Jun 24, 2024

A Busy Saturday For Social Security

      It was a busy Saturday for Social Security. Yes, a busy Saturday!

     First, Social Security has added significantly more data to the online reports available to attorneys representing claimants at the initial and reconsideration levels. I have not tried it yet but early reports I have heard indicate that it’s a work in progress. Still, this holds out the prospect of two advantages. It gives attorneys easier access to information on the status of their clients’ cases. It cuts down on the number of calls to Social Security asking about case status.

     Second, Social Security issued two Emergency Messages on which jobs can be considered as alternative work a claimant can perform if he or she is unable to perform their past relevant work. In the more important of the Emergency Messages there is a list of jobs that cannot be considered absent “additional evidence” from a Vocational Expert:

DOT CodeDOT Occupational TitleDOT Industry Designation
209.587-010Addresserclerical
249.587-018Document Preparer, Microfilmingbusiness services
249.587-014Cutter-and-Paster, Press Clippingsbusiness services
239.687-014Tube Operatorclerical
318.687-018Silver Wrapperhotel and restaurant
349.667-010Host/Hostess, Dance Hallamusement and recreation
349.667-014Host/Hostess, Headamusement and recreation
379.367-010Surveillance-System Monitorgovernment services
521.687-010Almond Blancher, Handcanning and preserving
521-687-086Nut Sortercanning and preserving
726.685-010Magnetic-Tape Winderrecording
782.687-030Puller-Throughglove and mitten
976.385-010Microfilm Processorbusiness services

     In another Emergency Messages there’s this list of jobs that can no longer be considered at all:

