Transferable Skills Analysis & Vocational Planning Flashcards

When a vocational evaluator testifies as an expert witness in an SSA hearing, which resource is most commonly cited to establish the number of jobs available in the national economy for a given occupation?

Answer: The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) combined with the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)

Vocational experts typically combine DOT occupational data with OES (Bureau of Labor Statistics) employment statistics to estimate job numbers existing in significant numbers nationally.

Which of the following is a non-exertional limitation that must be considered separately from physical strength demands in TSA?

Answer: Inability to tolerate exposure to environmental hazards such as heights or moving machinery

Non-exertional limitations, such as environmental restrictions (heights, chemicals, noise), affect the range of jobs available beyond what the exertional level alone would indicate.

In vocational planning with a rehabilitation focus, what does the term 'vocational goal' refer to?

Answer: The specific occupation or employment outcome the client is working toward, based on interests, skills, and functional capacity

A vocational goal is the targeted employment outcome that guides the entire rehabilitation plan, incorporating the client's abilities, interests, and realistic job market opportunities.

How does the Transferable Skills Analysis process typically begin when evaluating a client who has prior work history?

Answer: Collecting a detailed work history to identify the skills, knowledge, and abilities acquired from past relevant work

TSA begins with a thorough work history interview to identify the specific skills, tools, and worker traits the client has developed through prior employment.

Which concept in vocational planning refers to jobs a person has performed at the substantial gainful activity level for long enough to learn them, within the past 15 years?

Answer: Past Relevant Work (PRW)

Past Relevant Work (PRW) is a key SSA concept describing prior jobs performed at SGA level, in the last 15 years, long enough to learn, and used to assess whether a claimant can return to prior work.

When a vocational plan identifies retraining as the recommended path, which factor is MOST critical for the evaluator to assess before recommending a specific training program?

Answer: Whether the client's functional capacity and aptitudes are consistent with the training program's demands and the target occupation's requirements

Before recommending retraining, the evaluator must confirm that the client has the physical, cognitive, and aptitude capacity to complete the program and perform the target occupation.

In vocational planning, 'occupational alternatives' are best defined as:

Answer: A range of job titles the client can perform given their skills, limitations, and the demands of those occupations in the labor market

Occupational alternatives represent the realistic employment options a client can pursue, considering their transferable skills, RFC, educational background, and current labor market conditions.