Occupational Requirements Survey Collection Manual

Office of Compensation and

Working Conditions (OCWC)

U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

August 2020

Preface

The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) Collection Manual is the primary document providing instructions on survey procedures, data collection, and coding for the Occupational Requirements Survey. This document provides broad collection and coding instructions applicable across all ORS collection activities and includes detailed data element definitions, explanations, and examples.

This Manual reflects current concepts, definitions, and practices. It will be updated periodically and supplemented by Technical Memoranda and Procedures Alerts issued from the Office of Compensation Levels and Trends (OCLT). See specific changes listed in the Major Changes Table.

Introduction

The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two large national programs that provide disability benefits to individuals who cannot work due to mental or physical disabilities. SSA uses an adjudication process to determine if individuals meet eligibility requirements to receive benefits. To support this adjudication process, SSA needs information about job requirements in the national economy.

In 2012, SSA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) signed an interagency agreement to collect and publish job requirements data. As a result, the BLS established the Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS). This manual outlines the concepts and technical procedures to collect ORS data elements, including: critical job function, critical job task list, physical demands, environmental conditions, education and training, as well as mental and cognitive demands.

For additional information about the Occupational Requirements Survey, see https://www.bls.gov/ors.

Information Reference Guide

Useful references are shown below.

References

• To view the ORS Public Website: https://www.bls.gov/ors/

• To view the Standard Occupational Classification: https://www.bls.gov/soc/

• To view the O*NET SOC Crosswalk: https://www.onetonline.org/crosswalk/

• To view information on SSA’s Occupational Information System Project: https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/occupational_info_systems.html

• For definitions of numerous ORS terms, see the Glossary.

For system reference information, see the CIERA User Guide.

Major Changes to ORS Manual (August 2020)

The ORS Collection Manual has been revised. Please carefully read and review the Major Changes table below to identify updated procedural guidance and changes for ORS collection.

Chapter 1: Key Concepts 

The purpose of the Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) is to provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) with data about the requirements of work as it is performed in the national economy.

Jobs are performed differently from one establishment to another. ORS collects information from establishments about job demands related to the critical tasks of selected jobs within the establishment. These individual data are combined to represent the job demands for the occupations in the national economy.

This chapter outlines key concepts and definitions associated with ORS collection:

1. Task, Worker, Job, Occupation

2. Critical Job Function, Critical and Incidental Tasks

3. Job Demands

4. Thresholds

5. Frequency and Duration

6. Accommodations

1_01 Task, Worker, Job, Occupation

Task

A task is a distinct activity assigned to, or performed by, workers who are carrying out job duties that result in a specific outcome.

Worker

A worker is an employee who is assigned a specific set of tasks. The term worker is equivalent to the term position, historically used in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and the Revised Handbook for Analyzing Jobs.

Job

A job represents all workers in an establishment with the same or similar tasks such that they may be analyzed collectively. In ORS, a sampled quote represents a job.

Occupation

An occupation is a broad term representing a defined set of responsibilities, skills, and tasks common across establishments rather than specific to an individual company. In ORS, all sampled jobs are assigned to an occupation defined in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. For more information about SOC classification, see Fundamentals of NCS and ORS, Chapter 4 Occupational Classification found on the NCS-ORS Procedure Library.

1_02 Critical Job Function, Critical and Incidental Tasks

Establishments may assign tasks to a job that are necessary for establishment operations but are not typically performed by the occupation. As outlined in this section, ORS applies the concepts of critical job function(s) and critical tasks to define the scope of tasks included for incidence and duration coding at the establishment.

Critical Job Function 

The critical job function is the main purpose of the job. It consists of critical tasks that are integral to the job. The job would not exist without the critical job function(s), which is the primary pay factor for the job.

A job’s critical function is broad and often corresponds to the detailed SOC occupational definition. Some basic examples of critical job functions include:

• Janitors clean the building and grounds.

• Teachers prepare and present lessons and monitor students.

• Nurses provide medical care.

Most jobs have one or a very limited number of critical job functions. An example of a job with multiple critical job functions is a combination job. While combination jobs are typically assigned the SOC code associated with the highest skill level required by the job, all critical job functions and the critical tasks supporting those functions are included for ORS collection.

Critical Tasks

A critical task is an activity workers must perform to carry out their critical job function(s). A task is considered critical when it is a primary and required component of the critical job function(s).

Critical tasks are:

• Tasks that workers are evaluated and rated on

• Tasks that are necessary to carry out the critical job function(s), despite the frequency they are performed

• Tasks that are expected, usual, and performed 10% or more of the work time, regardless of their relation to critical job function

All critical tasks are required, but not all required tasks are critical. This means not every task a respondent indicates workers perform is in scope for ORS collection. While jobs may be expected to perform a variety of tasks, any required task must meet at least one of the criteria noted above to be considered a critical task.

The same occupation in different establishments may be expected to perform different critical tasks depending on the size and nature of the establishment.

Collect and code ORS elements based on how workers perform all critical tasks of a job, even if those tasks or functions relate to more than one SOC detailed occupation.

For more information on how to collect and document critical job function(s) and critical tasks in ORS, see Chapter 4:  Task Lists.

Incidental Tasks

An incidental task does not support and is not a primary or required component of the job’s critical function(s). Incidental tasks are excluded from ORS collection.

Incidental tasks are performed less than 10% of the work time and meet at least one of the following conditions:

• Are not tasks the job is evaluated and rated on

• Are not required to carry out the critical job function(s)

• May be carried out by workers in any job at the establishment (these tasks may be important but are not a function of any one job at the establishment)

Exclude, regardless of the time workers spend performing them, incidental tasks that:

• Are voluntary

• Occur by chance (includes response to unusual or emergency situations unless a critical function of the job is emergency response)

• Are specific to only one or a few workers in a job whenever a job has multiple workers

Table 1-1: Critical/Incidental Tasks Examples

1_03 Job Demands

Job demands are the knowledge, cognitive abilities, and physical actions required to perform critical tasks, as well as environmental conditions experienced while completing critical job tasks.

Job demands include observable and unobservable behaviors:

• Observable behaviors: typing, driving, standing, lifting, reaching, etc.

• Unobservable behaviors: learning and applying knowledge, perception, problem solving, etc.

ORS captures a variety of job demands organized into four broad areas:

• Specific Vocational Preparation

• Cognitive Elements

• Physical Demands

• Environmental Conditions

While ORS captures over 50 distinct job demands, not every job demand needed to perform critical tasks is in-scope for ORS collection. Job demands included in ORS are those that have been identified as important for determining whether individuals with mental or physical disabilities can work. Some examples of demands ORS does not capture include: bending or twisting movements, the need to have depth perception, and exposure to environmental conditions such as radiation or biohazards, etc.

1_04 Thresholds

A threshold is a magnitude or intensity that must be met or exceeded for a certain demand to be considered for ORS collection.

Overall Collection Threshold for All ORS Elements

Only the knowledge, cognitive abilities, physical actions, and environmental conditions required to perform a job’s critical tasks are in-scope for ORS.

For more information about collecting the presence of ORS elements associated with critical tasks, see Chapter 4: Task Lists.

Thresholds for Individual ORS Elements 

Many individual ORS data elements must also meet additional thresholds, conditions, or have unique guidelines before the element presence and duration is collected and coded.

Thresholds exist for the following individual ORS elements:

 Refer to the section on each element for a description of the relevant threshold.

1_05 Frequency and Duration

Frequency is the number of times a worker experiences a demand while performing critical tasks. Many cognitive demands for ORS are measured using frequencies, for example, the frequency work is checked by a supervisor or lead worker (e.g., a supervisor checks work once per day).

Duration is the total time a worker performs critical tasks using certain physical demands or is exposed to an environmental condition. Most physical demands and environmental conditions for ORS are measured using duration ranges, for example, the amount of time workers spend speaking (e.g., workers spend one hour of an 8-hour day speaking which is coded as Occasional 2% up to 1/3).

When a respondent indicates that an element is not performed or experienced as part of the critical tasks, duration is coded as not present.

Additionally, when a data element does not meet an associated threshold, it is out-of-scope, and duration is coded not present.

When an element is present and the associated threshold (if applicable) is met, capture the amount of time a worker actively performs a physical demand or is exposed to an environmental condition. Percent of time is based on the full work day and captured according to the following duration scale:

Table 1-2: Duration Scales

*Times are approximate and have been rounded for collection purposes based on 8 hours daily, 40 hours weekly, 2080 hours annually work schedule.

Duration is different than frequency. For example, workers may use a computer “all day” (frequency) but may actually only be typing or manipulating a mouse for four hours of an eight hour work day. The other time is reading material on a screen, or performing other tasks that are not keyboarding. The duration for keyboarding in this example is 50% and is coded as Frequent (i.e., 1/3 up to 2/3).

Duration for Critical Tasks that Occur Less than Daily

If a physical demand or environmental condition associated with critical tasks occurs weekly, monthly, annually, or seasonally, collect and code the duration a worker experiences over the broader range of time.

Use the duration scale as a guide with respondents and request they provide the duration a worker experiences over the broader range of time. Calculations are not necessary if the correct ORS duration range can be determined without them because:

• The appropriate range is obvious based on the information provided by the respondent, or

• The respondent is able to select a range based on an estimated average of all critical tasks and job demands performed and the field economist verifies the range is reasonable based on the other data reported.

Table 1-3: Duration Coding Examples

1_06 Accommodations

Accommodations are adjustments to tasks or the work environment, enabling a person with a disability to compete equally or perform critical tasks. Not all employers can offer the same accommodations.

Collect job demands based on how most workers perform critical tasks without accommodation. When an adjustment is available to all workers in the job, it is not considered an accommodation.

Table 1-4: Accommodation Determination

Chapter 2: Collection Strategies

The goal of ORS is to describe how work is performed in the US economy by collecting as much quality data as possible in an efficient manner. Strategies for success rely on positive respondent feedback, knowledgeable field economists, and expedited collection procedures. Good response rates are the foundation of reliable statistical data. Field economists collect high quality data by obtaining cooperation from a large portion of sampled establishments and ensuring the respondents at these establishments provide complete and accurate data.

ORS presents a unique collection opportunity because most people are familiar with the Social Security Administration (SSA) programs. While it does not guarantee cooperation, this familiarity may help field economists get quality information for ORS. The following strategies, explained further in this chapter, facilitate successful ORS collection:

1. Use Job Descriptions and Other Descriptive Documents to Prepare for Collection

2. Identify a Collection Approach

3. Prioritize to Maximize Data Collected

4. Take Advantage of Opportunities to Observe Workers on Jobs

2_01 Use Job Descriptions and Other Documents to Prepare for Collection

Job descriptions and other establishment documents (e.g., workers compensation forms, OSHA/workplace safety forms, and organizational charts) are valuable tools when making a preliminary assessment of jobs and in expediting collection.However, the value of ORS is the quality of data obtained by the interaction of field economists with respondents while conducting an interview.

Use caution with establishment documents that include references to ORS elements and duration. Job demands listed in job descriptions and other establishment documents may not match the definitions and thresholds for ORS elements. The description may also reflect the maximum exertion or exposure a worker could experience instead of the normal expectations and requirements of the job.

Before using any job descriptions or other descriptive documents, verify with the respondent they are current and accurately reflect the critical function and critical tasks of the job. Critical tasks, job demands and durations listed in a job description cannot be used until they have been confirmed and verified by a knowledgeable respondent. Probing questions are necessary to determine incidental tasks, and to reconcile incomplete, unclear, or conflicting information present in a job description. Job descriptions, or any other company documentation, are aids to collection and do not substitute for an interview.

Job descriptions and other establishment documents may expedite collection by helping to:

• Identify the potential critical job function(s) and critical tasks

• Verify Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) coding

• Review O*NET task lists associated with possible SOC options

• Launch discussions with the respondent on task lists, ORS data elements, and leveling

• Provide information on work schedules and supervisory responsibilities

• Learn about educational, training, certification, licensure, and experience requirements for Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP)

The presence of ORS data elements may be evident from the occupational information obtained from job descriptions and respondent discussion. For example:

• Presence/absence of physical demand elements (e.g., writing is present, so gross and fine manipulation must be present)

• Presence/absence of environmental condition elements (e.g., tasks performed entirely in an office so working outdoors is not present)

Clarify any conflicting information that arises between respondent information collected early in the interview, or through job descriptions, and answers provided later in the collection interview. Confirm with the respondent that the researched information applies to the selected occupations. Resolve discrepancies with the respondent, during the interview or through follow up as needed.

