Occupational information system project

Our disability claims policy and the process to implement this policy require that we evaluate medical, and in most cases, work information. When we evaluate work information, we take into account work in the national economy to determine whether a claimant can do his or her past work or adjust to other work as it is performed in the national economy. Our main source of occupational information, the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), was developed by the Department of Labor (DOL) in 1938. However, the DOL stopped updating the DOT in 1991. In order to make accurate decisions, we must have information that reflects current occupations and their requirements. As a result, we are developing a new Occupational Information System (OIS), which will replace the DOT as the primary source of occupational information SSA staff use in our disability adjudication process.