (326100 and 326200).  Moving up the ladder now to addresser, a consistent thorn. 
I have read from professionals in the industry that this occupation no longer exists as described.  How do you respond to that assertion?
Vocational expert sings and dances about small companies have more duties but large companies have dedicated addressers and even if they use a computer, that use is show-and-do, still sedentary and unskilled.  The VE would not budge off the numbers. 
Is this occupation in Word Processors and Typists, SOC 43-9022?
Yes, it is. 
Does the OOH classify the occupational group as requiring a high school or equivalent education?
I would have to look that up.  
I instruct the VE to look in the "OOH, data for occupations not covered in detail."  The VE wallows surfing the internet (he's on the phone).  The ALJ asks to look at my screen, is convinced that I represented the OOH properly, and asks for the next question. 
The O*NET states that 90% of word processors and typists sit continually or almost continually during the workday.  Is that consistent with sitting six of eight hours?
Well, the worker has to stay productive and maintain posture [...] no, it isn't consistent.  
ALJ says he has heard enough and offers praise at a well-constructed cross. 

We used the OOH and ORS to pollute the VE not to go to the production workers list.  We used the DOT to knock out two occupations.  We used commonsense to cut another down to a third.  We used the OOH to bring into question the numbers of the elephant in the room.  And we used the O*NET to steal home plate.  The only took not used was the SCO.  I had my advance copy of OccuCollect open to help me locate the data quickly during the hearing. 

Thursday, May 17, 2018

O*NET -- Describes the Occupational Characteristics and Work Requirements

A recovering vocational expert told me that.  "The O*NET is not for legal purposes."  I have two questions -- where does the O*NET say that and what is the context of that statement?

The O*NET has a disclaimer:
O*NET OnLine is an application that was created for the general public to provide broad access to the O*NET database of occupational information. The site is maintained by the National Center for O*NET Development, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
This is a service that is continually under development. We will make every effort to keep this site current and to correct errors brought to our attention.
Pages and reports on this site contain hypertext pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. Please be aware that we do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of pointers to particular items in hypertext is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services offered by the author of the reference or the organization operating the site on which the reference is maintained.
 If the O*NET had a warning that it was not for legal purposes, it would be here.  It isn't.

The disclaimer tells us that the O*NET is a creature of the Department of Labor and more specifically, the Employment and Training Administration.  Allow a brief digression, the ETA was the part of the agency responsible for the DOT, SCO, GOE, and HAJ.  Back on point, the DOL has no caveat to the use of its data.  DOL says:
The O*NET system is maintained by a regularly updated database of occupational characteristics and worker requirements information across the U.S. economy. It describes occupations in terms of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required as well as how the work is performed in terms of tasks, work activities, and other descriptors.
Every occupation requires a different mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and is performed using a variety of activities and tasks. These distinguishing characteristics, or "descriptors", of an occupation are collected, codified, and described by the O*NET Content Model. This hierarchical model starts with six domains (or categories), describing the day-to-day aspects of the job and the qualifications and interests of the typical worker. The model includes nearly 277 descriptors collected by the O*NET program, along with other occupational data collected by other federal agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 
 Assuming that the O*NET cautions that it isn't for legal purposes, DOL intends the O*NET to describe the occupational characteristics and work requirements -- knowledge, skills, and abilities used to perform the activities and tasks required of work.

More importantly, SSA intends to fold the O*NET into the upcoming Occupational Information System. Occucollect folds the DOT, SCO, O*NET, ORS, and OOH into one site that provides all your data needs starting Monday, May 21, 2018. 

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

OccuCollect

Look for OccuCollect to go live on Monday, May 21, 2018. 

OccuCollect puts all the unskilled DOT and SCO codes at the fingertips of the user.  Lots of products do that. 

OccuCollect puts the work abilities (level and importance) as well as the work context reports from the O*NET at the instant retrieval of the user to rebuttal during and post hearing. 

OccuCollect puts the Occupational Requirements Survey at the ready to address the physical, cognitive, environmental, and vocational subjects on the available data for rebuttal during and post hearing. 

OccuCollect puts the Occupational Outlook Handbook's statements about education, training, experience and numbers of jobs in the occupational group ready for comparison to vocational expert testimony.  OccuCollect will link to the employment projections for each occupational group to permit industry sector or specific industry analysis. 

Mark your calendars.  May 21, 2018.