[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 189 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53136-53163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25445]
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_______________________________________________________________________
Part IV
Office of Management and Budget
_______________________________________________________________________
1998 Standard Occupational Classification; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 189 / Thursday, September 30, 1999 /
Notices
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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
1998 Standard Occupational Classification
AGENCY: Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the
President.
ACTION: Notice of final decisions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under title 44 U.S.C. 3504, the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) is announcing final decisions for the 1998 Standard
Occupational Classification (SOC). In consultation with the Standard
Occupational Classification Revision Policy Committee (SOCRPC), OMB
based its decisions on public comments received in response to the
SOCRPC's final recommendations that were published in the Federal
Register on August 5, 1998 (63 FR 41895-41923). The 1998 Standard
Occupational Classification replaces the 1980 version. It covers all
jobs in the national economy, including occupations in the public,
private, and military sectors.
All Federal agencies that collect occupational data will use the
1998 SOC. Similarly, all State and local government agencies, as well
as private sector organizations, are strongly encouraged to use this
national system that provides a common language for categorizing
occupations in the world of work. The new SOC system will be used by
the Occupational Employment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics for gathering occupational information. It will also replace
the Bureau of the Census' 1990 occupational classification system and
will be used for the 2000 Census. In addition, the new SOC will serve
as the framework for information being gathered through the Department
of Labor's Occupational Information Network (O*NET) which will replace
the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT).
In four prior Federal Register notices (February 28, 1995, 60 FR
10998-11002; October 5, 1995, 60 FR 52284-52286; July 7, 1997, 62 FR
36337-36409; and August 5, 1998 (63 FR 41895-41923)), OMB and the
SOCRPC requested comment on the uses of occupational data; the existing
1980 SOC classification principles, purpose and scope, and conceptual
options; the SOCRPC's proposed revision process; the composition of
detailed occupations; the hierarchical structure and numbering system;
and update procedures.
The hierarchical structure, numbering system, and occupational
categories of the 1998 SOC are presented in Appendix A of this notice.
Changes from the SOCRPC's final recommendations are outlined below in
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. The SOCRPC is preparing the 1998
Standard Occupational Classification Manual for publication. Committee
members have completed definitions and assigned associated titles;
agencies with occupational classification systems are developing
crosswalks from their existing systems to the 1998 SOC. To ensure that
the successful efforts of the SOCRPC continue and that the 1998 SOC
remains appropriate to the world of work, OMB plans to establish a new
standing committee, the Standard Occupational Classification Policy
Committee (SOCPC). The SOCPC will consult periodically to ensure that
the implementation of the 1998 SOC is comparable across Federal
agencies. This consultation will include regularly scheduled
interagency communication to ensure a smooth transition to the 1998
SOC. The SOCPC will also perform SOC maintenance functions, such as
recommending changes in the SOC occupational definitions and placement
of new occupations. It is anticipated that the next major review and
revision of the SOC will begin in 2005 in preparation for use in the
2010 Decennial Census.
DATES: Publication of the 1998 Standard Occupational Classification
Manual is planned for the first half of 2000. Federal statistical
agencies will begin using the 1998 SOC for occupational data they
publish for reference years beginning on or after January 1, 2000. (The
Bureau of Labor Statistics will begin using it for some data series for
the last quarter of 1999.) Further information can be found in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Use of the SOC for
nonstatistical purposes (e.g., for administrative, regulatory, or
taxation functions) will be determined by the agency or agencies that
have chosen to use the SOC for nonstatistical purposes. Readers
interested in the effective dates for the use of the 1998 SOC for
nonstatistical purposes should contact the relevant agency to determine
the agency's plans, if any, for a transition from the 1980 SOC to the
1998 SOC.
ADDRESSES: Correspondence about the adoption and implementation of the
SOC as described in this Federal Register notice should be sent to:
Katherine K. Wallman, Chief Statistician, Office of Management and
Budget, 10201 New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503,
telephone number: (202) 395-3093, FAX number: (202) 395-7245 or E-
mailed to soc@omb.eop.gov.