For more information about using job descriptions to create task lists, see 4_02: Use of Job Descriptions in Creating Task Lists

Special Situations

In special situations, it is more common for establishment documentation to be generalized descriptions of the jobs. Central offices and temporary help firms are examples where this occurs, but it can also occur in maintenance and service industries where the nature of the call influences the activities.

These special situations should be evaluated on the occupational information provided, including the ability of the respondent to provide valid responses. When using establishment descriptions, a quote may be coded usable if the respondent can confirm the critical job function and critical tasks the company defined as relevant for the occupation. Any specific vocational preparation, cognitive demands, physical demands, and environmental conditions elements coded based on establishment descriptions must be verified by the respondent.

2_02 Identify a Collection Approach

Determine the best collection approach based on personal preference, establishment size, industry, and respondent personality. Options include collecting:

• Each quote individually.

• Multiple quotes concurrently.

• A portion of the interview for each quote individually and a portion for multiple quotes concurrently.

Seek respondents with direct knowledge of the job. More than one individual may provide information to maximize the quality of data collected. Try to discuss jobs with as many knowledgeable respondents as may be available such as:

• First-line supervisors

• Occupational safety managers

• Risk managers

• Lead workers

• Recruiters

• Workers in the job

2_03 Prioritize to Maximize Data Collected

Efforts must be made to collect all data for all selected occupations. Sometimes that is not possible due to respondent constraints. Apply the following collection priorities to maximize data collected. Collect these items first:

• Task Lists

• SVP

• Cognitive Elements

These three elements inform the conversation and coding for all of the other elements.

Collect these physical demand elements next:

• Sitting vs. Standing/Walking and Sit/Stand at Will

• Lifting/Carrying

• Pushing/Pulling: hand/arm and foot/leg

Collect the remaining elements to the greatest extent possible. At a minimum, attempt to collect the presence or absence of each item. Conversational interviewing techniques can increase efficiency. Use information provided throughout the interview to support coding decisions. For example, if the task list for an occupation includes use of a computer, near visual acuity is present and may be assumed.

2_04 Take Advantage of Opportunities to Observe Workers on Jobs

ORS is collected by interviewing respondents who understand their establishment’s job demands. Observations of workers can also be helpful in understanding how work is performed. Direct observations enable a better understanding of the physical actions and tools workers use as well as the environmental conditions in which they perform critical tasks.

• Notice workers and what they are doing while walking to and from the respondent’s office.

• Accept offers for a company tour, especially for unfamiliar industries and jobs.

• Ask to observe jobs.

• Probe respondent while on a company tour to clarify what you observe to determine whether it is usual and associated with critical tasks.

• Document how your observations affect coding selections.

Chapter 3: Classifying Jobs

This chapter outlines the procedures for classifying and distinguishing jobs during the ORS collection process. Matching jobs found in individual establishments to the closest standard occupation in the national economy ensures any job demands collected reflect the correct occupation. Other factors may also result in the need to further distinguish jobs during collection.

1. SOC Classification

2. Job Characteristics

3. Work Schedules

4. Other ORS Variations

3_01 SOC Classification

ORS classifies selected jobs found in establishments into the most detailed occupational code available. Federal statistical agencies are mandated to use the SOC system for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating occupational or labor market data. For more information about SOC coding, see Fundamentals of NCS and ORS, Chapter 4 Occupational Classification found on the NCS-ORS Procedure Library.

3_02 Job Characteristics 

Jobs in ORS are also classified by broad characteristics such as full-time/part-time and their work level, including supervisory duties. For more information about classifying full-time/part-time status and work level, see Fundamentals of NCS and ORS, 3_01 Worker Characteristics and Chapter 5 Leveling found on the NCS-ORS Procedure Library.

3_03 Work Schedules

For guidelines on coding work schedules in ORS schedules, see Fundamentals of NCS and ORS, Chapter 6 Work Schedule found on the NCS-ORS Procedure Library.

3_04 Other ORS Variations

Jobs in ORS can vary for other reasons than those described earlier in this chapter. For more information about addressing ORS Variations, see Fundamentals of NCS and ORS, 3_08 Most Narrowly Defined Job found on the NCS-ORS Procedure Library.

Chapter 4: Task Lists

A task list outlines the critical job function(s) and itemizes the critical tasks performed within a job. Only the knowledge, cognitive abilities, physical actions, and environmental conditions associated with a job’s critical tasks are in-scope for ORS.

The collection of task lists is essential to understanding how the critical tasks performed relate to the job demand elements. Therefore, coding of task lists is itself a required ORS element.

This chapter outlines the procedures for using task lists during the ORS collection process:

1. Collecting Task Lists

2. Use of Job Descriptions in Creating Task Lists

3. Documenting an ORS Task List

4. Consistency between Task List and Element Coding

5. Job Demands when Traveling is Involved

4_01 Collecting Task Lists

Task lists reflect and record the detailed activities workers perform to accomplish critical functions. Task lists support SOC coding. Task lists also serve as a bridge between the critical job function(s) and ORS element coding. There are many strategies for obtaining this information from respondents.

Possible ways to start the conversation include:

• What are the most important things this job does for your organization?

• What is the purpose of this job?

• What do workers in this job do in a regular day?

Critical tasks are not always obvious. When they are not, you must ask additional questions. Verify any unusual tasks for the occupation that are required, primary, and in support of the critical job function(s) of the job. Exclude any incidental tasks.

Several questions that may help determine whether to include/exclude a task are:

• If workers could not do this, could the main purpose of the job still be accomplished?

• If no one in this job could perform this task, would the job still be useful to your organization?

• Are workers rated or evaluated on how well they perform this task?

• Is this something that anyone in the organization could do?

ORS Task Lists Examples

Table 4-1: ORS Task List Examples

*Documenting excluded tasks is optional, and shown for purposes of this example.

*Documenting excluded tasks is optional, and shown for purposes of this example.

*Documenting excluded tasks is optional, and shown for purposes of this example.

4_02 Use of Job Descriptions in Creating Task Lists

Job descriptions often provide considerable information about the tasks that jobs perform, but they can be outdated and misleading. See 2_01 Use Job Descriptions and Other Documents to Prepare for Collection. Respondents are the primary source of information. If a respondent is insistent that a job description be used to code tasks, the following must be verified before using the information:

• Description is current

• Description is for the correct job

• Title/job code matches quote selection.

• Description covers sufficiently narrow tasks/duties (e.g., if the selected quote is an art teacher then the description for a primary teacher would not be narrow enough).

• Tasks/duties are accurately portrayed (job descriptions often overstate tasks/duties)

• All critical tasks are included.

• Incidental tasks are identified for exclusion.

Even after verification of the above items, proceed with caution. Job descriptions can be useful in determining what tasks should be included, but they often don’t describe how tasks are performed. If the respondent doesn’t have direct knowledge of sampled positions in order to verify the accuracy of a job description and the information provided on it, attempt to contact a different respondent with more knowledge of the position. If it is not possible to get verification from a knowledgeable respondent, then the information is not usable.

4_03 Documenting an ORS Task List

Document the critical job function(s) and the critical tasks performed in support of the critical job function(s) for every usable quote. Task lists must be complete in order to be used. Helpful factors to include for context and improved understanding of potential ORS elements are: 

• How tasks are performed

• Where tasks are performed

• What materials are used (e.g., types of data, tools, and equipment, etc.)

• What the origination and destination of materials or information used are

• Who are the people with whom the job interacts

Using a simple approach similar to the one used by O*NET makes comparisons more straightforward:

• Start with a verb to state the action.

• State the object of the action (if any) and, when relevant, the frequency.

• State the purpose of the action (if relevant).

• Keep bulleted items brief and uniformly formatted.

• Enter task lists in the Task List screen in CIERA.

• Mark the 10% task checkbox when tasks that are otherwise incidental are included as critical tasks because they are performed 10% or more of the time.

Copying/pasting entire job descriptions, the O*NET task list, the O*NET definition, or the SOC Manual definition is unacceptable and does not meet the task list documentation requirement. If the respondent doesn’t have direct knowledge of the sampled jobs in order to verify the accuracy of a job description and the information provided on it, attempt to contact another respondent with more knowledge of the position. If it is not possible to get validation from a knowledgeable respondent, do not use the information.

Documenting an ORS Task List Example  

Using the approach above as a guide, a field economist discusses with a respondent the tasks of a janitor in an elementary school.

Respondent says: “The janitor cleans all of the classrooms and public spaces such as hallways, restrooms, and some outside areas. He reports to the Maintenance Supervisor. One of the biggest jobs is emptying the waste receptacles throughout the building. This includes emptying all of the classroom trash cans as well as the large cans in the hallways and cafeteria daily.

Additionally, he has to empty recycle containers throughout the building as needed. He routinely uses a commercial vacuum to clean floors in classrooms and public areas, and waxes floors using a buffer as needed. Since the building is full of children, there are many spills requiring spot cleaning. He uses a small snow blower and/or a shovel to clear the entryway into the building, so the children may safely enter and exit the building. He also plants flowers and shrubs in spring and fall. He maintains and makes minor repairs to the boiler system as needed, and does other simple maintenance such as replacing light bulbs or restroom supplies. The duties of this job are usually performed after the children have left school for the day, as it would be difficult to do many of the tasks with children present.”

Table 4-2: Example – Janitor Task List

The following screenshot shows the critical job function and critical tasks entered in CIERA.

4_04 Consistency between Task List and Element Coding

A job’s task list clearly and concisely summarizes job duties. Element coding represents the movements and exposures experienced as a result of the worker performing these duties.

Cognitive, physical, and environmental coding must be documented with examples relating to and consistent with the task list. Include details that validate element coding, such as examples of items lifted/carried, examples of items pushed/pulled, presence of driving and vehicle type, and how environmental condition exposures meet thresholds.

The tasks documented on the task list should provide a picture of how the job is performed on a daily (or in some cases weekly, monthly, or annual) basis. Use the task list as a means of validating the reasonableness of individual element duration coding. Compare task lists, work schedules, and element duration coding to ensure the durations coded are collectively reasonable based on the length of the workday.

If the respondent indicates job demands are present that are not related to the critical tasks included in the task list, determine whether a task related to the critical job function(s) was missed. If yes, add it to the task list. If no, unless the duration meets the 10% threshold, the ORS elements related to the task should not be coded, as they do not meet the overall threshold for determining presence.

Unless a job’s critical function(s) is to respond in emergency or unusual situations, exclude tasks resulting from such situations. There are situations in which tasks may be critical but occur infrequently. Critical tasks do not include tasks that occur because of unusual events, including emergency situations.

Proceeding When Respondent Answers are Incomplete

Use the task list as a reference to probe and confirm respondent answers. If the respondent can confirm that an element exists and the threshold is met, but is unable to provide associated duration, code the element as Present, Duration Unknown (PDU). Only use PDU after exhausting all other methods to establish duration, including requesting to contact a different respondent.

If a respondent is unable to confirm that an element is present, code Unknown (UNK).

ORS Task Lists and Element Coding Inconsistency Examples 

Table 4-3: ORS Task Lists and Element Coding Inconsistency Examples

4_05 Job Demands When Traveling Is Involved

Some jobs require travel as part of the critical job function(s). Work-related travel outside of normal commuting may be local or long distance. Collect the presence and duration for physical demands associated with travel when it is a critical task. Include any time sitting or standing/walking if travel is part of the typical workday.

Include:

• Driving and traveling between locations where critical tasks are performed

• Lifting/carrying or pushing/pulling work-related displays, sales materials, or equipment

Exclude:

• Driving and travel and their associated demands that are part of a regular commute

• Lifting or pushing/pulling personal luggage

• Exposure outdoors from travel unless the worker is performing critical tasks between the transportation mode and other work sites such as making deliveries

For more information on how to collect the physical demands associated with driving in ORS, see 7_10 Driving.

