As I say, it's unlikely to happen but a guy can have dreams.
Dec 31, 2024
What If?
Dec 5, 2024
New Ruling Allows Use Of Vocational Information Sources Other Than DOT
From Social Security Ruling 24-3p.; Titles II and XVI: Use of Occupational Information and Vocational Specialist and Vocational Expert Evidence in Disability Determinations and Decisions, due to appear in the Federal Register tomorrow:
... VSs [Vocational Specialists, used at DDS] and VEs [Vocational Experts, used at OHO] may provide evidence based on their professional experience and any reliable source of occupational information that is commonly used in the vocational profession and relevant under our rules. VSs and VEs are in the best position to determine the most appropriate sources of data to support the evidence they offer. We expect VSs and VEs to identify the sources of the data they use and, where applicable, to explain their general approach to estimating job numbers. If the VS or VE uses a data source that defines exertion, education, or skill levels differently than our regulations, we expect the VS or VE to explain the difference. ...
Some sources of occupational data use definitions of exertion level, skill level, and education level that align closely with our program rules. The DOT is such a source. If a VS or VE uses a source that defines exertion, skill, or education level differently than our program rules, we expect the VS or VE to acknowledge the difference and explain whether or how they have accounted for the difference. ...
You can start to see a new occupational information system coming. They're trying to avoid the necessity of changing their regulations. Also, they want to phase it in and they want to have it both ways -- use either the old or the new to deny claims with claimants unable to demand consistency.
Nov 25, 2024
Will We Ever See A New Occupational Information System?
It may give no answers relevant to Social Security disability determination but this recent release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is interesting. It looks like they could tell us whether there are sedentary unskilled jobs if they wanted to. Why not? Why can't we get a completely new Occupational Information System? No one is satisfied with what we have now.
At what point is the continued use of the ancient Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) litigated? The only thing restraining Social Security attorneys from litigating has been the fear of what might replace the DOT.
Sep 24, 2024
John Oliver Segment Segment On Social Security Budget; Also "Tackling That Outdated Occupations List"
A couple of tweets from the Commissioner of Social Security (emphasis added):
I want to thank @iamjohnoliver @LastWeekTonight for calling out the crucial need for more staffing + funding @SocialSecurityIn the 9 months I've been serving, @SocialSecurity has made good progress to improve our disability programs but - as you noted - we need more Congressional support and partnership. By the way, we're tackling that outdated occupations list.
Did anyone catch that John Oliver segment?
Aug 19, 2024
A Little Help Please
I received this from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I can't quite interpret it but it certainly seems to be relevant to Social Security. The downloads don't seem to have any data but that data must be somewhere. I'll confess that spreadsheets often mystify me. Maybe that's the problem.
The ORS program released 2023 estimates on August 15, 2024, that complement those published February 8, 2024. These estimates include:
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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 Code | DOT Occupational Title | DOT Industry Designation |
209.587-010 | Addresser | clerical |
249.587-018 | Document Preparer, Microfilming | business services |
249.587-014 | Cutter-and-Paster, Press Clippings | business services |
239.687-014 | Tube Operator | clerical |
318.687-018 | Silver Wrapper | hotel and restaurant |
349.667-010 | Host/Hostess, Dance Hall | amusement and recreation |
349.667-014 | Host/Hostess, Head | amusement and recreation |
379.367-010 | Surveillance-System Monitor | government services |
