Revising the Standard Occupational Classification: How You Can Help Edward Salsberg, MPA Michelle M. Washko, PhD U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Professions National Center for Health Workforce Analysis NOVEMBER 12th, 2013

National Center for Health Workforce Analysis: UPDATES Area Health Resource File: State and national level health workforce files have now been added to the AHRF in addition to the county level data file Health Workforce Research Centers: NCHWA just funded 4 new research centers in health workforce: Technical Assistance: Health Research, Inc (SUNY University at Albany Center for Health Workforce Studies) Research: University of California, San Francisco (focus area: long-term care) The George Washington University (focus area: flexible use of workers to improve care delivery and efficiency) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (focus area: flexible use of workers to improve care delivery and efficiency) For more info and updates, visit our website at: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/

Overview of Presentation Description of the Standard Occupational Classification Standard Occupational Classification Revision

Description of the Standard Occupational Classification

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Many uses for occupational information Estimating supply and demand Decisions on education and training Job search and placement assistance Employer decisions on compensation, training, business location

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Classification is critical to providing information about occupations for these uses: How are occupations defined? How is occupational information organized and presented? Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) answers these questions for Federal statistics

Why the SOC? Before the SOC – chaos! With the SOC – comparability! Federal statistical agencies produced data using different occupational categories Data did not fit together With the SOC – comparability! Data from different statistical agencies fit together Data can be used to tell a more complete story

Revising the SOC: How You Can Help First What is the SOC Who is responsible for the SOC How the SOC is structured Then History of SOC revisions The SOC revision process General timeframes

Revising the SOC: How You Can Help Finally How you can provide input What information we need from you How to stay connected

What is the SOC? A Federal statistical standard set and required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Applies to Federal agencies that publish occupational data for statistical purposes Other OMB standard classification systems North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Race/ethnicity categories Provide for comparability across Federal statistical data sources

Who is responsible for the SOC? OMB Requires use of SOC in Federal statistics Makes final decisions about the SOC Publishes the SOC Manual Charters the SOC Policy Committee SOC Policy Committee (SOCPC) Recommends SOC changes to OMB Maintains the SOC and supports SOC users Is an interagency committee

SOC Policy Committee Bureau of Labor Statistics (chair) Bureau of Transportation Statistics Census Bureau Defense Manpower Data Center Employment and Training Administration Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS Representative) National Center for Education Statistics National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Science Foundation Office of Personnel Management Office of Management and Budget (ex-officio)

History of SOC Revisions First standard occupational classification in the U.S. 1980 SOC Addressed issues with the 1977 SOC Used by Census Bureau in 1980 Census 2000 SOC Widely adopted by Federal agencies collecting occupational statistics 2010 SOC Updated and expanded the 2000 SOC

History of SOC Revisions Four-level hierarchy in all editions Increasing occupational detail with each revision Number of: 1977 SOC 1980 2000 2010 Major Occupation Groups 21 22 23 Detailed Occupations 662 666 821 840

How the SOC is Structured Occupational hierarchy: Structure of detailed occupations Title, code, and definition 23 Major occupation groups 97 Minor occupation groups 461 Broad occupations 840 Detailed occupations

2010 SOC Occupational Hierarchy Major group 31-0000 Healthcare Support Occupations Minor group 31-1010 Nursing, Psychiatric and Home Health Aides Broad occupation This broad occupation includes the following four detailed occupations: 31-1011 Home Health Aides 31-1013 Psychiatric Aides 31-1014 Nursing Assistants 31-1015 Orderlies Detailed occupation Provide routine individualized healthcare such as changing bandages and dressing wounds, and applying topical medications to the elderly, convalescents, or persons with disabilities at the patient’s home or in a care facility. Monitor or report changes in health status. May also provide personal care such as bathing, dressing, and grooming of patient.

2010 SOC Major Occupation Groups Code Title 11-0000 Management Occupations 13-0000 Business and Financial Operations Occupations 15-0000 Computer and Mathematical Occupations 17-0000 Architecture and Engineering Occupations 19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations 21-0000 Community and Social Service Occupations 23-0000 Legal Occupations 25-0000 Education, Training, and Library Occupations 27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations 29-0000 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations 31-0000 Healthcare Support Occupations 33-0000 Protective Service Occupations

2010 SOC Major Occupation Groups Code Title 35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations 37-0000 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations 39-0000 Personal Care and Service Occupations 41-0000 Sales and Related Occupations 43-0000 Office and Administrative Support Occupations 45-0000 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations 47-0000 Construction and Extraction Occupations 49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations 51-0000 Production Occupations 53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations 55-0000 Military Specific Occupations

2010 SOC Detailed Occupation Structure “May” statement Illustrative Example 29-1141 Registered Nurses Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required. Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists. Excludes “Nurse Anesthetists” (29-1151), “Nurse Midwives” (29-1161), and “Nurse Practitioners” (29-1171). Illustrative Example: Psychiatric Nurse Title Definition Code “Excludes” statement “Includes” statement