Table 4-4: Job Demands When Traveling Examples

Chapter 5: Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) 

Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) is the minimum amount of preparation time required by a typical worker to learn the techniques, acquire the information, and develop the aptitude needed for average performance in a specific job.

This chapter includes procedures for collecting of SVP elements:

1. Collecting SVP

2. Minimum Education

3. Non-Degree Credentials

4. Experience

5. On the Job Training

5_01 Collecting SVP

SVP measures the minimum vocational preparation time needed for a job. Traditionally, SSA has used SVP as a proxy to quantify skill required by a job. SVP includes only vocationally relevant preparation time. Therefore, SVP excludes time spent completing general education requirements, non-vocationally relevant credentials, general experience, and probationary periods where workers aren’t actively receiving on the job training. Exclude any establishment hiring requirements that do not relate to the job’s critical tasks.

SVP consists of four components:

• Minimum Education

• Non-Degree Credentials

• Experience

• On the Job Training

The amount of vocational preparation time for each component is added to derive an overall SVP level.

Understanding SVP Levels

The following chart illustrates SVP levels and associated vocational preparation time:  

Table 5-1: SVP Levels and Associated Vocational Preparation Time

Computing SVP Level

Enter the presence and amount of vocational preparation time required for each component. The overall SVP level is calculated in CIERA by summing the time entered for each of the four individual SVP components.

SVP coding reflects the lowest combination of education, experience, and training required by the establishment for average performance in a specific job. If a company provides a range of time or several combinations of education, training, or experience, code the combination the establishment accepts that results in the lowest overall SVP.

When multiple combinations of education and experience will result in the same SVP level, code the combination the establishment accepts that requires the least formal education. However, when the establishment provides ranges of minimum qualifications as a result of grandfathered or foreign degree requirements, code the current minimum vocational preparation time required for applicants. If an establishment provides ranges of minimum qualifications based on the existence of alternative requirements used to fill jobs in unusual or extenuating circumstances, code the minimum vocational preparation time required in normal circumstances.

Ensure that the information coded and the resulting SVP level makes sense for the job. In the event the SVP level seems incorrect considering the critical job function(s) and skills required, ask follow-up questions to ensure accurate coding of SVP time components.

The following examples illustrate what is included and excluded from SVP and how overall SVP level is calculated.

Table 5-2: SVP Coding Examples

Collecting Concurrent SVP Time

Count overlapping time between SVP components once to avoid overstating the SVP requirements of the job.

Concurrent SVP often occurs whenever licenses, certifications, or other non-degree credentials needed for the job also require degrees or experience time as part of the credentialing requirement. Include all overlapping time required between non-degree credentials and other SVP components in the applicable category: minimum education, experience, or on the job training. Code the presence of any required credential and select Concurrent for duration.

Table 5-3: Concurrent SVP Time Examples

Using Unknown and Not Required

An SVP component that cannot be determined is different from an SVP component that is not required.

• Code Not required when an SVP component is not present or needed for the job.

• Code Unknown when an SVP component cannot be determined or is unavailable.

Coding Not required for an SVP component when presence or duration is unavailable may understate the actual SVP.

Do not code individual subcomponents of Non-Degree Credentials unless the presence of all subcomponents has been determined. When the presence of any subcomponent is unknown, code Non-Degree Credentials as Unknown.

Table 5-4: SVP Not Required vs. Unknown Examples

Coding a Non-Levelable Job

Non-levelable jobs are occupations where the skills are not necessarily obtained by education as they may be natural skills. Some non-levelable occupations are elected positions. It may be difficult to find formal training requirements for these jobs. See Fundamentals of NCS and ORS, 5_04 Non-Levelable Jobs found on the NCS-ORS Procedure Library for a complete list of non-levelable jobs.

If a job is non-levelable and it is not possible to collect an SVP component accurately, code the SVP component as Unknown.

Coding 0 or Not required will give the job an artificially low SVP level.

Table 5-5: Non-levelable Job Example

5_02 Minimum Education

Minimum Education measures the minimum level of formal coursework resulting in a degree required of a job, excluding general education.

Collecting Minimum Education

If an establishment requires a diploma or degree, regardless of academic discipline, collect:

• Type of degree required

• Vocationally relevant portion of time required for completion of degree

When coding minimum education, use the list of degrees and associated vocational time in the Minimum Education SVP Chart.

Table 5-6: Minimum Education SVP Chart*

*Modified from The Revised Handbook for Analyzing Jobs, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 1991, Chapter 8.

Select the collected minimum education option from the degree dropdown in CIERA. Only one option may be selected. Once a degree is selected, CIERA will display the default amount of the vocationally relevant time required. Code all vocationally relevant education time required, even if the time is different than the default time provided. Exclude the portion of time for general education.

For example, a job requires a minimum of a Master’s degree. Select Master’s degree option from dropdown. CIERA defaults to 4.00 years of vocationally relevant education time – all post-graduate time (two years) plus the vocationally relevant portion of Bachelor’s (two years).

Coding When No Formal Degree Is Required

When no minimum degree is required, collect whether workers must read and write (in any language) to perform critical tasks. Do not assume the presence of reading and writing requirements. Always ask the respondent. For example, even when a job requires driving and a valid state driver’s license, do not assume the job requires reading and writing because workers may have needed to take a written test to get their license.

When some college coursework not resulting in a formal degree is required, include any vocationally relevant time required under Non-Degree Credentials-Other.

Coding Graduate Degrees

Graduate degrees are earned after completion of a Bachelor’s degree and are generally distinguished by the levels of coursework and research involved. Classify graduate degrees into one of three categories:

• Master’s

• Professional

• Doctorate 

Ensure that jobs requiring a graduate degree include both the time required to earn the graduate degree program (generally 1-4 years) in addition to the vocationally relevant time needed to complete the Bachelor’s degree (2 years).

Use the following information to distinguish between professional and doctorate degrees.

Professional degrees are graduate degrees required to work in a specific career/profession. Professional degrees do not require a Master’s degree, and typically fall into three main fields (medical, law, and religion).

It is common for the title of the professional degree to include “Doctor,” but they are awarded based on class work and do not require a dissertation. When gathering education requirements remember that the phrase “doctor of” does not always indicate the presence of a Doctorate.

Examples of Professional degrees:

• Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.)

• Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)

• Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)

• Doctor of Jurisprudence or Juris Doctor (J.D.)

• Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D. or D. Psych)

Doctorate degrees are graduate degrees that are research-oriented and require a dissertation or similar independent research effort.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and research doctorate are equivalent in title and focus almost exclusively on research or advanced studies.

Examples of Doctorate degrees:

• Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

• Doctor of Social Work (D.S.W.)

• Doctor of Theology (Th.D.)

See Appendix 3 for additional examples of Professional and Doctorate degrees.

Table 5-7: Minimum Education Examples

5_03 Non-Degree Credentials 

Non-degree credentials include training time required as a condition of hire which often results in a certification, license, or educational certificate.

Certifications, licenses, and educational certificates are defined based on guidelines established by the Interagency Working Group on Expanded Measures of Enrollment and Attainment (GEMEnA). Use of these definitions allows for consistency within federal statistical data. Training time that does not result in a certification, license, or educational certificate (as defined for ORS) is captured in a separate category within non-degree credentials (Other).

Include:

• Certifications

• Licenses

• Educational Certificates

• Apprenticeships

• Vocational training

• Non-credit courses

• Credit courses that do not result in a degree

 Exclude:

• Non-degree credentials that may be desirable but are not a job requirement.

• Non-degree credentials not associated with any critical job tasks and only a hiring criteria requirement.

• Non-degree credentials used as a background check requirement only with no vocationally relevant training or skills testing required.

• Certificates of attendance or participation for training that is not vocationally relevant.

Collecting Non-Degree Credentials

Capture the presence of any required non-degree credentials along with the minimum associated training or classroom time.

When training for a certification or license is provided after hire, first clarify that the certification/license is a requirement for the job that was selected.

Sometimes a company will hire workers for jobs that require non-degree credentials with the expectation the worker will obtain the credential as a condition of hire. When a non-degree credential or non-degree related coursework is a condition of hire, code it under non-degree credentials, even when it can be completed post-hire.

Do not code individual subcomponents of Non-Degree Credentials unless the presence of all subcomponents has been determined. When the presence of any subcomponent is unknown, code Non-Degree Credentials as Unknown. See Section 5_01 Using Unknown and Not Required.

Classifying Non-Degree Credentials

Classify non-degree credentials into one of four categories based on the purpose, issuing body, and duration - not by their title. There are four categories:

• Certification

• License

• Educational Certificate

• Other

The purpose of many non-degree credentials is to certify that workers have satisfactorily completed a set of occupationally specific qualifications, which may include education, training, and experience. Some credentials, such as apprenticeships, may be classified in different categories depending on the issuing body.

Occupation specific credentials mean that the credential only applies to a specific occupation (or small group of occupations). Occupation specific credentials may be the same for a broad occupation group (digits 4 and 5 of the SOC code), but would rarely cross major SOC groups.

Only non-degree credentials related to critical tasks are included in any credential category. If a credential is not in support of critical tasks, do not code it. Credentials that meet the definition of occupation specific are coded as certifications, licenses, or educational certificates. Credentials that are not occupation specific are coded Other.

Code the same non-degree credential in the same category, regardless of the occupation. For example, if a job requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for critical tasks, classify a CDL as a License, whether the job is a heavy truck driver or a truck mechanic.

Certifications

A certification is a non-degree credential awarded by a non-governmental certification body (i.e., industry/professional association) based on an individual demonstrating through an examination process that he or she has acquired the designated knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform a specific occupation. The examination can be either written, oral, or performance-based. A certification is a time-limited credential (i.e., expires if not renewed) that is renewed through a recertification process.

Licenses

A license is a non-degree credential awarded by a government agency that conveys a legal authority to perform a specific occupation. Licenses are based on some combination of degree or certificate attainment, certifications, educational certificates, assessments (including state-administered exams), apprenticeship programs, or work experience. A license is time-limited (i.e., expires if not renewed) and must be renewed periodically.

Sometimes credentials will have titles using the word certificates but are actually issued by a government agency and therefore, should be coded under licenses. States may use the term certificate in place of license, particularly when the attainment of certification from a private association is a requirement for licensure. Code these as licenses. For example, teaching “certificates” are often issued by states’ departments of education and would therefore be coded as a License. Another common example are Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licenses. Despite the word “certified”, this time-limited credential is awarded by states and conveys a legal authority to provide accounting services.

Many states require casino workers to have special permits, often called “licenses” (e.g., gaming licenses, casino licenses, and key worker licenses). Exclude permits issued by states where the only requirement is payment of a fee and undergoing a background check. Background checks, while required in many situations, are not vocationally relevant and do not support a job’s critical function and tasks. While states may call these permits licenses, only code them as licenses if they meet the ORS definition of a license.

Governments sometimes use private third-party organizations to handle training for and/or administration of licenses. In such cases, the government is still the official sanctioning body, and the third party is simply the intermediary. Code these as licenses.

Educational Certificates

An educational certificate is a non-degree credential awarded by an educational institution such as a community or on-line college, a 4-year college or university, or a trade school) based on completion of all requirements for a program of study, including coursework and test or other performance evaluations. Educational certificates are typically awarded for life (like a degree). Certificates of attendance or participation in a short-term training (e.g., one day) are not in-scope for educational certificates.

Educational certificates are post-secondary certificates similar to formal degree programs, such as an associate’s degree, in that they are usually offered at community or online colleges and universities and are typically awarded for life. Educational certificates can be awarded for a variety of clerical and service occupations in areas such as healthcare, business, legal, restaurant trades, and personal care, as well as some blue collar occupations.  

Other Non-Degree Credentials 

Other non-degree credentials include any non-degree credential which may be relevant for a wide variety of jobs and occupations and may expire or be valid for life. This category includes time spent in vocationally relevant credit and non-credit courses that do not result in a degree, license, certification, or educational certificate.

When the establishment requires some college coursework that doesn't result in degree as a condition of hire, code the presence and time associated with vocationally relevant coursework as Other. If the establishment doesn't specify that the college coursework must be in a vocationally relevant subject, consider this coursework as general education and do not code the presence or time associated with it.

Include training that is a condition of hire, vocationally relevant, and in support of a job’s critical function(s) and tasks, but not occupationally specific as Other.

