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For release 10:00 A.M. (ET) Tuesday, November 19, 2024 USDL-24-2361 Technical information: (202) 691-6199 * orsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/ors Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * pressoffice@bls.gov OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2024 A sedentary strength level was required for 30.6 percent of workers in 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Workers requiring sedentary strength do not lift or carry more than 10 pounds and sit for at least two-thirds of their workday. The next lowest strength level, light strength, was required for 33.3 percent of workers. Workers requiring light strength may lift or carry up to 25 pounds. (See table 1.) Specific vocational preparation (SVP) captures the minimum amount of preparation time needed to obtain the education, training, and experience required for a job. In 2024, a short demonstration lasting up to 4 hours was required for 1.7 percent of workers. Preparation time beyond a short demonstration and up through 1 month was required for 34.2 percent of workers. For counter and rental clerks, 68.0 percent required a sedentary or light strength level and 77.3 percent required beyond a short demonstration and up through 1 month of preparation time. For retail salespersons, 64.4 percent required a sedentary or light strength level and 76.9 percent required beyond a short demonstration and up through 1 month of preparation time. For laundry and dry-cleaning workers, less than 0.5 percent required sedentary strength and 88.9 percent required light strength. Preparation time beyond a short demonstration and up through 1 month was required for 89.8 percent of these workers. The Occupational Requirements Survey captures information on job requirements in the following categories: physical demands; environmental conditions; education, training, and experience; as well as cognitive and mental requirements. Each category is highlighted below. Cognitive and mental requirements Verbal interactions are separated into two categories: interactions with people who work for the same employer (internal) and interactions with people who do not work for the employer (external), including the general public, vendors, contractors, or delivery people. Internal verbal interactions were required at least once per hour, but not every few minutes for 50.1 percent of workers and external verbal interactions were required at least once per hour, but not every few minutes for 24.2 percent. (See table 2.) *Verbal interactions with other workers (internal) were required at least once per hour for 27.9 percent of short order cooks and every few minutes for 66.7 percent. *Verbal interactions with the public (external) were required at least once per hour for 10.4 percent of cashiers and every few minutes for 89.6 percent. Education, training, and experience On-the-job training was required for 80.9 percent of civilian workers to perform their job and prior work experience was required for 42.9 percent. (See table 3.) *On-the-job training was required for 95.5 percent of stockers and order fillers and 97.4 percent of waiters and waitresses. *Prior work experience was required for 58.6 percent of mechanical drafters and 73.7 percent of human resources assistants. Physical demands Reaching overhead was required occasionally, or between 2 percent and 1/3 of the workday, for 21.6 percent of workers in 2024. Low postures were required occasionally for 36.7 percent of workers and fine manipulation was required occasionally for 53.0 percent. (See table 4.) *Occasionally performing work in low postures was required for 85.5 percent of animal caretakers and 94.4 percent of helpers—installation, maintenance, and repair workers. *Greater than 99.5 percent of merchandise displayers and window trimmers required fine manipulation occasionally and 89.5 percent of aircraft mechanics and service technicians. Environmental conditions Exposure to hazardous contaminants was present for 5.8 percent of workers, performing critical tasks in close proximity to moving mechanical parts was present for 9.0 percent of workers, and working outdoors was required for 35.7 percent of workers. (See table 5.) *Exposure to hazardous contaminants was present for 16.9 percent of workers in production occupations and for 36.2 percent of workers in installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. *Exposure to the outdoors was present for 54.0 percent of workers in transportation and material moving occupations and 91.0 percent of workers in construction and extraction occupations.