SOC Conceptual Basis 2010 SOC Classification Principles Foundation for classification decisions 2010 SOC Coding Guidelines Guidance to data collectors and others using the SOC to code occupations Help users understand what is included in each detailed SOC occupation

2010 SOC Classification Principles Basis for SOCPC recommendations about: Modifying existing detailed occupations Adding new detailed occupations Placing detailed occupations in the SOC hierarchy 9 Classification Principles for 2010 SOC Classification Principles may change for the 2018 revision

2010 SOC Classification Principles Principle 1: The SOC covers all work performed for pay or profit Principle 2: Classification is based on work performed Principles 3-6: How managers and supervisors are classified Principle 7: How apprentices and trainees are classified, and how they differ from helpers and aides Principle 8: Use of residual or “all other” categories Principle 9: Collectability

2010 SOC Classification Principles Occupations are classified based on work performed and, in some cases, on the skills, education, and/or training needed to perform the work at a competent level.

2010 SOC Classification Principles The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau are charged with collecting and reporting data on total U.S. employment across the full spectrum of SOC major groups. Thus, for a detailed occupation to be included in the SOC, either the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the Census Bureau must be able to collect and report data on that occupation.

2010 SOC Coding Guidelines Guideline 1: Coding should be based on the work performed Guideline 2: Coding jobs that could be coded to more than one occupation Guideline 3: Assign workers to the most detailed occupation possible Guideline 4: Use of residual or “all other” categories Guideline 5: Coding of supervisors Guideline 6: Coding of licensed and non-licensed workers performing the same work

Standard Occupational Classification Revision

Revising the SOC Overview of the SOC revision process Phases of the process Soliciting and reviewing public input What kind of information does the SOCPC need? General timeframe

SOC Revision: Why a 2018 SOC? Minimizes disruption to data producers and users Adopt occupational and industry classifications simultaneously for data series that use both Time SOC revision for year after the 2017 NAICS revision Coincides with start of the American Community Survey’s next 5-year set of surveys

2018 SOC Revision: General Timeframe 1st Federal Register notice soliciting public input Late 2013 SOCPC reviews public input, Federal agency input, and conducts own research; develops recommendations to OMB Through 2014 2nd Federal Register notice requesting comments on SOCPC recommendations Late 2014 or early 2015 SOCPC reviews comments and develops final recommendations to OMB Through 2015 OMB reviews SOCPC recommendations Late 2015 3d Federal Register notice announcing the final 2018 SOC structure, and occupation codes and titles Early 2016 SOCPC completes occupational definitions and SOC Manual Through 2016 OMB publishes 2018 SOC Manual Early 2017 Federal statistical agencies implement 2018 SOC Beginning 2018

SOC Revision Process Review and possibly revise the Classification Principles and Coding Guidelines Consider whether major occupation group structure should be changed Conduct outreach to those who may wish to provide recommendations Solicit and review input from the public and Federal agencies (1st Federal Register Notice)

SOC Revision Process Develop recommendations to OMB Solicit public comments on the recommendations (2nd Federal Register Notice) Review public comments and make final recommendations to OMB OMB considers recommendations and publishes the final 2018 SOC structure and Manual (3rd Federal Register Notice) Implement the 2018 SOC in Federal statistical programs

SOC Revision: Solicit and review input For the 2018 revision Comments to 1st Federal Register notice due by March 2014 (approximately) May request public input on: Proposed revised Classification Principles Proposed retention of the 2010 SOC Major Occupation Groups Corrections and changes to existing detailed occupations Proposals for new detailed occupations

SOC Revision: Solicit and review input What kind of information about occupations does the SOCPC need? Nature of the work performed How the work performed is distinct from that of other detailed SOC occupations Job titles commonly used Indications of the number workers in the occupation

SOC Revision: Solicit and review input (cont’d) Types of employers Education and training typically required Licensing requirements, if any Tools and technologies generally used Professional or trade associations and unions related to the occupation

How you can provide input Provide your input by responding to the Federal Register notices Ensures your input will be included in the dockets the SOCPC will review Carefully review the Federal Register notices Submit your comments using the procedures described in the Notices

How you can provide input Review the Classification Principles and Coding Guidelines Review the elements of a detailed SOC occupation Understand what kind of information the SOCPC needs to know

How you can provide input When recommending a new or revised occupation: Provide specific information on the nature of the work performed – this is the most important type of information! Include specific activities and tasks Indicate which activities and tasks are required of all workers in the occupation Address the “Input Requested” topics

Knowing when to respond Use the SOC website at www.bls.gov/SOC Subscribe to SOC revision updates We will let you know when a Federal Register notice is published and how to find it, and provide other alerts Review SOC materials available on the site Monitor the SOC revision process

Your input is important! The SOC Policy Committee values the comments we receive. Your comments will be critical to making the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification as current and accurate as it can be. Thank you.

Michelle Washko 301-443-9846 Mwashko@HRSA.gov