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Handbook of Methods Occupational Requirements Survey Presentation

Occupational Requirements Survey: Presentation

The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) website provides access to the ORS estimates through the news releases, database query tool, Excel dataset, factsheets, and occupational profiles.

ORS users may include the following:

• Jobseekers
• Researchers
• Insurance companies
• Advocacy organizations
• Data users within nonprofits
• Employment agencies
• State and federal agencies
• Disability community
• Vocational rehabilitation experts
• Human resource professionals
• Medical professionals
• Actuaries

ORS data are used for a variety of purposes:

• Assisting the Social Security Administration (SSA) in its disability adjudication process
• Using data for new opportunities in research, such as in academia or government
• Tracking the nature of work
• Benchmarking job descriptions or developing targeted recruiting plans
• Helping insurance companies assess risk management
• Assisting temporary-help firms to properly match an employee to job openings

Preliminary and final estimates

ORS estimates are published annually. Because a wave (the combination of multiple samples used to produce final estimates) consists of more than 1 year of collected data, preliminary estimates are published as data from each annual sample are collected. The preliminary dataset is replaced each year until all samples are collected, at which point the estimates are considered final. For more information on the structure of a wave, see the Concepts and History sections.

The first preliminary dataset of the third wave will be published with a reference year 2024 and consist of one sample. Each year, an additional sample will be added and the prior year’s preliminary dataset replaced. Third wave estimates will be considered final once all samples are collected and published.

Accessing data

Preliminary estimates in each wave will be replaced with the latest estimates each year until the final set is published. Final datasets will remain accessible on the ORS data page indefinitely in xlsx format.

Current data are available through the database query tool which include the following search options:

• Top picks is a listing of occupational requirements selected by the ORS program to provide users with an overview of most requested statistics.
• Data finder allows users to conveniently search multiple datasets all at once. Users can extract specific data by searching by keyword or by filtering through multiple topics, measures, and attributes.
• One-screen data search allows users to select individual or multiple series from a simple, one-screen form.
• Multi-screen data search allows users to choose data using a form-based query application that spans several screens.

Users can download text files through the time series page, which also includes a description of these files and the structure of ORS series.

In addition, occupation group profiles providing an overview of job requirements for a specific occupation are available.

Limitations

Although the occupational requirements estimates may have many uses, it is important to consider the survey limitations. Estimates are subject to sampling error, which may cause deviations from the results that would be obtained if the actual requirements for jobs in all establishments could be used. Nonsampling error is present in surveys as well. (See the Calculation section for more information.) The ORS program advises against making comparisons with previously published ORS estimates, as each set of estimates reflect changes in employment (weighting), sample size, as well as collection and estimation procedures. ORS estimates are not a time series and instead reflect job requirements for the published reference period.

Corrections policy

In the event that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) identifies estimation, collection, or processing errors, the ORS program will determine whether the error is substantial. A substantial error is one that results in a statistically significant difference, such that the difference between the original and corrected estimates equals or exceeds 1.645 times the standard error for the estimate. The ORS program will identify the incorrect estimates and provide a notice to users on the BLS errata page indicating whether the error will be suppressed or corrected. A substantial error in preliminary ORS estimates will result in the estimates being removed from the BLS website. A substantial error in final ORS estimates may result in estimates being removed or republished to reflect the corrected data.