Occupation and occupational group | Specific vocational preparation | Strength | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Short demonstration only | Beyond a short demonstration through 1 month | Sedentary | Light | |||||
Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | |
All workers | 1.7 | [1] | 34.2 | 1.3 | 30.6 | 1.0 | 33.3 | 1.0 |
Architecture and engineering occupations | <0.5 | [2] | <0.5 | [2] | 52.4 | 10.1 | 24.0 | 6.5 |
Mechanical drafters | <0.5 | [2] | <20 | [2] | 78.2 | 11.5 | 21.8 | 11.5 |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations | 7.4 | 4.4 | 11.6 | 5.2 | 39.3 | 5.9 | 34.6 | 6.9 |
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers | <0.5 | [2] | - | - | <0.5 | [2] | <10 | [2] |
Healthcare support occupations | 1.6 | 1.1 | 50.5 | 4.3 | <10 | [2] | 43.1 | 5.0 |
Dental assistants | <0.5 | [2] | 19.4 | 6.3 | 20.7 | 6.5 | 75.9 | 5.2 |
Food preparation and serving related occupations | 2.1 | 0.9 | 71.7 | 1.9 | <0.5 | [2] | 60.9 | 1.9 |
Cooks, short order | <0.5 | [2] | 58.8 | 10.6 | <10 | [2] | 30.8 | 11.6 |
Waiters and waitresses | <0.5 | [2] | 71.6 | 4.7 | <0.5 | [2] | 85.3 | 2.0 |
Personal care and service occupations | 5.8 | 1.5 | 41.9 | 5.0 | 6.9 | 1.1 | 50.0 | 4.9 |
Animal caretakers | <0.5 | [2] | 57.0 | 9.4 | <0.5 | [2] | 23.5 | 10.2 |
Sales and related occupations | 1.1 | 0.9 | 57.5 | 2.2 | 22.2 | 3.1 | 47.7 | 2.7 |
Cashiers | <0.5 | [2] | 95.9 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 63.7 | 4.6 |
Counter and rental clerks | <0.5 | [2] | 77.3 | 6.3 | 30.6 | 10.0 | 37.4 | 12.9 |
Retail salespersons | <10 | [2] | 76.9 | 6.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 63.0 | 5.0 |
Office and administrative support occupations | 0.6 | [1] | 32.8 | 1.3 | 79.5 | 1.2 | 14.1 | 1.1 |
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping | <0.5 | [2] | 16.0 | 5.6 | 90.6 | 4.7 | 6.7 | 3.8 |
Construction and extraction occupations | 4.2 | 1.5 | 28.4 | 4.1 | 4.0 | [1] | 23.4 | 3.6 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | <0.5 | [2] | 16.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | [1] | 13.2 | 1.9 |
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | <0.5 | [2] | - | - | <0.5 | [2] | <25 | [2] |
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers | 4.0 | 1.6 | - | - | <0.5 | [2] | 39.0 | 14.7 |
Production occupations | 1.2 | 0.5 | 46.5 | 6.3 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 31.4 | 6.5 |
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers | <5 | [2] | 89.8 | 8.0 | <0.5 | [2] | 88.9 | 3.8 |
Transportation and material moving occupations | 1.1 | [1] | 69.4 | 1.6 | 10.5 | 1.8 | 19.4 | 3.5 |
Stockers and order fillers | <5 | [2] | 83.9 | 3.8 | <5 | [2] | 13.6 | 3.7 |
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5. [2] The standard error is not available for this estimate. Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey |
Occupation and occupational group | Internal verbal interactions | External verbal interactions | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Every few minutes | At least once per hour | Every few minutes | At least once per hour | |||||
Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | |
All workers | 26.7 | 1.5 | 50.1 | 1.2 | 35.0 | 1.5 | 24.2 | 0.9 |
Architecture and engineering occupations | 9.5 | 4.7 | 62.2 | 8.0 | 0.7 | [1] | 7.8 | 3.5 |
Mechanical drafters | 13.4 | 10.5 | 58.6 | 16.4 | <0.5 | [2] | <10 | [2] |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations | 17.7 | 6.1 | 49.0 | 9.0 | 27.3 | 6.0 | 31.7 | 6.4 |
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers | - | - | - | - | - | - | 64.0 | 16.5 |
Healthcare support occupations | 19.4 | 4.2 | 42.9 | 4.5 | 42.6 | 4.4 | 49.9 | 5.5 |
Dental assistants | 44.2 | 9.2 | 55.8 | 9.2 | 36.5 | 9.5 | 63.5 | 9.5 |
Food preparation and serving related occupations | 56.6 | 4.4 | 38.9 | 4.2 | 69.2 | 1.3 | 11.0 | 1.5 |
Cooks, short order | 66.7 | 11.4 | 27.9 | 10.5 | 62.7 | 14.2 | 5.0 | 4.0 |
Waiters and waitresses | 50.6 | 10.4 | 49.4 | 10.4 | 92.3 | 4.0 | 7.7 | 4.0 |
Personal care and service occupations | 16.3 | 1.8 | 60.8 | 4.8 | 61.7 | 3.4 | 30.5 | 3.9 |
Animal caretakers | - | - | 38.4 | 8.2 | 18.2 | 8.5 | 20.7 | 5.9 |
