536 – Sampling Design and Pre-Survey Benefits
Occupational Requirements Survey Sample Design
Gwyn R. Ferguson
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Erin McNulty
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is working with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to establish the Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS), an establishment survey that 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. In preparation for the first ORS production sample, we studied several potential sample designs and assessed each for practicality and coverage of the population. In addition, we considered how and if the ORS sample might be coordinated with the sample of BLS's National Compensation Survey (NCS). In this paper, we evaluate each sample design option, describe the sample design that was selected for the first ORS production sample, and outline plans for monitoring the effectiveness of the selected sample design.