Electronic Availability: This document is available on the Internet
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics via WWW browser and E-mail. To
obtain this document via WWW browser, connect to http://stats.bls.gov/
soc/soc__home.htm>. This WWW page contains links to the 1998 SOC major
groups; the complete 1998 SOC hierarchical structure and detailed
occupational definitions; a numerical index of detailed occupations; an
SOC user's guide; and an SOC search capability, as well as previous SOC
Federal Register notices and related documents. To obtain this document
via E-mail, send a message to socrevision@bls.gov>.
Inquiries about the definitions of particular occupations or
requests for electronic copies of the SOC structure that cannot be
satisfied by use of the web site should be addressed to Laurie Salmon,
Standard Occupational Classification Revision Policy Committee, Bureau
of Labor Statistics, Room 4840, Washington, DC 20212, telephone number:
(202) 606-6511, FAX number: (202) 606-6645.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Bugg, 10201 New Executive Office
Bldg., Washington, DC 20503, E-mail address: soc@omb.eop.gov, telephone
number: (202) 395-3093, FAX number: (202) 395-7245.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose
The 1998 SOC was developed in response to a concern that the 1980
SOC did not meet the need for a universal occupational classification
system that all Federal Government agencies and other collectors of
occupational information would adopt. Despite the existence of the 1980
SOC, a variety of Government agencies have continued to collect and use
occupational data based on unique classification systems designed for
their individual needs. The existence of different occupational data
collection systems in the Federal Government presents a major problem.
Comparisons across these systems are limited by the completeness and
accuracy of crosswalks between them. For example, data on occupation by
educational attainment collected through the Current Population Survey
can only be used with data on employment from the Occupational
Employment Statistics program for those occupations that are considered
comparable in both data collections. Observing this problem, the Bureau
of Labor Statistics hosted an International
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Occupational Classification Conference in September 1992 to establish a
new context for the SOC revision process. Many new ideas and approaches
were presented that subsequently influenced the SOCRPC. Similarly, the
Employment and Training Administration's Advisory Panel for the
Dictionary of Occupational Titles had completed a review of the
dictionary and in May 1993 had recommended substantial changes. It
became increasingly clear that development of an occupational
classification standard that garners universal adherence would aid
analysis of demographic, economic, educational, and other factors that
affect employment, wages, and other worker characteristics.
Revision Process
Persuaded that a reconciliation was in order, OMB invited all
Federal agencies with occupational classification systems to join
together to revise the SOC and chartered the SOC Revision Policy
Committee (SOCRPC) in October 1994. The SOCRPC included representatives
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of the Census, the
Defense Manpower Data Center, the Employment and Training
Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management. In addition,
ex-officio members included the National Occupational Information
Coordinating Committee, the National Science Foundation, and OMB. Other
Federal agencies, such as the Department of Education, the Department
of Health and Human Services, and the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, participated either in meetings of the SOCRPC or in the
Federal Consultation Group, a group of Federal agency representatives
with interests in the outcome of the SOC revision.
In February 1995, the Standard Occupational Classification Revision
Policy Committee published a notice in the Federal Register (February
28, 1995, 60 FR 10998-11002) calling for comments specifically on the
following: (1) the uses of occupational data, (2) the purpose and scope
of occupational classification, (3) the principles underlying the 1980
SOC, (4) conceptual options for the new SOC, and (5) the SOC revision
process. The SOCRPC chose the Occupational Employment Statistics
system, an occupational classification currently used by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics to gather occupational information, as the starting
point for the new Standard Occupational Classification framework. The
Committee also relied heavily on the Department of Labor's Occupational
Information Network (O*NET), which is replacing the Dictionary of
Occupational Titles. To carry out the bulk of the revision effort, the
Committee created six work groups to examine occupations in the
following areas:
Administrative and Clerical occupations;
Science, Engineering, Law, Health, Education, and Arts occupations;
Services and Sales occupations;
Agriculture, Construction, Extraction, and Transportation
occupations;
Mechanical and Production occupations; and
Military Specific occupations.
The Committee charged the work groups with ensuring that the
occupations under their consideration conformed to the criteria laid
out in the October 5, 1995, Federal Register notice (60 FR 52284-
52286):
The Classification should cover all occupations in which work is
performed for pay or profit, including work performed in family-
operated enterprises by family members who are not directly
compensated. It should exclude occupations unique to volunteers.