Sales and related occupations | 27.4 | 1.7 | 49.1 | 2.8 | 67.7 | 5.0 | 27.0 | 4.0 |
Cashiers | 28.6 | 3.9 | 55.7 | 5.7 | 89.6 | 5.1 | 10.4 | 5.1 |
Counter and rental clerks | 15.8 | 5.9 | 48.0 | 12.4 | 65.4 | 8.9 | 32.7 | 8.4 |
Retail salespersons | 36.0 | 3.3 | 51.7 | 6.4 | 76.5 | 4.5 | 22.5 | 4.0 |
Office and administrative support occupations | 21.7 | 1.3 | 61.8 | 1.7 | 39.7 | 2.0 | 33.5 | 1.9 |
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping | 43.7 | 14.2 | 41.4 | 13.5 | 20.3 | 10.4 | 16.9 | 6.8 |
Construction and extraction occupations | 25.3 | 3.4 | 48.8 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 3.1 | 15.3 | 3.3 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 14.7 | 1.9 | 62.5 | 2.9 | 4.3 | 1.4 | 17.0 | 2.6 |
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | - | - | 70.4 | 17.7 | <0.5 | [2] | - | - |
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers | - | - | 40.6 | 9.7 | <0.5 | [2] | <0.5 | [2] |
Production occupations | 29.1 | 8.7 | 52.7 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 1.1 |
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers | - | - | 31.7 | 12.3 | - | - | 3.8 | 1.3 |
Transportation and material moving occupations | 16.9 | 1.3 | 49.1 | 1.8 | 13.6 | 2.0 | 21.8 | 2.9 |
Stockers and order fillers | - | - | 43.8 | 4.6 | 27.0 | 2.4 | 21.2 | 3.7 |
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5. [2] The standard error is not available for this estimate. Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey |
Occupation and occupational group | On-the-job training | Prior work experience | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | Standard error | Yes | No | Standard error | |
All workers | 80.9 | 19.1 | 0.7 | 42.9 | 57.1 | 1.1 |
Architecture and engineering occupations | 79.2 | 20.8 | 5.3 | 56.6 | 43.4 | 7.7 |
Mechanical drafters | 92.4 | 7.6 | 3.9 | 58.6 | 41.4 | 7.3 |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations | 65.1 | 34.9 | 7.5 | 62.9 | 37.1 | 8.8 |
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers | >99.5 | <0.5 | [2] | - | - | - |
Healthcare support occupations | 85.6 | 14.4 | 2.7 | 24.0 | 76.0 | 3.9 |
Dental assistants | 87.5 | 12.5 | 5.4 | 23.8 | 76.2 | 2.1 |
Food preparation and serving related occupations | 95.4 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 24.5 | 75.5 | 1.5 |
Cooks, short order | >95 | <5 | [2] | 41.2 | 58.8 | 10.6 |
Waiters and waitresses | 97.4 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 28.4 | 71.6 | 4.7 |
Personal care and service occupations | 84.8 | 15.2 | 3.0 | 29.9 | 70.1 | 4.9 |
Animal caretakers | 92.6 | 7.4 | 4.5 | 24.4 | 75.6 | 4.5 |
Sales and related occupations | 92.7 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 31.3 | 68.7 | 1.7 |
Cashiers | >99.5 | <0.5 | [2] | 3.9 | 96.1 | 2.5 |
Counter and rental clerks | >95 | <5 | [2] | 12.4 | 87.6 | 4.1 |
Retail salespersons | 97.9 | 2.1 | [1] | 13.9 | 86.1 | 4.3 |
Office and administrative support occupations | 91.7 | 8.3 | 0.7 | 56.6 | 43.4 | 1.8 |
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping | 78.9 | 21.1 | 7.2 | 73.7 | 26.3 | 7.7 |
Construction and extraction occupations | 74.1 | 25.9 | 3.0 | 44.8 | 55.2 | 4.7 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 76.4 | 23.6 | 2.9 | 59.1 | 40.9 | 4.0 |
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | 66.0 | 34.0 | 13.2 | - | - | - |
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers | 95.0 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 5.5 | 94.5 | 2.2 |
Production occupations | 87.2 | 12.8 | 2.8 | 36.9 | 63.1 | 4.9 |
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers | >99.5 | <0.5 | [2] | 6.8 | 93.2 | 6.8 |
Transportation and material moving occupations | 94.9 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 19.5 | 80.5 | 1.5 |
Stockers and order fillers | 95.5 | 4.5 | 0.9 | 6.0 | 94.0 | 1.2 |
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5. [2] The standard error is not available for this estimate. Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey |
Occupation and occupational group | Reaching overhead, occasionally | Low postures, occasionally | Fine manipulation, occasionally | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | Estimate | Standard error | |
