As a VE in Social Security cases, I am asked to name the kind of jobs a person can perform following a hypothetical person developed by an Administrative Law Judge. Subsequently, I need to list the physical and specific preparation requirements of these jobs, and how many jobs with that Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) code exist in the national economy. In personal injury, wrongful termination and divorce cases, I am asked to show that a plaintiff can actually find such jobs.
I draw information from job websites and government data to research jobs, job openings, and trends. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) program produces data on job openings, hires, and separations. The data can be used by state or the whole nation and can be broken down by industry (Nationally only). This data provides valuable information about where the job market was during the past period. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics gives information regarding the duration of unemployment by month. In September 2022, for instance, the average period of unemployment is 20.2 weeks and the median period is 8.3 weeks. This period has been steadily declining since the COVID Pandemic. In combination with actual job advertisements, reasonable estimations can be made about whether a plaintiff can secure a job in a chosen industry and geographic area.