Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) Data Review Process

• Activity Number: 536
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Government Statistics Section
• Author(s): Ruth Meharenna*
• Keywords: Review process ; unusual data ; erroneous data ; edit

Abstract

The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) is an establishment survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the Social Security Administration (SSA). The survey collects information on the vocational preparation and the cognitive and physical requirements of occupations in the U.S. economy, as well as the environmental conditions in which those occupations are performed. This paper provides an overview of the ORS Review Program including information on the review processes, systems, and tools. The review process ensures that data are coded correctly and that documentation is sufficient. Review takes a variety of forms, such as edits in the computer system to catch erroneous data and queries that look for unusual data. One review process targets specific elements that an employer reports, while a second review process looks at all the data an employer provides. This paper discusses how all these review processes work together to ensure the quality and transparency of the data.