Examples of types of certifications and licenses which are not occupation specific and should be counted as Other non-degree credentials are:

• CPR, Basic Life Support (BLS), and first aid certifications (only for occupations where these certifications support critical job function(s), such as emergency response and clinical healthcare working with patients). CPR, BLS, and/or first aid certifications are required as a part of many healthcare occupations’ educational/training curriculums and should, therefore, often be coded Concurrent.

• Drivers’ License for standard passenger vehicles where driving supports the critical tasks.

• Food service safety and sanitation certifications such as food handling permits.

Code certifications that are company specific or do not directly convey to other establishments as Other non-degree credentials. For example, Forklift Operator certifications are coded as Other non-degree credentials since these certifications are awarded and renewed by individual establishments, and forklifts are operated by a variety of occupations. While OSHA provides guidelines regarding forklift operations and private enterprises are able to supply a portion of training, each establishment individually certifies their workers for the type of industrial truck and work environment.

Table 5-8: Credentials Summary Table

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are multi-year formal training programs designed to develop individuals from no-skills to full proficiency in a skilled trade under the supervision of journey-level or master level craftsmen. It is a combination of on-the-job training and formal study such as classroom work and reading. Individuals must be accepted and registered as apprentices, which are often further separated into “years” based on the number of hours completed. Many states offer information about apprenticeship programs on their Department of Labor and Industry websites.

Classifying apprenticeships will vary by occupation, state or local regulations. The time spent in an apprenticeship is coded in the same category as the credential reached for the journeyman level.

• If the state or municipality issues licenses for apprenticeship training, classify the apprenticeship as a license.

• If an apprenticeship is registered under a trade agency or a union without additional regulation from a government agency, classify the apprenticeship as a certification.

• If an apprenticeship is company-specific and not part of any trade organization/union, and not transferrable to another business entity, classify the apprenticeship as an other non-degree credential.

Report the amount of training time associated with the level of apprenticeship selected, not the amount of training that will be received over the entire apprenticeship. For example, a second-year apprentice would have 1 year of training completed. The upcoming year of training is not to develop skills to be a second year apprentice, but to attain the next level of proficiency. Only journey-level craftsmen would have the full amount of time for attaining the journey certificate via apprenticeship and testing coded.

Coding Duration for Non-Degree Credentials 

Collect only the time needed to earn the initial credential, not any ongoing education or development time to maintain the credential.

Do not include independent preparation time, time spent on optional exam prep classes, or time spent taking an exam when determining duration.

Consult government or certifying body websites or literature to confirm/verify/determine the length of time it takes to acquire a license or certification, if the respondent does not know or seems unsure. This is preferable to coding Unknown.

If the same credential-related training occurs in different configurations (i.e., hours, days, months, years), capture the training time in hours.

Concurrent Non-Degree Credential Time

Some occupations may require combinations of formal coursework and time-limited licenses or certifications. It is common for formal coursework to be a requirement for applying for a certification. And it is not uncommon for a state to require a professional certification as the requirement for a license.

When a job requires completion of a set of formal coursework, and a license/certification, code the presence of each in the appropriate element. Include the time in the category that must be completed first, and code Concurrent for the other category. 

Concurrent vs. No Formal Time

There are situations where a non-degree credential(s) is required and the presence of it must be captured, but no training duration should be added. This occurs when:

• Required training time is already reflected in other SVP components such as minimum education, prior experience or even other credentials. Capture the presence of the credential and code Concurrent for duration.

• No formal training time is required. There is an application and/or test only. Individuals may study for the test on their own. Capture the presence of the credential and code No formal time for duration.

Coding Duration for Coursework Not Resulting in a Degree

When collecting coursework not resulting in a degree, include only vocationally relevant time. For required training which does not result in a degree but time is provided as course credits, use the following information to calculate duration.

• A semester unit is equivalent to one credit hour. Three credit hours equals one class and nine credit hours equals a full course load for one semester.

• A semester is one-half of an academic year and is equal to 15 weeks.

Apply this method carefully since it can overstate SVP time. Count all credits that are vocationally-relevant. Subtract any required credit hours which are time spent toward general education. Distinguish between classes that can be taken concurrently and those that must be taken consecutively to avoid overstatement.

Ensure the overall SVP level accurately reflects the actual amount of time needed to initially obtain a non-degree credential, particularly when time is stated in hours or course credits. Avoid understating/overstating duration associated with non-degree credentials. 

There may be constraints on the training that change the actual amount of time needed to obtain a non-degree credential. These constraints may be required prerequisites that prevent courses from being taken simultaneously, or limits on the amount of credits or training that can be completed in a particular time period. The duration entered for credentials is standardized by the system using an 8/40/52 work schedule.

Table 5-9: Non-Degree Credential Examples

5_04 Experience

Experience measures the minimum amount of prior relevant work activity.

Include:

• Skills acquired or used in a similar job

• Progressively responsible levels of work

• Broad, yet related, vocational capabilities

Exclude non-vocational experience requirements, such as attendance history or a general requirement of previous employment.

Collecting Experience

Capture the presence of any required vocationally relevant experience along with the minimum duration. If the respondent provides a range, document the range and code the least amount of time required.

If a company requires either education or experience, collect the option that involves the least time and code under the appropriate component. Do not code both minimum education and minimum experience unless the company requires that combination.

If there is an overlap of experience and non-degree credential requirements, code time under experience. Code the presence of a non-degree credential and select Concurrent for the duration. See 5_01 Collecting Concurrent SVP Time for examples of coding overlapping SVP time.

Table 5-10: Experience Examples

5_05 On the Job Training

On the Job Training (OJT) measures the minimum amount of training time occurring after a worker has been hired.

Include:

• Time workers take to learn basic job tasks while being actively taught by a supervisor or a more experienced worker

• On the job training with verbal and written instruction, demonstration and observation, hands-on practice, or imitation

• Vocationally relevant classes or training needed to do the job, including in-plant or internal company training

• Time spent shadowing

Exclude:

• Continuing education

• Time spent learning tasks that are beyond the basic requirements of the job

• Orientation on topics such as company policies, work place rules, or company benefits

• Time during the probationary period that does not overlap active training

• Coaching for job development

Collecting On the Job Training

Capture the presence of any required OJT along with the minimum associated training time.

Consider the skill level needed for the job when determining the amount of on the job training (OJT) time coded. Low skilled jobs are unlikely to require OJT time that is more than a month. Higher skilled jobs with significant prior experience are unlikely to need additional significant training after hire. It is unusual for a job to require more than a year of OJT. If a respondent indicates a year or more is required, this may represent probationary periods or coaching for long-term development rather than hands-on training to acquire basic job skills.

Tips for Collecting On the Job Training

Use terms familiar to the respondent. Ask about training new workers receive using terms such as “on-the-job-training”, “OJT”, “mentoring,” and “active shadowing.”

Collect a range. A respondent may provide a range for training based on variations between individual workers within the job. When the amount of training provided varies based on the amount of education or experience of a new worker, document the accepted combinations and code the one that represents the least amount of time overall.

Use an estimated SVP level for the job to narrow the range. Collect information on required education, credentials, and experience for the job, and identify two or three likely SVP levels for the job. Use these estimated SVP levels to help a respondent narrow the range provided for OJT.

Do not use probationary periods as a proxy for OJT. Probationary periods are usually much longer than the amount of time that workers actively spend learning critical tasks needed for average performance. However, probationary periods may be used to help narrow the range for OJT.

Use thresholds to estimate OJT. If a respondent remains non-committal on an amount of time for OJT, attempt to collect an estimate using thresholds based on the amount of time most likely to change the overall SVP level.

To use thresholds as a fallback method, ask the following questions. Start at any point and go higher or lower based on your evaluation of the overall job:

• “Is OJT more than half a day?”

• “Is OJT more than a month?”

• “Is OJT more than ‘X’ months?”

Use the ‘X’ in the last question above for any number of months up to seven (7).

When OJT exceeds seven (7) months, the job has a minimum SVP level of five (5). At this point, begin measuring SVP levels in years and ask the respondent a final follow-up question:

• “Is OJT more than a year?”

Once OJT is greater than a year, it takes at least an additional year to affect SVP further. By asking this final question (if necessary), you will have covered all SVP levels that change with lower thresholds.

When using the fallback thresholds, add a .9 to any time the respondent provides.

Table 5-11: Examples of Fallback Coding for OJT

The fallback procedure is not intended to eliminate all missing OJT times. The respondent may not have the information and may not be able or willing to contact a supervisor or other knowledgeable source to clarify specific data. If, after employing these strategies, you still are not able to collect a reliable estimate, code OJT as Unknown. 

Collecting OJT for Non-Standard Work Schedules

If a work schedule is not 8/40/52 and OJT time is less than one month:

• Clarify whether training time follows the work schedule or has a unique schedule. For example, a part-time worker may work full-time on training days.

• Collect and code the total number of hours of training.

Table 5-12: Coding OJT Based on Non-standard Work Schedule

Table 5-13: OJT Examples

Chapter 6: Cognitive Elements

Cognitive elements measure selected mental abilities needed to perform critical tasks. Some key cognitive demands of occupations are the need to accept feedback through work review, adapt to changes in the pace of work, solve problems, and interact with others.

This chapter includes procedures for collection of the cognitive elements:

1. Work Review: Frequency of Work Being Checked and Presence of Supervisor

2. Pace: Control of Workload, Work Pace and Pause Control

3. Personal Contacts: Verbal Interactions and People Skills

4. Problem Solving

5. Interactions with General Public/Crowds and Telework

6_01 Collecting Cognitive Elements

Determine the best response for each cognitive element by considering only those cognitive demands needed to perform the job’s critical tasks. Cognitive demands may vary depending on critical tasks performed and fluctuating job expectations. For example, pace may vary dramatically during the day or over a period of days or months. 

Table 6-1: Questions and Response Options for Cognitive Elements

Use the following guidance to accurately capture the cognitive demands of jobs:

• Code all cognitive demands based on critical tasks except for Telework which should be coded based on whether the job is allowed to telework and whether the critical job function can be performed remotely.

• Code the highest frequency experienced or required when performing critical tasks for these cognitive elements: Work Review-Frequency of Work Being Checked, Personal Contacts-Verbal Interactions, and Problem Solving. This captures the highest frequency of cognitive demands workers are expected to perform for critical tasks.

• Code the typical experience for Work Review-Presence of Supervisor and Control of Workload. This captures the average experience of these cognitive demands for critical tasks performed.

• Refer to element-specific coding guidance for the following cognitive demands: Work Pace, Pause Control, Personal Contacts-People Skills, Working with the General Public, and Working around Crowds.

• Consider how or if the cognitive demands relate to other ORS elements, including leveling, when making coding selections. For more information about the relationships between cognitive elements and leveling, see Fundamentals of NCS and ORS, 5_14 ORS and Leveling found on the NCS-ORS Procedure Library.

• There is no fixed relationship between responses for Control of Workload and Work Pace. Control of Workload measures who/what most determines the amount of work to be completed in a set period of time, while Work Pace measures the rate itself.

• Code elements based on an assessment of both the respondent’s selection as well as the other information the respondent has provided about the job.

   

Table 6-2: Cognitive Documentation Examples

6_02 Work Review: Frequency of Work Being Checked and Presence of Supervisor 

Work Review addresses how often work is checked and whether workers have immediate access to a supervisor if necessary.

Work Review consists of two elements:

• Frequency of Work Being Checked

• Presence of Supervisor

Together these elements provide a measure of the amount of supervision received and insight into a job’s proximity to the supervisor.

Frequency of Work Being Checked

Frequency of Work Being Checked answers the question: How frequently is work checked in this job by a supervisor or lead worker?

Use the following frequency categories:

• More than once per day

• Once per day

• Less than once per day, but at least once per week

• Less often than weekly

The intent of this element is to capture routine and more frequent inspections and assessments (e.g., hourly, daily, or weekly) by a supervisor or lead worker for the purpose of ensuring performance standards are being met rather than completion of infrequent (e.g., semi-annual or annual) performance reviews. This element measures how closely supervised the job is and provides the frequency work is actively monitored or reviewed.