The Classification should reflect the current occupational
structure of the United States and have sufficient flexibility to
assimilate new occupations into the structure as they become known.
While striving to reflect the current occupational structure,
the Classification should maintain linkage with past systems. The
importance of historical comparability should be weighed against the
desire for incorporating substantive changes to occupations
occurring in the work force.
Occupations should be classified based upon work performed,
skills, education, training, licensing, and credentials.
Occupations should be classified in homogeneous groups that are
defined so that the content of each group is clear.
Each occupation should be assigned to only one group at the
lowest level of the Classification.
The employment size of an occupational group should not be the
major reason for including or excluding it from separate
identification.
Supervisors should be identified separately from the workers
they supervise wherever possible in keeping with the real structure
of the world of work. An exception should be made for professional
and technical occupations where supervisors or lead workers should
be classified in the appropriate group with the workers they
supervise.
Apprentices and trainees should be classified with the
occupations for which they are being trained, while helpers and
aides should be classified separately since they are not in training
for the occupation they are helping.
Comparability with the International Standard Classification of
Occupations (ISCO-88) should be considered in the structure, but
should not be an overriding factor.
In carrying out their reviews, the work groups carefully considered
all proposals received in response to Federal Register notices issued
by OMB and the SOCRPC. The work groups invited experts from many areas
to testify and also requested written recommendations using the SOC
revision guidelines. Their procedure was to develop a proposed
structure plus a title, a definition, and a list of associated job
titles. Each proposed occupation was reviewed by the SOCRPC.
General Characteristics of the Revised SOC
The 1998 SOC is designed to ensure comparable occupational
classification across the spectrum of surveys of the world of work
while mirroring the current occupational structure in the Nation. The
new system should lead to the collection of meaningful data about the
workforce and benefit various users of occupational data. These users
include education and training planners; job seekers, students, and
others seeking career guidance; various government programs, including
occupational safety and health, welfare-to-work, and equal employment
opportunity; and private companies wishing to relocate or to set salary
scales.
Reflecting advances in factory and office automation and
information technology, the shift to a services-oriented economy, and
increasing concern for the environment, the new classification
structure has more professional, technical, and service occupations and
fewer production and administrative support occupations. Although the
designation ``professional'' does not exist in the 1998 SOC, the new
classification system reflects expanded coverage of major occupational
groups, such as computer and mathematical occupations, community and
social services occupations, healthcare practitioners and technical
occupations, and legal occupations. Designers, systems analysts,
drafters, counselors, dentists, physicians, artists, and social
scientists are among the occupations that are covered in greater detail
in the 1998 SOC. For example, the SOC breaks out a number of designer
specialties `` commercial and industrial, fashion, floral, graphic,
interior, and set and exhibit designers. Similarly, the new
classification breaks out additional social science specialties ``
market and survey researchers, sociologists, anthropologists and
archeologists, geographers, historians, and political scientists.
Examples of new occupations include environmental engineers;
environmental engineering technicians; environmental
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scientists and specialists, including health; environmental science and
protection technicians, including health; computer software engineers;
multimedia artists and animators; and forensic science technicians. In
the services groups, gaming occupations, such as gaming and sports book
writers and runners, have been added as a result of growth among these
occupations in several States. Other relatively new service occupations
include skin care specialists, concierges, massage therapists, and
fitness trainers and aerobics instructors.
Production occupations, on the other hand, have undergone
significant consolidation. For example, various printing machine
operators have been combined into one occupation in the 1998 SOC.
Because many factories now employ one person to perform the tasks of
setting up and operating machines, both tasks have been combined into
one occupation. In addition, many factories now employ teams in which
each team member is able to perform all or most of the team assembly
activities; these people are included in the occupation, team
assemblers. The SOC also includes relatively new production occupations
such as semiconductor processors and fiberglass laminators and
fabricators.
Office and administrative support occupations `` for example,
office machine operators `` also have been consolidated. Relatively new
office and administrative support occupations include customer service
representatives and executive secretaries and administrative
assistants.
