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Standard Occupational Classification

Docket Number 08‐0524 : Response to Comments on 2010 SOC : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

(part A) Docket No. 08-0524 requested a new broad group called Advance Practice Nurses that would include the proposed 2010 occupations 29-1141 Nurse Anesthetists, 29-1151 Nurse Practitioners and 29-1161 Nurse Midwives. The SOCPC did not accept this recommendation, based on Classification Principle 2 which states that occupations are classified based on work performed. In the case of Advance Practice Nurses, they are similar in that they all have graduate nursing education, but the work performed is different.

(part B) Docket No. 08-0524 requested 3 changes related to the computer occupations proposed in the May 22, 2008, Federal Register notice.

The first recommendation was to reorganize the occupations within the proposed broad occupation 15-1120 Software and Web Developers and Computer Analysts in order to separate "Computer Analysts" and "Software and Web Developers" into two unique broad groups. The SOCPC determined Analysts and Developers are distinct enough to classify in different broad groups and therefore accepted this recommendation.

The second recommendation was to remove the proposed occupation, 15-1142 Computer Programmers, as a unique detailed occupation, subsuming the workers in this occupation into 'Software and Web Developers." While the industry may be heading in this direction, workers are still identified by this occupational title in large numbers. Therefore the SOCPC recommended retaining "Computer Programmers" in the 2010 SOC structure.

The third recommendation was to remove the proposed occupation, 15-1144 Web Technicians, from the 2010 SOC structure or use a more descriptive title. The SOCPC accepted this recommendation because although the title "web technician" is prevalent in international classification systems, including ISCO 2008, it is less common in the United States. In the final 2010 SOC, these workers are classified in one of three occupations depending on work performed. Workers who design, create, and modify Web sites are included in the 15-1134 Web Developers. Workers who install, configure, and support an organization's network, including ensuring network availability, and monitor and test Web site performance to ensure Web sites operate correctly and without interruption are included in 15-1142 Network and Computer Systems Administrators. Computer support specialists who maintain the function of computer networks by analyzing, testing, troubleshooting, and evaluating existing network systems, including performing network maintenance, are classified in the newly-created 2010 SOC occupation 15-1152 Computer Network Support Specialists.

(part C) Docket No. 08-0524 requested reinstating "Farm Labor Contractors" as a detailed occupation in the 2010 SOC in the same location as in the 2000 SOC structure. The SOCPC accepted the recommendation to reinstate the occupation, but noted that declining employment may make future data collection difficult. The SOCPC further recommended moving "Farm Labor Contractors" to the broad occupation 13-1070 Human Resources Workers based on Classification Principle 2 which states that occupations are classified based on work performed. Farm Labor Contractors should not be classified as supervisors because they do not spend 80 percent or more of their time performing supervisory activities. While Farm Labor Contractors may have additional activities, their core activities relate to human resources, and therefore they should be classified in the broad occupation 13-1070 Human Resources Workers as detailed occupation 13-1074 Farm Labor Contractors.

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Last Modified Date: March 12, 2009