Collecting Frequency of Work Being Checked

Collect the highest frequency of checks that a worker receives while performing critical tasks under normal circumstances. The frequency of work being checked can occur in person or remotely. Code the frequency the supervisor or lead worker checks the work, even if feedback is not always communicated to workers at the same frequency. If a job’s work is never checked, select Less often than weekly.

Include routine inspections, assessments, and monitoring by a supervisor or lead worker intended to ensure performance standards are being met such as regularly soliciting feedback from customers or coworkers through direct contacts. Frequency of work checked and presence of supervisor are two related, but separate cognitive elements. Do not assume the presence of a supervisor or lead worker in the work area means that the supervisor/lead worker is actively checking workers’ performance. However, when the supervisor or lead worker is present in the same area as the workers supervised in order to actively monitor and ensure the work is being performed correctly, it is reasonable to expect a higher frequency of work being checked. Include machine checking when a supervisor or lead worker uses results to assess workers’ performance, regardless of whether workers are aware of these checks. Code the frequency with which the machine metrics are checked by the supervisor.

Exclude:

• The highest frequency of checking the supervisor or lead worker would perform on a worker with known or suspected unsatisfactory performance.

• Routine checking by fellow or lower-level workers.

• Supervisor/lead worker checks occurring as the result of feedback initiated by customers, including ad hoc customer complaints (e.g., negative customer posts on social media)

• Supervisor/lead worker checks occurring as the result of feedback initiated by coworkers.

• Supervisor/lead worker passive or ad hoc observations due to being in the same area as workers.

• Machine checking that is used as a worker support or aid while completing work tasks, such as spell check and basic edits, and does not provide metrics used by a supervisor or lead worker to assess workers’ performance.  

• Automated recorders such as cameras that serve only as security measures.

Table 6-3: Frequency of Work Being Checked Examples

Presence of Supervisor 

Presence of Supervisor answers the question: Are supervisors or lead workers generally present in the same physical work area as workers?

• Yes

• No

The intent of this element is to capture the physical proximity of direct (first-line) supervisors or lead workers to workers in the job. The reason physical proximity is important is because direct supervisors or lead workers in the same physical vicinity can choose to monitor workers to ensure they stay on task and are generally available to provide immediate assistance when needed.

Collecting Presence of Supervisor

Collect the presence (yes/no) of a direct supervisor or lead worker in the same physical work area with workers supervised. The presence of a direct supervisor/lead worker must be in person. Do not consider the presence of a job’s indirect or higher level (second- or third-line) supervisors, as they are not typically expected to provide direct support.

Include open-bay work areas, open-bay work areas with cubicles, offices that abut work areas, offices equipped with cameras that provide coverage of all nearby work areas.

Exclude supervisor offices that are on a different floor or in a different building, even if camera coverage is provided. While the supervisor or lead worker could monitor workers using a camera, they could not provide immediate in-person assistance. Likewise, if workers perform their work in different locations, the supervisor must be physically present for the majority of time on a typical work day to be considered as being in the same physical work area.

Table 6-4: Presence of Supervisor Examples

6_03 Pace: Control of Workload, Work Pace, and Pause Control

Pace refers to the cognitive speed needed to perform critical tasks.

This category consists of three elements related to pace:

• Control of Workload

• Work Pace

• Pause Control

These elements measure what/who determines the workload, the consistency and rate of the work, and whether workers have the ability to control when they can pause and take a brief break.

Control of Workload

Control of Workload answers the question: What most controls the workload of this job?

Select one of the following options:

• Machinery, equipment or software

• Numerical performance targets (company determined)

• People (such as customers, supervisor, etc.)

• Self-paced by worker

• Other (specify)

Workload is defined as the amount of work expected to be performed in a set amount of time. The intent of this element is to identify who or what most determines how much work a worker must perform on a daily or weekly basis. Control of workload measures the discretion workers have in handling their assignments and whether someone or something other than the workers themselves dictates the timing and order of task completion. This provides insight into the manner in which a worker must process new or incoming information, or to take action based on new information to handle the workload.

Collecting Control of Workload

Determine whether the amount of workload is set by technology, strict organizational rules, other people, or the worker. Narrowing the response down to a single factor can be challenging for a job since there is often more than one influencing factor. It is important to identify the factor that most controls the workload because this provides the best insight into the flexibility or predictability of the drivers requiring the workers to react to new information.

Apply the following criteria to choose one of the following options:

Table 6-5: Collecting Control of Workload

Coding Self-Paced

First, determine whether workers have some control over the amount of work completed during the course of their day or week. Workers that are self-paced have the ability to prioritize work tasks or adjust the amount of time needed to complete them. Even when a job has deadlines and limits, as long as they are generally longer than a week, code Self-paced.

Managers, supervisors, and professionals are often self-paced due to the nature of their work. They often have the ability to determine and control how and when they complete their critical tasks within general performance guidelines even when they manage demands of their subordinates or report to others.

Self-paced control is not limited to supervisory, management and professional occupations. Code Self-paced for any job that has the latitude to vary the timing of their critical tasks rather than having the timing of their critical tasks dictated by other external factors.

Coding External Factors

When a job is not able to control the timing of when critical tasks are completed, determine which external factor most controls when the work must be performed: Machinery, equipment, software, People, Numerical performance targets, or Other.

Do not select Other when multiple factors control the workload. Determine which factor most controls the workload.

Different Factors May Apply for the Same Occupation

Control of workload may vary for the same occupation at different establishments based on the industry, size, and specific duties of jobs. Consider the following examples:

Table 6-6: Different Factors Related to Control of Workload

Work Pace

Work Pace answers the questions: How would you describe the pace of work for this job? Would you say that in a typical day or week?

• The pace is consistent, and generally fast? (i.e., little or no downtime)

• The pace is consistent, and generally slow? (i.e., periods of waiting and downtime)

• The pace varies? (i.e., changes between slow and fast pace)

The intent of this element is to identify the consistency of the work pace and the rate at which work is performed. Work pace specifically refers to the speed needed to perform critical tasks. Work pace can be the rate required of workers to complete repetitious tasks, or the rate at which workers are expected to respond to a variety of incoming tasks.

Consistent, and generally fast pace means the work is continuous and steady with little or no waiting or few periods of downtime. Workers maintaining this pace have few, if any, slack periods.

Consistent, and generally slow pace means the work is generally unhurried with periods of waiting and downtime. Workers maintaining this pace have few, if any, rush periods or large build ups of work.

Varies means the work pace changes throughout the work period with fluctuations on a daily, weekly, or seasonal basis. Capture only variation between slow and fast pace, do not code varies when the pace changes but would still fall within the same category. 

Collecting Work Pace

First, determine whether the work pace is consistent or varies. Code varies when:

• The work pace changes multiple times throughout the work period, with fluctuations or rush periods (or large build-ups of work) and slow periods on a daily or weekly basis.

• The work pace is consistent on a daily or weekly basis, but varies seasonally (e.g., an accountant during tax season or human resources personnel during calendar year re-enrollment periods).

When the work pace is consistent, determine the rate (speed) that applies on a daily or weekly basis. Consistent, and generally fast pace includes steady or moderate rates of work with no waiting or few periods of downtime. 

If pace builds up but then remains generally consistent for most of the work period, code this as consistent along with the general rate. For example, if a worker spends most of the day working at a fast pace with no waiting, but works at a slower pace at the beginning and end of the workday, code this as the pace is Consistent, and generally fast.

Work pace captures the steadiness of work and the presence or absence of downtime, from a mental processing perspective. Therefore, jobs that are typically performed from a seated position but have cognitive demands that require work to be completed at a steady pace with little or no downtime would be coded Consistent, and generally fast.

Do not confuse control of workload and work pace. Control of workload identifies the factor that most controls the amount of work expected to be performed in a set amount of time, while work pace relates to the actual speed (cognitive and/or physical) at which work is typically performed.

Table 6-7: Collecting Work Pace

Pause Control

Pause control answers the question: Can workers step away from their work area easily outside of scheduled breaks?

• Yes

• No

The intent of this element is to capture jobs that have the flexibility to choose or control how and when they can take short, unscheduled breaks. When collecting for this element, consult the job’s documented task list to determine whether any of the critical tasks assigned would preclude the ability to step away from the work area or to briefly stop working to attend to personal issues (e.g., make a personal phone call, gather one’s thoughts when feeling overwhelmed, or go to the breakroom to get a beverage).

Collecting Pause Control

Collect the presence (yes/no) of a worker’s ability, for a personal reason, to easily step away from work for short periods of time.

Code Yes when any of the following conditions are met:

• Workers typically have the flexibility to choose when to take short breaks throughout the day, outside of scheduled breaks such as lunch or morning/afternoon break periods.

• There is an overall time limit for breaks, but such breaks are allowed.

Code No when any of the following conditions are met:

• If the worker would need to find someone to cover his or her responsibilities.

• When breaks are usually allowed, but not during certain busy periods in the performance of a critical job task (for example, when work is exceedingly heavy, when a line of customers is building, etc.).

• Workers are required to be present at a workstation for a defined period of time.

Pause control can be present even when there are specific critical tasks that could make taking an unscheduled break difficult. If workers have the control and autonomy to take breaks when needed, then code Yes to pause control. Many professional jobs have the ability to control when the worker can step away. For example, even a trial lawyer in the middle of a court appearance can request a quick recess. Document when a professional job does not have the flexibility to easily step away.

Both pause control and sit/stand at will measure job flexibilities. While there are similarities between these elements, there is not a one-to-one relationship. It is possible for a worker to be able to easily take a break, but be unable to sit/stand at will and vice versa. When control of workload is coded self-paced, the job likely has pause control. However, if a job does not have a self-paced control of workload, it may still have pause control.

Table 6-8: Pause Control Examples

6_04 Personal Contacts: Verbal Interactions and People Skills 

Personal contacts measures how often workers must engage in verbal interactions with others and the kind of interpersonal skills required for critical tasks.

Personal Contacts consists of two elements:

• Verbal Interactions

• People Skills

Verbal Interactions

Verbal Interactions answers the question: How often does this job require verbal, work-related interactions?

Use the following frequency categories:

• Constantly, every few minutes

• Not constantly, but more than once per hour

• Not more than once per hour, but more than once per day

• Once per day or less often

The intent of this element is to measure how often workers must begin verbally interacting with others while performing critical tasks. This element serves as an indicator of whether occupations require workers to have tolerance for numerous live interactions, the possibility of isolation, or something in between. Verbal interaction includes the ability to participate in exchanges that may include both speaking and listening components: the ability to determine what to say in order to speak and the ability to listen in order to respond appropriately to others.

Collecting Verbal Interactions

Follow the guidance in the table below when coding work-related verbal interactions.

Table 6-9: Verbal Interactions Coding Guidance and Examples

While the presence of speaking would signal the presence of verbal interactions, do not code the frequency of verbal interactions based on the duration a job speaks. An occurrence of verbal interactions is measured based on the initiation of a work-related, verbal interaction, not the number of exchanges back and forth within one conversation. For example, a project manager might spend several hours per day speaking during meetings and collaborating at length with colleagues, however, the frequency these verbal interactions start is not more than once per hour, but more than once per day.

Table 6-10: New Interactions and Examples

Include live interactions occurring in person, or via telephone or videoconferencing.  

Exclude:

• Passive listening with no interaction required, such as:

• In person listening to announcements or instructions only,

• Non-live interactions (e.g., recordings or videos on demand), or

• Listening to conference calls during which no speaking is required.

• Non-verbal exchanges such as email.

• Optional social contacts that are not required for critical tasks.

• Unusual or one-time situations.

   

Table 6-11: Verbal Interactions Examples

People Skills

People skills are the ability to listen, communicate, and relate to others. It answers the question: Does this job require basic or more than basic people skills?

• Basic

• More than basic

In a job where basic people skills are required, workers often work alone, or usually are only expected to engage in simple, brief work-related communication and to treat others in a non-offensive manner.

People skills includes both verbal and written exchanges.

Collecting People Skills

Collect whether a job requires basic or more than basic people skills.

Basic people skills may include:

• Work consisting of mostly silent or solitary activity.

• Exchanges involving only simple greetings, exchanging of written or simple verbal information.

• Infrequent job-relevant conversations lasting 10 minutes or more.

• Regular meetings in which the worker is seldom expected to contribute.

