SSA needs information about work that exists throughout the nation to determine whether claimants’ impairments prevent them from doing not only their past work, but any other work in the U.S. economy. SSA uses the DOT and its companion volume, the Selected Characteristics of Occupations (SCO), as the primary sources of information about jobs and job requirements. However, the Department of Labor last updated the DOT in 1991 and has no plans to conduct further updates. As a result, OPDR is developing short and long term strategies to obtain updated occupational information used in disability evaluation.

The short-term project consists of two parts: 1) Acquire existing, updated occupational information in a format consistent with the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), and 2) Obtain the services of an Independent Evaluator who will assess the accuracy and reliability of this occupational information. The goal of the short-term project is to provide SSA with updated occupational information that will be formatted in a manner consistent with the format and definitions found in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). This updated occupational information will provide disability adjudicators with updated occupational information that can be seamlessly incorporated into SSA’s disability adjudication process while long-term solutions are developed.

The long term project goal is to develop an occupational information system designed specifically for SSA’s disability process. We will conduct research to obtain and classify current occupational information critical for evaluating disability. We will also conduct investigations to test policy options and to improve SSA’s medical-vocational assessment of disability claimants in light of the new occupational information we obtain. These activities will involve the collaboration of internal SSA components, already convened as the Occupational Information System Development Workgroup, that will provide guidance on policy and operational issues and end-user needs.

One important element to our long-term research is the development of the Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Panel will consist of occupational analysts, vocational rehabilitation experts and other relevant professionals and medical practitioners who will guide and oversee SSA’s long-term research efforts, including recommendations at each stage of research and investigation.  For additional information on this effort, please visit www.ssa.gov/oidap.

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