All workers | 21.6 | 0.9 | 36.7 | 1.2 | 53.0 | 0.7 |
Architecture and engineering occupations | - | - | 15.9 | 4.8 | 29.2 | 6.2 |
Mechanical drafters | <0.5 | [2] | <0.5 | [2] | 14.3 | 7.3 |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations | 10.1 | 3.2 | 19.6 | 6.3 | 49.5 | 7.7 |
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers | 70.0 | 15.5 | 96.5 | 2.9 | >99.5 | [2] |
Healthcare support occupations | 24.1 | 4.3 | 68.2 | 3.4 | 73.6 | 3.6 |
Dental assistants | 22.4 | 7.2 | 34.2 | 6.6 | 45.5 | 10.5 |
Food preparation and serving related occupations | 32.2 | 2.3 | 42.7 | 3.8 | 71.4 | 2.0 |
Cooks, short order | 42.9 | 6.8 | 64.1 | 5.3 | 56.5 | 6.6 |
Waiters and waitresses | 27.2 | 5.2 | 36.4 | 5.4 | 80.1 | 8.6 |
Personal care and service occupations | 22.5 | 4.3 | 54.3 | 4.8 | 69.4 | 2.9 |
Animal caretakers | 44.5 | 9.6 | 85.5 | 8.0 | 81.1 | 4.4 |
Sales and related occupations | 17.9 | 3.2 | 30.8 | 2.2 | 60.4 | 3.0 |
Cashiers | 21.2 | 6.0 | 29.9 | 2.7 | 67.8 | 4.6 |
Counter and rental clerks | - | - | 25.1 | 6.1 | 52.8 | 10.2 |
Retail salespersons | 27.0 | 4.3 | 58.0 | 4.2 | 72.8 | 3.3 |
Office and administrative support occupations | 2.7 | [1] | 7.3 | 0.9 | 28.0 | 1.4 |
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping | <0.5 | [2] | - | - | 23.8 | 14.6 |
Construction and extraction occupations | 49.6 | 3.9 | 64.9 | 4.2 | 66.4 | 2.7 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 66.8 | 3.1 | 77.9 | 2.4 | 72.4 | 2.3 |
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | 81.4 | 8.5 | 66.0 | 4.9 | 89.5 | 6.3 |
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers | 88.5 | 5.2 | 94.4 | 2.7 | 79.7 | 8.3 |
Production occupations | 26.8 | 4.6 | 48.1 | 6.1 | 61.4 | 5.8 |
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers | 21.2 | 11.7 | - | - | 64.5 | 13.7 |
Transportation and material moving occupations | 37.8 | 2.6 | 66.9 | 2.2 | 66.6 | 2.1 |
Stockers and order fillers | - | - | - | - | - | - |
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5. [2] The standard error is not available for this estimate. Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey |
Occupation and occupational group | Hazardous contaminants | Moving mechanical parts | Outdoors | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | Standard error | Yes | No | Standard error | Yes | No | Standard error | |
All workers | 5.8 | 94.2 | 0.5 | 9.0 | 91.0 | [1] | 35.7 | 64.3 | 1.0 |
Architecture and engineering occupations | 21.0 | 79.0 | 11.4 | 7.5 | 92.5 | 4.5 | 57.2 | 42.8 | 8.7 |
Mechanical drafters | <5 | >95 | [2] | <15 | >85 | [2] | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | 39.8 | 60.2 | 5.3 |
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | - | - | - |
Healthcare support occupations | 1.0 | 99.0 | [1] | 0.6 | 99.4 | 0.5 | - | - | - |
Dental assistants | 11.7 | 88.3 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 97.1 | 1.8 | <5 | >95 | [2] |
Food preparation and serving related occupations | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | 6.1 | 93.9 | 0.8 | 35.7 | 64.3 | 3.0 |
Cooks, short order | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | - | - | - | 34.4 | 65.6 | 14.3 |
Waiters and waitresses | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | 31.8 | 68.2 | 6.6 |
Personal care and service occupations | 11.4 | 88.6 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 98.8 | 0.8 | 50.1 | 49.9 | 4.0 |
Animal caretakers | 2.9 | 97.1 | 1.4 | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | 77.5 | 22.5 | 5.3 |
Sales and related occupations | 2.6 | 97.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 98.9 | 0.6 | 34.7 | 65.3 | 1.8 |
Cashiers | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | <5 | >95 | [2] | 28.6 | 71.4 | 5.4 |
Counter and rental clerks | <5 | >95 | [2] | <5 | >95 | [2] | 62.9 | 37.1 | 8.3 |
Retail salespersons | <15 | >85 | [2] | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | - | - | - |
Office and administrative support occupations | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | 4.1 | 95.9 | 0.6 |
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | <15 | >85 | [2] |