DOT CodeDOT Occupational TitleDOT Industry Designation(s)
013.061-010AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERprofessional and kindred occupations
013.061-014AGRICULTURAL-RESEARCH ENGINEERprofessional and kindred occupations
013.061-018DESIGN-ENGINEER, AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENTprofessional and kindred occupations
013.061-022TEST ENGINEER, AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENTprofessional and kindred occupations
021.067-010ASTRONOMERprofessional and kindred occupations
029.067-010GEOGRAPHERprofessional and kindred occupations
029.067-014GEOGRAPHER, PHYSICALprofessional and kindred occupations
045.061-014PSYCHOLOGIST, ENGINEERINGprofessional and kindred occupations
045.107-030PSYCHOLOGIST, INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATIONALprofessional and kindred occupations
052.067-014DIRECTOR, STATE-HISTORICAL SOCIETYprofessional and kindred occupations
052.067-018GENEALOGISTprofessional and kindred occupations
052.067-022HISTORIANprofessional and kindred occupations
052.067-026HISTORIAN, DRAMATIC ARTSprofessional and kindred occupations
052.167-010DIRECTOR, RESEARCHmotion picture; radio and television broadcasting
072.101-018ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEONmedical services
072.101-034PROSTHODONTISTmedical services
193.162-022AIRLINE-RADIO OPERATOR, CHIEFair transportation; business services
193.262-010AIRLINE-RADIO OPERATORair transportation; business services
193.262-014DISPATCHERgovernment services
193.262-022RADIO OFFICERwater transportation
193.262-026RADIO STATION OPERATORaircraft manufacturing
193.262-030RADIOTELEGRAPH OPERATORtelephone and telegraph
193.262-034RADIOTELEPHONE OPERATORany industry
193.362-010PHOTORADIO OPERATORprinting and publishing; telephone and telegraph
193.362-014RADIO-INTELLIGENCE OPERATORgovernment services
193.382-010ELECTRONIC INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS SPECIALISTmilitary services
203.562-010WIRE-TRANSFER CLERKfinancial institutions
235.462-010CENTRAL-OFFICE OPERATORtelephone and telegraph
235.562-010CLERK, ROUTEtelephone and telegraph
235.662-018DIRECTORY-ASSISTANCE OPERATORtelephone and telegraph
236.562-010TELEGRAPHERrailroad transportation
236.562-014TELEGRAPHER AGENTrailroad transportation
237.367-034PAY-STATION ATTENDANTtelephone and telegraph
239.382-010WIRE-PHOTO OPERATOR, NEWSprinting and publishing
297.667-014MODELgarment; retail trade; wholesale trade
299.647-010IMPERSONATOR, CHARACTERany industry
305.281-010COOKdomestic service
338.371-010EMBALMER APPRENTICEpersonal service
338.371-014EMBALMERpersonal service
379.384-010SCUBA DIVERany industry
410.161-010ANIMAL BREEDERagriculture and agricultural service
410.161-014FUR FARMERagriculture and agricultural service
410.161-018LIVESTOCK RANCHERagriculture and agricultural service
410.161-022HOG-CONFINEMENT-SYSTEM MANAGERagriculture and agricultural service
411.161-010CANARY BREEDERagriculture and agricultural service
411.161-014POULTRY BREEDERagriculture and agricultural service
413.161-014REPTILE FARMERagriculture and agricultural service
452.167-010FIRE WARDENforestry
452.367-010FIRE LOOKOUTforestry
452.367-014FIRE RANGERforestry
455.367-010LOG GRADERlogging; sawmill and planing mill
455.487-010LOG SCALERlogging; millwork, veneer, plywood, and structural wood members; paper and pulp; sawmill and planing mill
519.684-010LADLE LINERfoundry; smelting and refining
519.684-022STOPPER MAKERblast furnace, steel work, and rolling and finishing mill
579.664-010CLAY-STRUCTURE BUILDER AND SERVICERglass manufacturing
661.281-010LOFT WORKERship and boat manufacturing and repairing
661.281-018PATTERNMAKER APPRENTICE, WOODfoundry
661.281-022PATTERNMAKER, WOODfoundry
661.380-010MODEL MAKER, WOODany industry
690.682-078STITCHER, SPECIAL MACHINEboot and shoe
690.682-082STITCHER, STANDARD MACHINEboot and shoe
690.685-494STITCHER, TAPE-CONTROLLED MACHINEboot and shoe
693.261-018MODEL MAKERaircraft-aerospace manufacturing
714.281-010AIRCRAFT-PHOTOGRAPHIC-EQUIPMENT MECHANICphotographic apparatus and materials
714.281-014CAMERA REPAIRERphotographic apparatus and materials
714.281-018MACHINIST, MOTION-PICTURE EQUIPMENTmotion picture; photographic apparatus and materials
714.281-022PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT TECHNICIANphotographic apparatus and materials
714.281-026PHOTOGRAPHIC-EQUIPMENT-MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANphotographic apparatus and materials
714.281-030SERVICE TECHNICIAN, COMPUTERIZED-PHOTOFINISHING EQUIPMENTphotofinishing
715.281-010WATCH REPAIRERclocks watches, and allied products
715.281-014WATCH REPAIRER APPRENTICEclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-010ASSEMBLERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-014ASSEMBLER, WATCH TRAINclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-018BANKING PIN ADJUSTERclocks watches, and allied products
715.381-022BARREL ASSEMBLERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-026BARREL-BRIDGE ASSEMBLERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-030BARREL-ENDSHAKE ADJUSTERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-038CHRONOMETER ASSEMBLER AND ADJUSTERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-042CHRONOMETER-BALANCE-AND-HAIRSPRING ASSEMBLERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-054HAIRSPRING ASSEMBLERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-062HAIRSPRING VIBRATORclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-082PALLET-STONE INSERTERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-086PALLET-STONE POSITIONERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.381-094WATCH ASSEMBLERclocks, watches, and allied products
715.584-014REPAIRER, AUTO CLOCKSclocks, watches, and allied products
715.681-010TIMING ADJUSTERclocks, watches, and allied products
761.381-014JIG BUILDERwooden container
788.684-114THREAD LASTERboot and shoe
826.261-010FIELD-SERVICE ENGINEERphotographic apparatus and materials
841.381-010PAPERHANGERconstruction
841.684-010BILLPOSTERbusiness services
849.484-010BOILER RELINER, PLASTIC BLOCKfoundry
850.663-010DREDGE OPERATORconstruction; coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and quarrying
861.381-046TERRAZZO WORKERconstruction
861.381-050TERRAZZO-WORKER APPRENTICEconstruction
861.664-014TERRAZZO FINISHERconstruction
899.261-010DIVERany industry
899.684-010BONDACTOR-MACHINE OPERATORfoundry
910.362-010TOWER OPERATORrailroad transportation
910.363-018YARD ENGINEERrailroad transportation
910.382-010CAR-RETARDER OPERATORrailroad transportation
910.583-010LABORER, CAR BARNrailroad transportation
910.683-010HOSTLERrailroad transportation
910.683-022TRANSFER-TABLE OPERATORrailroad equipment building and repairing; railroad transportation
911.663-010MOTORBOAT OPERATORany industry
919.663-014DINKEY OPERATORany industry
919.683-010DOCK HANDair transportation
919.683-026TRACKMOBILE OPERATORany industry
930.683-026ROOF BOLTERcoal, metal, and nonmetal mining and quarrying
952.362-022POWER-REACTOR OPERATORutilities
960.362-010MOTION-PICTURE PROJECTIONISTamusement and recreation; motion picture
960.382-010AUDIOVISUAL TECHNICIANany industry
961.367-010MODEL, PHOTOGRAPHERS'any industry
961.667-010MODEL, ARTISTS'any industry