521.687-010 | Almond Blancher, Hand | canning and preserving |
521-687-086 | Nut Sorter | canning and preserving |
726.685-010 | Magnetic-Tape Winder | recording |
782.687-030 | Puller-Through | glove and mitten |
976.385-010 | Microfilm Processor | business services |
In another Emergency Messages there’s this list of jobs that can no longer be considered at all:
DOT Code | DOT Occupational Title | DOT Industry Designation(s) |
013.061-010 | AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER | professional and kindred occupations |
013.061-014 | AGRICULTURAL-RESEARCH ENGINEER | professional and kindred occupations |
013.061-018 | DESIGN-ENGINEER, AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT | professional and kindred occupations |
013.061-022 | TEST ENGINEER, AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT | professional and kindred occupations |
021.067-010 | ASTRONOMER | professional and kindred occupations |
029.067-010 | GEOGRAPHER | professional and kindred occupations |
029.067-014 | GEOGRAPHER, PHYSICAL | professional and kindred occupations |
045.061-014 | PSYCHOLOGIST, ENGINEERING | professional and kindred occupations |
045.107-030 | PSYCHOLOGIST, INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATIONAL | professional and kindred occupations |
052.067-014 | DIRECTOR, STATE-HISTORICAL SOCIETY | professional and kindred occupations |
052.067-018 | GENEALOGIST | professional and kindred occupations |
052.067-022 | HISTORIAN | professional and kindred occupations |
052.067-026 | HISTORIAN, DRAMATIC ARTS | professional and kindred occupations |
052.167-010 | DIRECTOR, RESEARCH | motion picture; radio and television broadcasting |
072.101-018 | ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON | medical services |
072.101-034 | PROSTHODONTIST | medical services |
193.162-022 | AIRLINE-RADIO OPERATOR, CHIEF | air transportation; business services |
193.262-010 | AIRLINE-RADIO OPERATOR | air transportation; business services |
193.262-014 | DISPATCHER | government services |
193.262-022 | RADIO OFFICER | water transportation |
193.262-026 | RADIO STATION OPERATOR | aircraft manufacturing |
193.262-030 | RADIOTELEGRAPH OPERATOR | telephone and telegraph |
193.262-034 | RADIOTELEPHONE OPERATOR | any industry |
193.362-010 | PHOTORADIO OPERATOR | printing and publishing; telephone and telegraph |
193.362-014 | RADIO-INTELLIGENCE OPERATOR | government services |
193.382-010 | ELECTRONIC INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST | military services |
203.562-010 | WIRE-TRANSFER CLERK | financial institutions |
235.462-010 | CENTRAL-OFFICE OPERATOR | telephone and telegraph |
235.562-010 | CLERK, ROUTE | telephone and telegraph |
235.662-018 | DIRECTORY-ASSISTANCE OPERATOR | telephone and telegraph |
236.562-010 | TELEGRAPHER | railroad transportation |
236.562-014 | TELEGRAPHER AGENT | railroad transportation |
237.367-034 | PAY-STATION ATTENDANT | telephone and telegraph |
239.382-010 | WIRE-PHOTO OPERATOR, NEWS | printing and publishing |
297.667-014 | MODEL | garment; retail trade; wholesale trade |
299.647-010 | IMPERSONATOR, CHARACTER | any industry |
305.281-010 | COOK | domestic service |
338.371-010 | EMBALMER APPRENTICE | personal service |
338.371-014 | EMBALMER | personal service |
379.384-010 | SCUBA DIVER | any industry |
410.161-010 | ANIMAL BREEDER | agriculture and agricultural service |
410.161-014 | FUR FARMER | agriculture and agricultural service |
410.161-018 | LIVESTOCK RANCHER | agriculture and agricultural service |
410.161-022 | HOG-CONFINEMENT-SYSTEM MANAGER | agriculture and agricultural service |
411.161-010 | CANARY BREEDER | agriculture and agricultural service |
411.161-014 | POULTRY BREEDER | agriculture and agricultural service |
413.161-014 | REPTILE FARMER | agriculture and agricultural service |
452.167-010 | FIRE WARDEN | forestry |
452.367-010 | FIRE LOOKOUT | forestry |
452.367-014 | FIRE RANGER | forestry |
455.367-010 | LOG GRADER | logging; sawmill and planing mill |
455.487-010 | LOG SCALER | logging; millwork, veneer, plywood, and structural wood members; paper and pulp; sawmill and planing mill |
519.684-010 | LADLE LINER | foundry; smelting and refining |