A worker expected to engage in anything more than simple communication with others should be coded as more than basic people skills.

Critical tasks involving instructing, mentoring, or supervising others always require more than basic people skills. Likewise, regularly engaging in persuasion or negotiation for critical tasks is considered more than basic people skills.

Table 6-12: People Skills Examples

6_05 Problem Solving 

Problem Solving measures how often workers are faced with a new or difficult situation which requires them to think for a while about what to do next.

Problem Solving

Problem Solving answers the question: How often is the worker responsible for solving problems that take more than 5 minutes to think of a good solution?

Use the following frequency categories:

• More than once per day

• Once per day

• Not every day, but at least once per week

• Not every week, but at least once per month

• Less often than monthly, including never

The intent of problem solving is to measure the frequency workers are required to analyze issues and make decisions that have a moderate to significant level of difficulty (e.g., the full extent of issues may not be readily apparent and requires independent judgment and research or investigation). The defining characteristics of problem solving are that there is no obvious, immediate solution to a problem or issue, and the worker must identify and weigh alternatives to arrive at a solution. The five-minute time period is used as a method to exclude more routine or simple decision-making or resolve issues that have a limited or minimal level of difficulty (e.g., may involve selection of established alternatives according to common procedures).

Collecting Problem Solving

Collect the highest frequency of problem solving the job requires. Apply the five-minute threshold to the time it takes workers to think of an answer themselves, not the time it takes workers to find or get an answer from someone else or work through a standard protocol. If the frequency changes during the work schedule, code the most frequent level experienced and document the circumstances.

Include both individual and group (e.g., team) problem solving when the worker is responsible for the decision. Exclude group problem solving that consists only of brainstorming or in situations in which the worker has no accountability.

Exclude routine decisions and decisions requiring five or fewer minutes of thought from this element. Jobs where workers deal directly with the public (e.g., retail sales, restaurants, and help centers) are often viewed as requiring frequent problem solving because interactions with the public can be idiosyncratic, unpredictable, problematic, and emotional. However, if problems with the general public can be resolved in five minutes or less, or are raised to a supervisor, exclude the frequency of this type of problem solving.

Likewise, emergency responders and protective services workers are expected to make many different types of high-stakes decisions depending on the types of situations encountered. However, unless the issues these workers encounter take more than five minutes to identify and weigh alternatives to determine how to proceed, they should not be counted toward the frequency of problem solving. Most protective service personnel are given extensive training to ensure they are able to identify solutions and respond quickly in various emergency situations. For this reason, it’s unlikely the decisions they are making reach the five minute threshold at a high frequency. Higher levels of authority or more specialized work in protective services occupations may require a higher frequency of problem solving.

Table 6-13: Problem Solving Examples

6_06 Interaction with General Public/Crowds and Telework

Interaction with the General Public/Crowds and Telework consists of three elements:

• Working with the General Public

• Working around Crowds

• Telework

Working with the General Public

Working with the General Public answers the question: Are workers in this job required to work with the general public?

• Yes

• No

Collecting Working with the General Public

Collect the presence (yes/no) of any critical tasks where working with the general public is required. If any critical task requires working with the general public, code Yes.

The intent of this element is to identify settings where workers must have contact (i.e., in person, via telephone, or by videoconferencing) with individuals other than coworkers (e.g., customers, clients, patients, or workers from other establishments).

Include working with:

• Individuals other than coworkers

• Individuals having a transient relationship with the organization (e.g., delivery driver, new customers or clients).

• Large numbers of people rotate in and out on a regular basis (e.g., students).

• In-person, telephone, and/or videoconferencing contacts.

Exclude:

• Working near or around the general public without the need to interact

• Indirect contacts such as email

Table 6-14: Working with the General Public Examples

Working around Crowds

Working around Crowds answers the question: Are workers in this job required to work around crowds in a way that restricts their movement?

• Yes

• No

A crowd is a situation in which all of the following conditions must be met:

• Many unfamiliar people are present considering the space available, and

• Movement is restricted, and

• Any given arrangement of the crowd is temporary, and

• A certain level of disorganization is present, and

• Workers are not separated from unfamiliar people by counters, dividers or other objects.

The intent of this element is to capture the need for a job to work around large gatherings of unfamiliar people in locations like convention halls, public malls, large public beaches, airports or on airplanes, as well as mass entertainment venues like movie theatres, auditoriums, sporting events, night clubs, etc. Movement is mainly restricted by people, not objects. A certain level of disorganization is mainly present due to the temporary arrangement of people.

Collecting Working around Crowds

Collect the presence (yes/no) of any critical tasks performed that involve working around a crowd. If any critical task requires working around crowds as defined above, code Yes and document how all the above crowd conditions are met.

Exclude from this element situations where many unfamiliar people may be present but are organized via lines or separated from the worker by objects like counters, booths, dividers, etc.

The criteria used to define working around crowds and working with the general public are not the same. The general public is defined as individuals other than coworkers while crowds must be made up of unfamiliar people. In some cases, non-coworkers will be familiar so they would be counted as the general public but would not be counted for crowds. For example, students always count as the general public to school employees since they are not coworkers, however they may or may not be unfamiliar to school employees.

Table 6-15: Crowds Examples

Telework

Telework answers the question: Are workers in this job permitted to work from home or telework?

• Yes

• No

The intent of this element is to identify jobs where workers have the flexibility to regularly perform their critical job function off premises of the employer in the privacy of the workers’ homes for an agreed-upon portion of their work schedule. This flexibility impacts the need to have regular in-person contacts. It captures information about work location and arrangements, flexibility, work review, supervision, etc.

Collecting Telework

Collect the presence (yes/no) of workers who are able and permitted to telework while performing their critical job function.

Code telework as Yes when the critical job function can be performed at home, even if some critical tasks must be performed outside the worker’s home. For example, a lawyer represents clients through email, telephone, in person, and in court. Even though appearances in court and in person meetings cannot take place while teleworking, email and telephone representation can.

Code telework as No if the critical job function must always be performed from some place other than the worker’s home during the regular workday (even if some tasks could be performed from home outside of regular work hours), such as:

• An employer’s worksite (e.g., public school teachers)

• Somewhere offsite (e.g., construction workers).  

Exclude the presence of telework when it is only permitted after standard hours or allowed during emergencies. Similarly, code No when the establishment allows telework on an ad hoc basis, but does not routinely permit telework otherwise.

Table 6-16: Telework Examples

Chapter 7: Physical Demands

Physical Demands are the physical activities workers perform to carry out critical tasks.

This chapter includes procedures for collecting the physical demands elements:

1. Collecting Physical Demands

2. Sitting vs. Standing/Walking

3. Lifting/Carrying

4. Pushing/Pulling

5. Reaching

6. Keyboarding

7. Manipulation

8. Low Postures: Stooping, Crouching, Kneeling, Crawling

9. Climbing

10. Driving

11. Speaking/Hearing Requirements

12. Vision

7_01 Collecting Physical Demands

Accurately capture the physical requirements expected of jobs by using knowledge of ORS-specific element definitions and procedures to assess the information provided by respondents. Use the following guidance to avoid overstating or understating the physical demands of jobs.

1. Determine the physical demands needed to perform the job’s critical function(s) and critical tasks. Exclude accommodations and any physical demands associated with incidental tasks. See Overall Coding Threshold for All ORS Elements.

2. Collect duration for all elements except for Vision and Hearing. See Duration for details on coding duration. If workers do not experience a physical demand element while performing their critical tasks, code Not Present. Provide additional documentation when the presence or duration of a physical demand seems unusual for the occupation and cannot be concluded based only on the critical tasks listed.

3. Certain elements have unique collection guidelines:

   • Lifting/Carrying has unique collection guidelines. See 7_03 Collecting Lifting/Carrying.

   • Climbing Ramps/Stairs - Structure has unique collection guidelines. See 7_09 Collecting Climbing Ramps or Stairs.

4. Several ORS elements have higher thresholds associated with them and respondents may define them differently. Apply thresholds to Pushing/Pulling, Overhead Reaching, and Stooping.

5. Do not assume the presence of physical demands based on SVP, license, or other periodic recertification requirements. Code physical demands that the establishment specifies are required to perform critical tasks.

6. Exclude physical demands related to a worker’s commute or clocking in or out.

7. Collect the presence of One or Both hand/arm (foot/leg) for the following physical demand data elements:

   • Pushing/Pulling – Hand/Arm and Foot/Leg

   • Manipulation – Gross, Fine, and Foot/Leg Controls

   • Reaching – At/Below Shoulder and Overhead.

   If any of the critical tasks performed requires both hands/arms (feet/legs), code as Both 

   If all of the critical tasks performed can be completed using one hand/arm (foot/leg), code as One. 

   Keep tasks and maximum weight lifted in mind when coding manipulation/keyboarding/ reaching/etc. as one or both hands. If it seems like a task or weight amount would normally use two hands, then verify with the respondent if possible and code as such. 

   Example While it may be possible to use one hand for some portions of driving, making tight turns to park or otherwise maneuver a vehicle normally requires both hands.

8. To avoid overstatement, do not count time spent Keyboarding, Crawling, or Climbing Ropes, Ladders, and Scaffolds in other physical demand elements.

9. Any time spent during paid breaks should be coded based on the way workers experience demands when they are not on break.

Concurrent Physical Demands

There are many situations where critical tasks performed include the presence of multiple physical demand elements concurrently. For these elements, the duration of time spent performing each element collectively can exceed the daily work hours.

Writing involves both:

• Gross Manipulation – One hand

• Fine Manipulation - One hand

Pushing a heavy cart while standing/walking includes:

• Pushing with hands/arms - Both

• Pushing with feet/legs - Both

• Gross manipulation - Both

• Standing/walking

Making a phone call may include:

• Gross Manipulation - One hand (holding the receiver with one hand)

• Fine Manipulation - One hand (dialing the phone with the other hand)

• Speaking

• Hearing – Telephone (listening to speech via telephone)

Some physical demand elements should not be coded concurrently for ORS.

Review each physical demand element’s section for more detailed information on element relationships.

7_02 Sitting vs. Standing/Walking

There are three components to this element:

• Sitting

• Standing/Walking

• Sitting/Standing at Will

Collecting Sitting vs. Standing/Walking

Sitting is present when any of the following conditions exists:

• Workers remain in a seated position. This includes active sitting. For example, bicyclists sit but push/pull with their feet/legs.

• Workers are lying down. This includes active lying down. For example, a mechanic lying on a dolly working underneath a vehicle is sitting.

• Workers may choose between sitting and standing for a given task. For example, office workers can choose a standing desk.

Standing/walking is present whenever workers are not sitting or lying down. Include time spent stooping, crawling, kneeling, crouching, or climbing.

A worker is always either sitting or standing/walking.

Table 7-1: Sitting vs. Standing/Walking Examples

Coding Duration for Sitting vs. Standing/Walking

Collect the actual daily hours or percent of hours that workers spend sitting OR standing/walking. The total amount of time coded for sitting and standing/walking must add up to the full daily work schedule.

Sitting vs. standing/walking is based on an entire typical work day, not just on critical tasks. Coding for a typical work day generally reflects the normal exertion expected of a job. Ask the respondent to provide the duration workers spend sitting vs. standing/walking over an average work day. Probe and document if these durations seem unexpected or unusual given the task list and nature of the job. It is not necessary to adjust reasonable responses to reflect small amounts of incidental activity.

If a job spends a portion of the day sitting and the rest standing, but the respondent can only provide a range, use the mid-point of the range to calculate hours spent between Sitting and Standing/Walking.

 ## pictures in the following tables##

Table 7-2: Sitting vs. Standing/Walking Duration Examples

Sitting/Standing at Will

The ability to alternate between Sitting/Standing at Will is present when the following conditions exist:

• Workers typically have the flexibility to choose between sitting and standing throughout the day and

• There is no assigned time during the day to sit or stand and

• No external factors determine whether an employee must sit or stand.

Collect the presence (yes/no) of Sitting/Standing at Will.

This element captures jobs that have the ability to choose or control how and when they respond to external factors. When collecting for this element, consult the job’s documented task list to determine whether any of the critical tasks assigned would prevent the ability to sit/stand at will.