     I’m not completely sure about this second list. There aren’t terrazzo finishers or artist’s models anymore? I don’t see being an artist model as a career, however. Aren’t there still embalmers these days?  None of this matters except in rare cases, however.

9 comments:

Annie42 said...

I too am puzzled by that 2nd list, having never in 38 years of practice had any of those jobs cited at Step 5. However seeing the various "model" jobs listed reminded me of a funny story. My client had actually worked as a runway model so we had to deal with that at Step 4. In our hearing prep I asked her what that job was like. She described it and then looked at me, paused, and said, "Ann, YOU could be a model! You know, for older women!"

Anonymous said...

They can’t be considered at step 5 but can be returned to the job at step 4, if that is what they did in last five years???? I notice they did not take out the Scientology job

Anonymous said...

we got the first list; have not seen the second one; as an insider hat's off to you for providing it.

margaretkibbee@ymail.com said...

I'm so glad there's some skepticism about the silver wrapper.

Anonymous said...

This is all tinkering at the edges of the real problem: we don't have a current list of DOT jobs and descriptions. The Agency keeps subtracting from a list that was updated last century. Based on that list, VEs try to give updated information on a few of these jobs, like microfilm processor and addresser, which will determine the outcome of many disability cases. But, c'mon, without a complete overhaul of current jobs and DOT descriptions, we're still relying on an old playbook with limited relevance to today's job market.

Anonymous said...

"I’m not completely sure about this second list. There aren’t terrazzo finishers or artist’s models anymore? I don’t see being an artist model as a career, however. Aren’t there still embalmers these days?" Seriously? How many FULL-TIME STAND-ALONE artist's models or terrazzo finishers do you think there are? There may be individuals performing these jobs, but most have other duties or do this work part-time.

Anonymous said...

@10:15

That's not surprising. Barnhart v Thomas held the past work doesn't have to exist in significant numbers. Interesting sidenote, Alito who was on the 3rd circuit (which was unanimous and en banc) at the time wrote the underlying decision which the supreme court reversed.

Anonymous said...

I wish I could represent a reptile farmer.

Anonymous said...

Years of schooling to become a Funeral Director/embalmer. That is a niche profession that very few people can actually do or WANT to do, a lot of people drop out. It's not easy to become a funeral director. One must know everything about the profession, not just embalming.