Construction and extraction occupations | 22.4 | 77.6 | 3.9 | 42.9 | 57.1 | 3.7 | 91.0 | 9.0 | 3.1 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 36.2 | 63.8 | 3.9 | 48.8 | 51.2 | 3.9 | 77.6 | 22.4 | 3.0 |
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | 64.3 | 35.7 | 12.6 | 51.7 | 48.3 | 15.0 | 90.2 | 9.8 | 6.5 |
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers | 14.6 | 85.4 | 7.3 | 25.6 | 74.4 | 11.4 | 96.6 | 3.4 | 1.6 |
Production occupations | 16.9 | 83.1 | 4.6 | 49.4 | 50.6 | 3.9 | 12.8 | 87.2 | 2.8 |
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers | 2.1 | 97.9 | 1.3 | <5 | >95 | [2] | 3.2 | 96.8 | 1.7 |
Transportation and material moving occupations | 2.0 | 98.0 | 0.6 | 5.3 | 94.7 | 1.2 | 54.0 | 46.0 | 2.7 |
Stockers and order fillers | <0.5 | >99.5 | [2] | 5.0 | 95.0 | 2.0 | 25.8 | 74.2 | 3.5 |
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5. [2] The standard error is not available for this estimate. Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey |
Technical Note The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) provides job-related information about the physical demands; environmental conditions; education, training, and experience; as well as cognitive and mental requirements in the U.S. economy. Additional job requirement estimates are available at www.bls.gov/web/ors/ors-complete-dataset.xlsx and www.bls.gov/ors/data.htm. For information on estimation concepts and methods, see the Handbook of Methods at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/ors/home.htm and www.bls.gov/ors/questions-and-answers.htm. Some estimates in this release have been provided as ranges. Ranges represent estimates where the precise value cannot be published. More information is available in the range estimates factsheet at www.bls.gov/ors/factsheet/range-estimates.htm. Sample size: The ORS is a nationally representative establishment-based survey. Estimates are produced from a probability sample of 15,000 establishments. There were 5,700 private industry and 1,300 state and local government responding establishments that provided approximately 26,100 occupational observations. The 2024 estimates represent 147,810,800 civilian workers. The 2024 estimates are produced from one annual sample collected between August 2023 and July 2024 as part of the third wave of ORS. Estimates are preliminary until the entire third wave sample is collected and aggregated to produce final estimates. Standard errors: To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of ORS estimates, standard errors are made available with the release. Standard errors provide users a measure of the precision of an estimate to ensure that it is within an acceptable range for their intended purpose. Collected and imputed data are included in the standard error calculation. For further information on standard errors and how to use them, see www.bls.gov/ors/se.htm. Limitations: Estimates are subject to sampling error, which may cause the sampled results to differ from the true value of job requirements in all establishments, see the Handbook of Methods for more information. The ORS program advises against making comparisons with previously published ORS estimates. ORS estimates are not time series data and instead reflect job requirements for the published reference period. Major terms: Below are selected major terms from the news release. For complete terms and definitions, see the collection manual at www.bls.gov/ors/information-for-survey-participants/pdf/ occupational-requirements-survey-collection-manual-third-wave.pdf. *Critical job function is the main purpose and the primary pay factor for the job. It consists of critical tasks that are integral to the job. *Critical tasks are the activities workers must perform to carry out their critical job function. *Specific vocational preparation is the minimum amount of preparation time required for workers to learn the techniques, acquire the information, and develop the aptitude needed for basic performance in a specific job. *Strength levels reflect the amount of weight workers are required to lift or carry, how often, and whether standing or walking is required to perform critical tasks in the workday. See the strength levels factsheet at www.bls.gov/ors/factsheet/strength.htm for more information.