[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64389-64390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26216]



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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2010-0066]


Proposed Recommendation to the Social Security Administration for 
Occupational Information System (OIS) Development Planning; Request for 
Comment

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice; Request for Comment.

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SUMMARY: We need information about work that exists throughout the 
nation to determine whether claimants' impairments prevent them from 
doing not only their past work, but any other work in the U.S. economy. 
To that end, we are developing a long term strategy to obtain current 
and suitable occupational information critical for disability 
evaluation. In 2008, we established the Occupational Information 
Development Advisory Panel (Panel) to provide independent advice and 
recommendations on plans and activities to create an occupational 
information system tailored specifically for our disability programs 
and adjudicative needs. The Panel is soliciting comments on a 
recommendation it intends to make to us.

DATES: To be sure that your comments are considered, we must receive 
them no later than November 8, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of three methods--
Internet, fax or mail. Do not submit the same comments multiple times 
or by more than one method. Regardless of which method you choose, 
please state that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA-2010-0066, so 
that we may associate your comments with the correct activity. Caution: 
You should be careful to include in your comments only information that 
you wish to make publicly available. We strongly urge you not to 
include in your comments any personal information, such as a Social 
Security number or medical information.
    1. Internet: We strongly recommend this method for submitting your 
comments. Visit the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Use the Search function of the webpage to find 
docket number SSA-2010-0066, and then submit your comments. Once you 
submit your comments, the system will issue you a tracking number to 
confirm your submission. You will not be able to view your comments 
immediately as we must manually post each comment. It may take up to a 
week for your comments to be viewable.
    2. Fax: Fax comments to (410) 597-0825.
    3. Mail: Address your comments to the Office of Program Development 
and Research, Occupational Information Development Project, Social 
Security Administration, 3-E-26 Operations Building, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401. Comments are available for public 
viewing on the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov 
or in person, during regular business hours, by appointment with the 
contact person identified below.
    The Panel is soliciting comments on its Proposed Recommendation to 
the Social Security Administration for Occupational Information System 
Development Planning. The comment period is open through November 8, 
2010.

Contact Information:  Anyone requiring further information should 
contact the Panel staff at: Occupational Information Development 
Advisory Panel, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, 3-E-26 Operations, Baltimore, MD 21235-0001. Fax: 202-410-
597-0825. E-mail to [email protected]. For additional information, please 
visit the Panel Web site at http://www.ssa.gov/oidap.

Debra Tidwell-Peters,
Designated Federal Officer.

Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel

Proposed Recommendation to the Social Security Administration for 
Occupational Information System (OIS) Development Planning

    In keeping with its charge to provide independent advice and 
guidance on plans and activities to replace the Dictionary of 
Occupational Titles (DOT) in disability adjudicative decisions and the 
development of a new OIS that will help the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) meet its burden of proof, is forensically 
defensible, reflects all work nationally and links residual functional 
capacity to the requirements of work, the Panel strongly recommends 
that SSA:

    1. Take the immediate step to develop an overarching project 
plan and timeline that specifies SSA's needs and objectives with 
regard to occupational information;
    2. Develop a fully articulated research plan and associated 
processes that provide for the coordination of necessary scientific 
research and allows for the incorporation of findings and results, 
as appropriate;
    3. Prepare and make available to the Panel the overall project 
plan, including the attendant research plans, for advice and 
recommendation before further developmental activities for the OIS 
proceed; and,
    4. Make public the aforementioned project and research plans, 
thus delineating how SSA plans to proceed in its efforts to develop 
said OIS.

    The project plan should include scientific and programmatic 
justification for SSA's efforts going forth, as well as identification 
of the criteria that will ultimately be utilized to assess the 
performance of any new OIS system.
    To fulfill the requirements of the aforementioned project plan, SSA 
must also develop and make public a scientifically sound research plan 
that addresses the needs delineated by the project plan and that will 
guide the entire OIS developmental process. To meet users' needs, 
maintain stakeholder confidence, and ensure legal defensibility, it is 
critical that all intended research protocols be developed with 
oversight by internal scientists well-versed in research methods along 
with programmatic specialists and be reviewed by the Panel prior to 
data collection.
    Examples of issues that should be addressed by the recommended 
research plan include (but are not limited to) how to develop a content 
model that is legally defensible and possesses strong evidence of 
validity to determine the appropriate sampling methodologies for pilot 
testing of all instruments; how to develop a job analysis tool that 
will be utilized for collecting occupational information (including 
appropriate scales, methods of data collection, sources of data, etc.), 
and so on. The Panel recognizes that any plan that is developed will be 
necessarily dynamic as new information and data may inform future 
steps. However, this does not negate the need for a published plan that 
is scrutinized for scientific rigor and adequacy.
    In conclusion, the Panel wishes to emphasize that to achieve the 
goal of a legally defensible OIS, rigorous scientific methods must be 
utilized. The original recommendations, and associated subcommittee 
reports, identified numerous empirical studies that should be conducted 
as part of the process of developing a new OIS. The Agency should 
examine these recommendations and identify the proposed studies that 
meet the requirements of good science and SSA's disability program law 
and regulations for coordination into the project and research plans 
going forth. In addition, SSA should coordinate existing efforts that 
meet the requirements of good science and SSA disability program law

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and regulations, into the project and research plans going forth.

[FR Doc. 2010-26216 Filed 10-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P