To accommodate the needs of different data collection agencies, the
SOC enables data collection at more detailed or less detailed levels,
while still allowing data comparability at given levels of the
hierarchy. In response to comments received in reference to the July 7,
1997, Federal Register notice (62 FR 36337-36409), the SOCRPC
significantly modified the hierarchical structure and numbering system
of the revised SOC to ensure that all detailed occupations are placed
within a broad occupation. In the 1998 SOC, there are four levels of
aggregation: (1) Major group; (2) minor group; (3) broad occupation;
and (4) detailed occupation. All occupations are clustered into 23
major groups (listed below), such as Management Occupations or
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. These major groups
are broken down into occupationally-specific minor groups, such as
Operations Specialties Managers in the Management Occupations major
group or Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners in the Healthcare
Practitioners and Technical Occupations major group. Minor groups, in
turn, are divided into broad occupations, such as Human Resources
Managers or Therapists, which are further divided into detailed
occupations, such as Compensation and Benefits Managers, or Physical
Therapists.
The 1998 SOC contains 822 detailed occupations, aggregated into 452
broad occupations. These broad occupations are grouped into 98 minor
groups, that are, in turn, grouped into the 23 major groups. For
comparison purposes, the 1980 SOC included 664 unit groups (comparable
to detailed occupations in the 1998 SOC), 223 minor groups (comparable
to broad occupations in the 1998 SOC), 60 major groups (comparable to
minor groups in the 1998 SOC), and 22 divisions (comparable to major
groups in the 1998 SOC).
Each item in the hierarchy is designated by a six-digit code. The
first two digits of the 1998 SOC code represent the major group; the
third digit represents the minor group; the fourth and fifth digits
represent the broad occupation; and the sixth digit represents the
detailed occupation. Major group codes end with 0000 (e.g., 29-0000,
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations), minor groups end
with 000 (e.g., 29-1000, Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners),
broad occupations end with 0 (e.g., 29-1120, Therapists), and detailed
occupations end with a nonzero digit (e.g., 29-1123, Physical
Therapists). The hyphen between the second and third digit is used only
for presentation clarity.
All residuals (``Other,'' ``Miscellaneous,'' or ``All Other''),
whether at the minor group, broad occupation, or detailed occupation
level, will contain a 9 at the level of the residual. Minor groups that
are major group residuals will end in 9000 (e.g., 11-9000, Other
Management Occupations); broad occupations that are minor group
residuals will end in 90 (e.g., 11-9190, Miscellaneous Managers); and
residual detailed occupations will end in 9 (e.g., 11-9199, Managers,
All Other):
11-0000 Management Occupations
11-9000 Other Management Occupations
11-9190 Miscellaneous Managers
11-9199 Managers, All Other
In cases where there are more than 9 broad occupations in a minor group
(or more than eight, if there is no residual), the xx-x090 will be
skipped (reserved for residuals), the xx-x000 will be skipped (reserved
for minor groups), and the numbering system will go to xx-x110. The
residual broad occupation will then be xx-x190 or xx-x290 (e.g., 51-
9190, Miscellaneous Production Workers).
The 1998 SOC occupational groups and detailed occupations presented
in Appendix A are not always consecutively numbered, both to
accommodate these coding conventions and to allow for the insertion of
additional occupational groups in future revisions of the SOC. In
addition, data collection agencies wanting more detail to measure
additional worker characteristics can split a defined occupation into
more detailed occupations by adding a decimal point and more digits to
the SOC code. For example, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special
and Vocational Education (25-2031) is a detailed occupation. Agencies
wishing to collect more particular information on teachers by subject
matter might use 25-2031.1 for secondary school science teachers or 25-
2031.12 for secondary school biology teachers. Additional levels of
detail also may be used to distinguish workers who have different
training, demographic characteristics, or years of experience. It is
recommended that users needing extra detail use the structure currently
being implemented for the Employment and Training Administration's
O*NET.
Each occupation in the revised SOC will be placed within one of the
following 23 major groups:
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 Services 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
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
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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
For users wanting less detail in data tabulations, the SOCRPC
suggests combining the 23 major groups into 11, or even 6, groups as
presented below.