519.684-022 | STOPPER MAKER | blast furnace, steel work, and rolling and finishing mill |
579.664-010 | CLAY-STRUCTURE BUILDER AND SERVICER | glass manufacturing |
661.281-010 | LOFT WORKER | ship and boat manufacturing and repairing |
661.281-018 | PATTERNMAKER APPRENTICE, WOOD | foundry |
661.281-022 | PATTERNMAKER, WOOD | foundry |
661.380-010 | MODEL MAKER, WOOD | any industry |
690.682-078 | STITCHER, SPECIAL MACHINE | boot and shoe |
690.682-082 | STITCHER, STANDARD MACHINE | boot and shoe |
690.685-494 | STITCHER, TAPE-CONTROLLED MACHINE | boot and shoe |
693.261-018 | MODEL MAKER | aircraft-aerospace manufacturing |
714.281-010 | AIRCRAFT-PHOTOGRAPHIC-EQUIPMENT MECHANIC | photographic apparatus and materials |
714.281-014 | CAMERA REPAIRER | photographic apparatus and materials |
714.281-018 | MACHINIST, MOTION-PICTURE EQUIPMENT | motion picture; photographic apparatus and materials |
714.281-022 | PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN | photographic apparatus and materials |
714.281-026 | PHOTOGRAPHIC-EQUIPMENT-MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN | photographic apparatus and materials |
714.281-030 | SERVICE TECHNICIAN, COMPUTERIZED-PHOTOFINISHING EQUIPMENT | photofinishing |
715.281-010 | WATCH REPAIRER | clocks watches, and allied products |
715.281-014 | WATCH REPAIRER APPRENTICE | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-010 | ASSEMBLER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-014 | ASSEMBLER, WATCH TRAIN | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-018 | BANKING PIN ADJUSTER | clocks watches, and allied products |
715.381-022 | BARREL ASSEMBLER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-026 | BARREL-BRIDGE ASSEMBLER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-030 | BARREL-ENDSHAKE ADJUSTER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-038 | CHRONOMETER ASSEMBLER AND ADJUSTER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-042 | CHRONOMETER-BALANCE-AND-HAIRSPRING ASSEMBLER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-054 | HAIRSPRING ASSEMBLER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-062 | HAIRSPRING VIBRATOR | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-082 | PALLET-STONE INSERTER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-086 | PALLET-STONE POSITIONER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.381-094 | WATCH ASSEMBLER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.584-014 | REPAIRER, AUTO CLOCKS | clocks, watches, and allied products |
715.681-010 | TIMING ADJUSTER | clocks, watches, and allied products |
761.381-014 | JIG BUILDER | wooden container |
788.684-114 | THREAD LASTER | boot and shoe |
826.261-010 | FIELD-SERVICE ENGINEER | photographic apparatus and materials |
841.381-010 | PAPERHANGER | construction |
841.684-010 | BILLPOSTER | business services |
849.484-010 | BOILER RELINER, PLASTIC BLOCK | foundry |
850.663-010 | DREDGE OPERATOR | construction; coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and quarrying |
861.381-046 | TERRAZZO WORKER | construction |
861.381-050 | TERRAZZO-WORKER APPRENTICE | construction |
861.664-014 | TERRAZZO FINISHER | construction |
899.261-010 | DIVER | any industry |
899.684-010 | BONDACTOR-MACHINE OPERATOR | foundry |
910.362-010 | TOWER OPERATOR | railroad transportation |
910.363-018 | YARD ENGINEER | railroad transportation |
910.382-010 | CAR-RETARDER OPERATOR | railroad transportation |
910.583-010 | LABORER, CAR BARN | railroad transportation |
910.683-010 | HOSTLER | railroad transportation |
910.683-022 | TRANSFER-TABLE OPERATOR | railroad equipment building and repairing; railroad transportation |
911.663-010 | MOTORBOAT OPERATOR | any industry |
919.663-014 | DINKEY OPERATOR | any industry |
919.683-010 | DOCK HAND | air transportation |
919.683-026 | TRACKMOBILE OPERATOR | any industry |
930.683-026 | ROOF BOLTER | coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and quarrying |
952.362-022 | POWER-REACTOR OPERATOR | utilities |
960.362-010 | MOTION-PICTURE PROJECTIONIST | amusement and recreation; motion picture |
960.382-010 | AUDIOVISUAL TECHNICIAN | any industry |
961.367-010 | MODEL, PHOTOGRAPHERS' | any industry |
961.667-010 | MODEL, ARTISTS' | any industry |