The ability to sit/stand at will can be present even when there are specific critical tasks that require workers to be sitting or standing. If workers can determine/schedule when to perform that specific critical task, then they may still have the ability to sit/stand at will. Driving is an example of a task that is commonly performed while seated. If workers can control when the driving must be performed, then it is still possible for Sitting/Standing at Will to be present.

Exclude time sitting or standing during incidental tasks or scheduled breaks from determining the ability to sit/stand at will.

When workers may choose between sitting and standing/walking, time is coded as sitting. Therefore, when time is coded as 100% sitting, sitting/standing at will may be coded either Yes or No. When time is coded as 100% standing, all work must be done from a standing position so sitting/standing at will must be coded No.

While there are similarities between sitting/standing at will and the cognitive element, pause control, there is not a one-to-one relationship. Sit/stand at will captures the flexibility to choose how or when during the day the work is physically performed, while pause control measures the latitude to take a brief break from the work when needed. It is possible for a worker to be able to easily take a break, but be unable to sit/stand at will and vice versa.

Table 7-3: Sitting/Standing At Will Examples

7_03 Lifting/Carrying

Lifting is raising or lowering an object from one level to another. Lifting can include an upward pulling motion, which is not counted as Pulling with Hands/Arms.

Carrying is transporting an object, usually by holding it in the hands or arms, or wearing it on the body, usually around the waist or upper torso.

Lifting/Carrying is a measure of strength.

Collecting Lifting/Carrying

Collect the presence and duration of any lifting/carrying needed to carry out the job’s critical tasks. Use the weight and duration chart below to collect the weight lifted/carried by duration level.

Table 7-4: Collecting Lifting/Carrying - Weight/Duration Table

None

None means there is no weight lifted or carried.

Negligible

Negligible means the weight is so small that measurement is not meaningful. Negligible includes anything lifted or carried weighing less than one pound (e.g., a pen, a few sheets of paper).

Include:

• Time spent raising, lowering, or transporting objects

• Weight worn while standing that causes physical exertion

Exclude:

• Lifting/carrying workers may perform for incidental tasks

• Time workers spend simply holding/grasping objects, while not actively raising/lowering/or otherwise transporting them

• Weight of items worn on the body that would not cause physical exertion such as cell phones, headsets, stethoscopes, hard hats, safety glasses, ear protection, etc.

• Any weight worn while sitting

Refining Lifting/Carrying

Consider the following questions when collecting lifting/carrying:

Table 7-5: Lift/Carry Questions to Consider

Avoid Overstating Lifting/Carrying

Do not assume weights listed in job descriptions are the amount of weight the job normally carries/lifts to perform their critical tasks. Weights listed in job descriptions may be an arbitrarily determined maximum number of pounds included for workers’ compensation and other insurance purposes.

Ensure lifting/carrying durations collected make sense considering the time spent performing other critical tasks that don’t require active lifting/carrying (e.g., driving, keyboarding, writing, holding or grasping but not lifting/carrying objects). Also consider the workers may have downtime between critical tasks performed (e.g., between waiting on customers).

Use professional analysis and probing questions when a respondent states that any lifting/carrying, even of negligible weight, is required frequently or constantly. Keep in mind that the activity must occur for 2/3 or more of the day (e.g., 5 hours and 20 minutes in an 8 hour day) to be coded as constant. Consider the time spent performing other physical demands and whether the workday will allow for such a high duration.

Such a high rate of occurrence will typically occur:

• During repetitive production-type work.

• When workers wear physically exerting weight while standing/walking (tool belts, safety or other equipment).

Table 7-6: Lifting/Carrying Examples

Coding Lifting/Carrying

Using the weight and duration chart, determine the maximum weight lifted ever and for each duration level. Round weight up to a whole number to determine the weight range.

1. Code the maximum weight lifted/carried ever and use this weight to select the appropriate range for the Up to 2% duration in CIERA.

2. The most weight lifted/carried ever will be the same as the most weight lifted Up to 2%, except in the case of negligible weight. When the maximum weight ever lifted is Negligible, code 0 (zero) for the Maximum Weight Lifted Ever entry and Negligible in the Up to 2% duration.

3. Code the most weight lifted/carried in the Occasional 2% up to 1/3 duration in CIERA. This weight will be the same or less than the amount collected for Seldom Up to 2% duration.

4. Code the most weight lifted/carried in the Frequent 1/3 up to 2/3 duration in CIERA. This weight will be the same or less than the amount collected for Occasional 2% up to 1/3 duration.

5. Code the most weight lifted/carried in the Constant 2/3 or more duration in CIERA. This will be the same or less than the amount collected at the Frequent 1/3 up to 2/3 duration.

Document:

• Items lifted/carried.

• Any weight coded at the Constant 2/3 or more duration, including negligible weight items.

• When lifting/carrying an object does not require hands. 

Lifting/Carrying the Weight of a Person

Consider the following questions when a respondent indicates that a job must lift or carry the weight of another person:

Table 7-7: Questions to Consider When Lifting or Carrying the Weight of Another Person

Table 7-8: Lifting/Carrying Coding Examples

7_04 Pushing/Pulling     

Pushing is exerting force upon an object so that the object moves away from the origin of the force.

Pulling is exerting force upon an object so that the object moves toward the origin of the force.

Pushing/Pulling is a measure of strength, not dexterity. Force or exertion must meet a threshold for Pushing/Pulling to be present.

Force is an interaction that changes the motion of an object. Factors affecting the amount of force needed are: 

• Weight of object(s) being pushed/pulled

• Friction, specifically pushing/pulling on a smooth vs. coarse surface

• Incline

Collecting Pushing/Pulling 

Include the presence and duration of pushing/pulling when critical tasks performed meet one of the following thresholds:

• A worker uses ten force pounds or more, or

• A worker uses any amount of force 2/3 or more of the day (constant or production rate).

A production rate includes a constant repetition of a negligible amount of force, requiring considerable strength at any weight.

Documentation, including examples of items pushed/pulled, must be provided to support the coding.

Table 7-10: Meeting Pushing/Pulling Thresholds Examples

Coding Pushing/Pulling - Meeting Thresholds 

Collect the presence and duration of pushing and pulling together.

• Code the duration of any pushing/pulling required for critical tasks equal to ten or more force-pounds. This meets the force threshold.

• Code the duration of any force-pounds required for critical tasks if the pushing/pulling occurs more than 2/3 of the day. This meets the production rate threshold.

• Code pushing/pulling as Not Present when pushing/pulling duration is less than 2/3 of the day and involves less than ten pounds of force. This does not meet either threshold for pushing/pulling.

• When pushing/pulling force amounts vary above and below the force threshold, code total duration experienced if the sum of all tasks involving pushing/pulling are present for more than 2/3 of the day. If total duration is less than 2/3 of the day, code only the duration for tasks requiring over ten pounds of force.

• Code Present Duration Unknown only when a critical task requires force clearly exceeding ten pounds and the duration is not known. Do not code Present Duration Unknown based solely on the knowledge a task requiring pushing/pulling may exist from a job description or other written source, unless verified by a respondent.

• If the force threshold cannot be determined, code Unknown unless it can be verified that duration exceeds 2/3 of the day (production rate threshold). Force is not a consideration above 2/3 of the day.

Types of Pushing/Pulling

Separate pushing and pulling based on the part of the body used. Collect as:

• Hands/Arms, when the upper body is used. 

• Feet/Legs, when the lower body is used, and upper leg muscles are needed to create the force

Exclude feet only pushing/pulling, when the pushing is done primarily by feet from a seated position and upper leg muscles do not create the force. Feet only pushing/pulling is counted as Manipulation-Feet/Leg Controls.

Most pushing and pulling that occurs while walking uses arms and legs to apply force. Types of Pushing/Pulling using arms and legs include:

• Wheelchairs

• Commercial carpet cleaners

• Carts

• Walk-behind lawn mowers

Knowing a worker is standing is not sufficient to determine whether legs are the source of the force exerted. Consider the object pushed/pulled while standing and determine with the respondent whether the legs are included in creating force necessary to push/pull it by noting the following: 

• When the workers are standing only so they are in the proper position (e.g., height) to do the pushing and pulling with the arms, Push/Pull with Legs is not present.

• When the workers are standing and using leg muscles to contribute to generate the forces needed to meet the 10 lbs. of force threshold, Push/Pull with Legs is present.

For each type of pushing and pulling, code whether the critical task performed requires one or both hands/arms (feet/legs). See 7_01 Coding One or Both for guidelines.

Table 7-11: Pushing/Pulling Types and One/Both Examples

7_05 Reaching

Reaching is extending the hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction, requiring the straightening and extending of the arm(s) and elbow(s) and the engagement of the shoulder(s).

There are two types of Reaching:

• Overhead Reaching

• At/Below the Shoulder Reaching

Overhead Reaching is extending the arm(s) with the hand higher than the head and one of the following two conditions exists:

• Condition 1: The worker bends the elbow, and the angle at the shoulder is about 90 degrees or more.

• Condition 2: The worker keeps the elbow extended, and the angle at the shoulder is about 120 degrees or more.

At/Below the Shoulder Reaching is any reaching which does not meet the threshold for Overhead.

Collecting Reaching

Collect the presence and duration of both types of reaching. For each type, code whether the task requires one or both hands/arms. See 7_01 Coding One or Both for guidelines.

Collect reaching when it meets all three of the following criteria:

• Meets the definition of reaching above

• Is in support of critical tests

• Is required, not an employee choice

Collect the duration for the entire range of motion for reaching, not just the time at full extension. While workers can bend their arms at any time when reaching, do not collect an action as reaching if it does not actually require some extension of the arm and elbow and engagement of the shoulders. For example, operating a steering wheel of a standard vehicle does not meet the requirement of reaching, since the seat can be adjusted to avoid extension of the arm and engagement of the shoulders.

Include only the reaching necessary to perform the critical tasks of the job.

• If workers can stand as needed to avoid overhead reaching, collect task as at/below the shoulder reaching. Standing is the only means of avoiding overhead reaching that should be considered, (i.e., do not substitute another physical demand such as climbing a stepladder to avoid reaching).

• If workers have the ability to adjust themselves or easily reposition items to avoid at/below the shoulder reaching, do not include as reaching.

• If workers do not have the ability to easily reposition themselves due to the nature of critical tasks or physical setting of work environment, include the type and duration of reaching performed.

Document examples of actions that require reaching to support coding selections.

Exclude reaching when it is already captured as part of another physical demand element:

• Crawling

• Climbing ladders, ropes, scaffolding: during ascending/descending of ladders, ropes, and scaffolds only

• Keyboarding: exclude reaching while typing or using mouse

Table 7-12: Reaching Examples

7_06 Manipulation 

There are three types of Manipulation:

• Gross Manipulation

• Fine Manipulation

• Foot/Leg Controls

Gross Manipulation is seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with the hand(s).

Fine Manipulation is touching, picking, pinching, or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm, as in gross manipulation.

Foot/Leg Controls is the use of one or both feet or legs to move controls on machinery or equipment. Controls include, but are not limited to, pedals, buttons, levers, and cranks.

Collecting Manipulation

Collect the presence and duration of manipulation. For each type, code whether the task requires one or both hands or feet. See 7_01 Coding One or Both for guidelines.

Gross Manipulation

For gross manipulation, fingers are involved only to the extent that they are an extension of the hand to hold or operate an object or tool, such as a hammer.

Include gross manipulation involved with the following:

• Lifting/carrying involving the hands.

• Pushing/pulling involving use of hands.

• Reaching for something using hands.

• Driving involving hands (steering wheel, gear shifts, etc.)

• Writing

Exclude coding gross manipulation when it is already captured as part of another physical demand element:

• Gross manipulation involved in keyboarding or the use of a mouse

• Gross manipulation involved while climbing ladders, ropes, and scaffolds (during ascending/descending of ladders, ropes, and scaffolds only)

• Lifting/carrying that involves a part of the body other than hands

Fine Manipulation

Some tasks require simultaneous gross manipulation and fine manipulation, like writing. Code duration for tasks requiring simultaneous fine and gross manipulation in both elements.