Intermediate Level Aggregation (11 groups)
11-0000-13-0000 Management, Business, and Financial Occupations
15-0000-29-0000 Professional and Related Occupations
31-0000-39-0000 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
High Level Aggregation (6 groups)
11-0000-29-0000 Management, Professional, and Related Occupations
31-0000-39-0000 Service Occupations
41-0000-43-0000 Sales and Office Occupations
45-0000-49-0000 Natural Resources, Construction, and Maintenance
Occupations
51-0000-53-0000 Production, Transportation, and Material Moving
Occupations
55-0000 Military Specific Occupations
Significant Changes and Responses to Comments
In response to public comments received on the August 5, 1998,
Federal Register notice (63 FR 41895-41923), OMB, in consultation with
the SOCRPC, revised the SOCRPC's final recommendations by adding a few
occupations, mostly in the gaming occupations (to reflect their growth)
and the primary and secondary teaching occupations (to distinguish
further special and vocational education teachers); changing some
occupational titles; and making necessary renumbering changes. These
changes are reflected in the listing of the 1998 SOC presented in
Appendix A. New broad occupations added include the following:
11-9070 Gaming Managers
25-2010 Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers
25-2020 Elementary and Middle School Teachers
25-2030 Secondary School Teachers
33-9030 Security Guards and Gaming Surveillance Officers
New detailed occupations added include the following:
11-9071 Gaming Managers
25-1194 Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary
25-2011 Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
25-2012 Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
25-2021 Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
25-2022 Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational
Education
25-2023 Vocational Education Teachers, Middle School
25-2031 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational
Education
25-2032 Vocational Education Teachers, Secondary School
25-2041 Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and
Elementary School
25-2042 Special Education Teachers, Middle School
25-2043 Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
27-4011 Audio and Video Equipment Technicians
33-9031 Gaming Surveillance Officers and Gaming Investigators
39-1011 Gaming Supervisors
39-1012 Slot Key Persons
39-3011 Gaming Dealers
39-3012 Gaming and Sports Book Writers and Runners
39-3019 Gaming Service Workers, All Other
41-2012 Gaming Change Persons and Booth Cashiers
43-3041 Gaming Cage Cashiers
47-4091 Segmental Pavers
Next Steps in Process
Implementation of the 1998 SOC
The SOCRPC is preparing the 1998 Standard Occupational
Classification Manual for publication. Committee members have completed
definitions and assigned associated titles, while agencies with
occupational classification systems are developing crosswalks from
their existing systems to the 1998 SOC. The SOCRPC will consult
periodically to ensure that the implementation of the 1998 SOC is
comparable across Federal agencies. This consultation will include
regularly scheduled interagency communication to ensure that there is a
smooth Federal transition to the 1998 SOC. It is anticipated that the
next major review and revision of the SOC will begin in 2005 in
preparation for use in the 2010 Decennial Census.
All Federal Government agencies that collect occupational data are
expected to adopt the 1998 SOC over the next few years. The following
implementation schedule will be used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
and the Bureau of the Census--the agencies with the most comprehensive
occupational data collection systems.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The annual Occupational Employment Statistics survey will first
reflect the 1998 SOC in 1999; national, State, and Metropolitan
Statistical Area data are expected to be available in early 2001. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics' Office of Employment Projections develops
new national employment projections every 2 years, reflected in its
``industry-occupation matrix.'' This matrix presents estimates of
current and projected employment--covering a 10-year period--by
detailed industry and occupation. The occupational staffing pattern, or
detailed occupational makeup, of each industry in the matrix reflects
Occupational Employment Statistics survey data. The 1998 SOC will first
be reflected in the industry-occupation matrix covering the 2002-12
period, which is expected to be released in late 2003.
The Office of Employment Projections also produces the Occupational
Outlook Handbook, which is among the most widely used career guidance
resources in the Nation, and related publications based on the Bureau's
biennial employment projections. Occupational definitions and data
completely based on the 1998 SOC will be incorporated for the first
time in the 2004-05 edition of the Handbook, which is expected to be
published in early 2004.
Bureau of the Census
Data collected by the 2000 Census of Population will be coded to
the 1998 SOC and published in 2002. Data from the Current Population
Survey will be based on the new classification for the first time in
2003.