Include fine manipulation involved with:

• Writing

• Pressing buttons on office equipment such as fax machines, printers, copiers

• Entering data using touchscreens, including the following types of electronic devices: tablet computers, touch screen mobile phones, touch screen point of sale devices, cash registers, including hybrid cash registers, portable scanners

Exclude fine manipulation when:

• Entering data on traditional keyboards or 10-Key pads. Include duration for these types of keyboards as keyboarding.

Foot/Leg Controls

The intent of foot/leg controls is to capture instances of pedals that control machinery or equipment, and commonly adjust speed, on/off status, and height through varied pressure or toggling. Operating such controls involves smaller, more precise foot movements and typically does not require the upper leg muscles to create force.

In contrast, pushing/pulling feet/legs captures demands requiring use of feet as extension of the force created by the upper leg muscles. For example, bicycle “pedals” act as levers extending the pushing/pulling force created by the upper leg muscles. Exclude any motion already captured as pushing/pulling feet/legs, like operating a bicycle, from foot/leg controls manipulation.

Table 7-13: Manipulation Examples

Keyboarding is entering text or data into a computer or other machine by means of a keyboard, using a repetitive motion requiring the use of the whole hand.

Collecting Keyboarding

Collect the presence and duration of keyboarding using traditional keyboards.

Traditional Keyboard refers to a panel of keys used as the primary input device on a computer, typographic machine or 10-Key numeric keypad.

Include:

• All aspects of using a desktop computer, including a mouse

• Adding machines

• Calculators

• Laptops

• Stenographer’s machines

• Typewriters

Collect durations for the use of any other keyboarding devices not listed above as Fine Manipulation. Examples of other keyboarding devices that should be coded as fine manipulation include tablets, smartphones, cash registers, and retail scanners.

Table 7-14: Keyboarding vs. Fine Manipulation Examples

There are four low postures:

• Stooping

• Crouching

• Kneeling

• Crawling

Workers may use these postures to lower or position themselves over something at or below knee level or get closer to the ground. A worker cannot stoop, crouch, kneel, or crawl at the same time.

Stooping is bending the body forward and down while bending the spine at the waist 45 degrees or more either over something below waist level or down towards an object on or near the ground. Stooping should be significant enough that when bending, if arms were extended toward the ground, workers’ hands would be at or below the knees. Stooping must be performed while standing.

Crouching is bending the body downward and forward by bending the legs and spine.

Kneeling is bending the legs at the knees to come to rest on the knee or knees.

Crawling is moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.

Collecting Low Postures

Determine whether any critical tasks require low postures. When critical tasks require low movements, collect the presence and duration of the total time spent getting low using stooping, crouching, kneeling, and crawling postures. The time spent in these postural positions is usually minimal. Be sure the duration provided corresponds to critical tasks.

If critical tasks require low postures, determine which postures workers use. For each posture type, select one of the following:

Table 7-15: Collecting Low Postures

The intent of these options is to capture the types of postures workers use when getting low is required and distinguish between jobs where workers must use specific posture(s) versus having the flexibility to decide which posture(s) to use.

Different tasks may require the use of the same posture(s). If use of a specific posture(s) is required for any task, code Yes-Required even if workers have the choice to use the same posture for most other tasks.

Table 7-16: Low Postures Examples

Low Postures Coding Examples

Table 7-17: Low Postures Coding Examples

There are two types of climbing:

• Climbing Ramps or Stairs

• Climbing Ladders, Ropes, or Scaffolds

Climbing Ramps or Stairs is present when a worker ascends or descends ramps or stairs primarily using feet and legs. A worker may use arms and hands for balance only, as in holding a stair railing.

Climbing Ladders, Ropes, or Scaffolds is present when a workers ascends or descends ladders, scaffolding, ropes, or poles, using feet/legs and hands/arms. A worker typically uses both upper body and lower body climbing ladders, ropes, or scaffolds.

Determining Climbing Type

If the type of climbing present does not directly correspond to either of the above elements, select the element that most closely resembles the action performed by the workers and document.

Categorize stools and ladders as follows:

Table 7-18: Climbing - Stool and Ladder Categories

Collecting Climbing Ramps or Stairs

When Climbing Ramps or Stairs is present, determine if it is work-related or structure-related, and code accordingly.

Work-related: Performing critical tasks would require climbing regardless of the building structure. Work-related climbing includes climbing stairs/ramps on machinery and equipment, the use of step stools, or the use of mobile ramps.

Structure-related: Performing critical tasks would not require climbing if the workplace was one level. Structure-related climbing includes climbing stairs or ramps that are part of a building structure, including climbing steps to enter/exit residential structures as well as climbing full stair flights within both residential and public structures.

Structure-related climbing does not include the use of ADA-compliant ramps or climbing steps to enter and exit public buildings and non-residential structures. Federal law requires the availability of an ADA-compliant entrance at these structures; therefore, climbing steps to enter and exit public and non-residential buildings is voluntary. Assume all public and non-residential buildings have availability of alternate access, even when structures may be grandfathered from accessibility requirements. Further, climbing ADA-compliant ramps does not meet the physical exertion this element intends to capture for ramps/stairs.

A job may perform both work-related and structure-related climbing. Collect the presence and the duration of any work-related climbing. Collect the presence only of any structure-related climbing.

Table 7-19: Climbing Ramps or Stairs Examples

Collecting Climbing Ladders, Ropes, or Scaffolds 

If workers must climb something that requires the use of both the upper and lower body to climb, include it in this element. Collect the presence and the duration of climbing ladders, ropes, or scaffolds.

Table 7-20: Climbing Ladders, Ropes, Scaffolds Examples

Driving, a type of task, is the operation of a motorized passenger vehicle or other conveyance. Include operating passenger vehicles such as automobiles, vans, or light trucks, and other vehicles such as tractor trailers, buses, equipment (e.g. forklifts, golf carts, riding mowers), trains, boats or aircraft.

Collecting Driving

Collect the presence of driving only when it is confirmed that driving is a critical task for the job. Include a description of all types of vehicles driven in the task list documentation.

Exclude non-motorized conveyances, such as riding an animal or bicycle.

Driving involves multiple physical demands:

• Far Visual Acuity: Far Visual Acuity is assumed when Driving is present.

• Peripheral Vision: Peripheral Vision is assumed when Driving is present.

• Gross Manipulation: Time spent driving will be the base duration for Gross Manipulation.

Driving may also include:

• Near Visual Acuity

• Credentials - License or Other (commercial or standard drivers’ licenses)

Driving when operating a passenger vehicle with automatic transmission and power brakes also includes:

• Manipulation – Foot/Leg Controls Manipulation – Foot/Leg Controls – One

• Credentials – Other (standard drivers’ licenses)

Driving when operating a passenger vehicle with automatic transmission and power brakes does not include:

• Pushing/Pulling - Feet/Legs: Operating the gas and brake pedals in this type of standard passenger vehicle does not meet the force threshold.

• Reaching: Operating a steering wheel does not meet the requirement of reaching. When driving a passenger vehicle, the steering wheel is close enough that the driver does not extend the arms enough to engage the shoulder.

Driving normally involves the use of both hands while operating a steering wheel. Document whenever a vehicle has unique controls that would not require both hands.

Except for the above guidance, do not assume the presence or duration of any physical demand based upon vehicle type. The use of cruise control should not be considered when determining duration/use of ORS elements. Large or specialized vehicles may have different controls, so always confirm expectations with the respondent and code based on the actual equipment. Many modern large trucks, buses, and equipment may require little physical exertion or no more than is needed for driving a passenger car. 

For more information on how to collect job demands for occupations when traveling is involved, see Section 4_05.

Speaking is expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word to impart oral information to clients or the public and to convey detailed verbal instructions to other workers accurately, loudly or quickly.

Hearing Requirements account for the ability to hear, understand, and distinguish speech and/or other sounds.

Collecting Speaking

This element measures speaking as a critical task (e.g., television announcer) or speaking as a primary activity in support of a critical task (e.g., customer service). Not all speech is captured in this element.

Include:

• Any speaking (in support of critical tasks) with the public or clients (including simple, straightforward exchanges)

• Speaking with coworkers to provide detailed instructions or to coordinate or plan work

Consider these questions when determining the presence and amount of time workers spend speaking:

• Do the critical tasks performed require any speaking to accomplish them?

• Can critical tasks be completed independently without contact with others? 

• When workers speak to others, why are they communicating? Are they expressing or exchanging ideas or giving detailed instructions to others?

• When speaking occurs, is clarity of speech important? In other words, must it be conveyed accurately, loudly, or quickly?

Tasks which involve making/working with things – objects, equipment, tools – are less likely to require speaking to accomplish critical tasks. Tasks that involve working with people, ideas, or providing services to others are likely to require speaking.

While there are some exceptions such as service workers dealing with the general public, in general, the less skilled a job is, the less likely workers will be required to speak to perform their critical tasks. In contrast, the more skilled a job is, the more likely workers will be required to speak to perform some of their critical tasks. Higher skilled jobs are more likely to express or exchange ideas and give detailed instructions to others.

Collect the duration workers are actually speaking. Do not include the time workers spend listening during a conversation. Do not assume a 50/50 split for speaking/listening. The job, critical tasks being performed, and the nature of the conversation can impact the amount of time spent speaking versus listening. Ask the respondent to estimate how much time is spent speaking versus listening.

Coordinating with Coworkers

Any coordinating with coworkers which involves expressing and exchanging ideas and information including planning, explaining, resolving, as well as giving detailed instructions to others workers accurately should be included in the presence and duration of speaking. Do not limit speaking to only clients, general public, and supervisors.

Exclude from the presence and duration of speaking coordinating with coworkers when it involves basic exchanges where clarity of speech isn’t necessary such as alerting other coworkers that tasks are complete, equipment/part has malfunctioned, or supplies are low.

Table 7-21: Speaking Examples and Duration Guidance

Collecting Hearing Requirements

There are four types of hearing requirements:

• In Person Speech: Includes the ability to hear speech (spoken words) in person, both one on one and in group or conference settings. Includes the use of video conferencing equipment and software that mimics live interactions by employing participant video with sound.

• Telephone: Includes the ability to hear speech through a telephone. In addition to use of a traditional telephone, this includes using telephone headsets, speakerphones, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) using traditional handsets or through a computer. Also includes the ability to hear the telephone ringing.

• Other Remote Speech: Includes the ability to hear speech through other remote communication devices such as walkie-talkies, intercoms, public address systems, drive-through headsets, etc.

• Other Sounds: Includes the ability to hear other sounds outside of words/language that are related to critical tasks. Include hearing items such as machinery and equipment alarms and sounds, as well as animal or human sounds other than speech, etc.

Collect the presence of any types of hearing necessary to perform critical tasks. Include the ability to hear verbal instructions or information necessary to perform critical tasks. Exclude hearing for any conversation or sounds that are:

• Social in nature – between coworkers or with the public.

• Public announcements and public safety alarms, such as fire, tornado, weather, and other public safety alerts.

• Related to incidental tasks

Table 7-22: Hearing Requirements Examples

There are three vision elements:

• Near Visual Acuity

• Far Visual Acuity

• Peripheral Vision

Near Visual Acuity is clarity of vision at approximately 20 inches or less, as when working with small objects or reading small print.

Far Visual Acuity is clarity of vision at a distance of 20 feet or more, involving the ability to distinguish features of a person or objects at a distance.

Peripheral Vision is what is seen above, below, to the left or right by the eye while staring straight ahead.

Collecting Vision

Collect the presence of each vision type when it is required to perform critical tasks.

Near and Far Visual Acuity

Many tasks require the ability to see, but may not require clarity of vision either close-up or far away.

Include the presence of near visual acuity and far visual acuity when a worker is required to see with clarity at the designated distances. Clarity involves the ability to see details of objects.

Do not include the presence of near visual acuity or far visual acuity when a worker is required to have vision but not clarity.

Peripheral Vision

Peripheral Vision includes the need to actively scan a broad area as part of critical tasks performed. The need to maintain focus and monitor a broad field of vision is not met when workers are only using peripheral vision to maintain general situational awareness while moving around the work environment. The need is also not met if workers can turn their heads or look around at any time while performing the critical task. While many workers are expected to maintain awareness of the overall work environment for a variety of reasons, few non-driving jobs are actually restricted by their tasks from turning their head if they need to see around them.

Table 7-23: Vision Examples