Where To Find More Information
The complete occupational structure of the 1998 SOC will be
contained in Bureau of Labor Statistics Report 929, forthcoming. The
final 1998 SOC ultimately will be published in a two-volume 1998
Standard Occupational Classification Manual. Volume I will contain the
hierarchical structure, a complete list of occupational titles and
their definitions, a description of the SOC revision process, and a
section on frequently asked questions. Volume II will contain a list of
some 30,000 job titles that are commonly used by
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individuals and establishments when reporting employment by occupation
with their corresponding SOC codes. The second volume also will include
an alphabetical index of all associated titles and industries and will
reference them to the occupations in which they are found. Volumes I
and II of the 1998 SOC also will be available at the following Internet
address: http://stats.bls.gov/soc/soc__home.htm
O*NET, the Occupational Information Network of the Employment and
Training Administration, adheres to the 1998 SOC. Information on this
occupational classification system appears in ``Replace with a
Database: O*NET Replaces the Dictionary of Occupational Titles,''
Occupational Outlook Quarterly (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Spring
1999). O*NET also may be accessed at the following Internet address:
http://www.doleta.gov/programs/onet
The 1998 SOC will be incorporated into the Occupational Outlook
Handbook and the Bureau of Labor Statistics industry-occupation matrix.
Both the Handbook and matrix can be accessed at the following Internet
address: http://stats.bls.gov/emphome.htm
To facilitate historical comparisons, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics will develop a crosswalk showing the relationship between
occupations in the 1998 SOC and the 1997 Occupational Employment
Statistics survey. The Bureau of the Census also is developing a
crosswalk showing the relationship between the occupations in the 1998
SOC and those of the 1990 and 2000 Censuses. This crosswalk will be
available at the following Bureau of the Census Internet address:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/occupation.html.
Standard Occupational Classification Policy Committee
It has been eighteen years since the last revision of the SOC. OMB
plans to establish a new standing committee, the Standard Occupational
Classification Policy Committee (SOCPC), to ensure that the successful
efforts of the SOCRPC continue and that the 1998 SOC remains
appropriate to the world of work. The new committee will meet twice per
year to perform SOC maintenance functions, such as recommending changes
in the SOC occupational definitions and placement of new occupations.
In addition, it will provide timely advice to the Bureau of the Census
during its 2000 Census occupation coding operation, particularly with
respect to the proper classification of unfamiliar job descriptions and
job titles. The committee will also undertake a thorough review of the
entire SOC once per decade, in conjunction with preparations for the
decennial census. The next major review and revision of the SOC is
expected to begin in 2005 in preparation for use in the 2010 Decennial
Census.
It is anticipated that the SOCPC will consist of representatives of
the following agencies:
Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census
Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center
Department of Education
Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health
Professions
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee
National Science Foundation
Office of Management and Budget (ex-officio)
Office of Personnel Management
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will chair the committee and staff its
secretariat which will carry out the day-to-day work of the SOCPC, such
as organizing working groups to make recommendations for changes.
Nonstatistical Uses of the SOC
The 1998 SOC was designed, as was the 1980 SOC, solely for
statistical purposes. Although it is likely that the 1998 SOC, like the
1980 SOC, will also be used for various nonstatistical purposes (e.g.,
for administrative, regulatory, or taxation functions), the
requirements of government agencies that choose to use the 1998 SOC for
nonstatistical purposes have played no role in its development, nor
will OMB modify the classification to meet the requirements of any
nonstatistical program.
Consequently, as has been the case with the 1980 SOC (Statistical
Policy Directive No. 10, Standard Occupational Classification), the
1998 SOC is not to be used in any administrative, regulatory, or tax
program unless the head of the agency administering that program has
first determined that the use of such occupational definitions is
appropriate to the implementation of the program's objectives. If the
terms, ``Standard Occupational Classification'' or ``SOC'' are to be
used in the operative text of any law or regulation to define an
occupation or group of occupations, language similar to the following
should be used to ensure sufficient flexibility: ``An occupation or
grouping of occupations shall mean a Standard Occupational
Classification detailed occupation or grouping of occupations as
defined by the Office of Management and Budget, subject to such
modifications with respect to individual occupations or groupings of
occupations as the Secretary (Administrator) may determine to be
appropriate for the purpose of this Act (regulation).''
In addition, if an agency decides to require its respondents to
provide an SOC code for a nonstatistical purpose, the agency needs to
have trained personnel available to answer the respondent's questions
and otherwise assist them in providing the appropriate SOC codes.
John T. Spotila,
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
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[FR Doc. 99-25445 Filed 9-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3110-01-C
