Frequently Asked Questions
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1. Who uses the SOC?
All government agencies that collect and publish occupational data use the SOC.At the Federal level, these agencies include: Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Health and Safety Statistics, Office of Current Employment Analysis, Office of Employment Projections, Employment and Training Administration, Employment Standards Administration, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Food and Drug Administration, National Science Foundation, Office of Personnel Management.
2. Whom should I contact if I have a question about the SOC?
You may call the SOC information line at 202-691-6500, or send an e-mail to SOC@bls.gov
3. Where can I get information on the occupations in the SOC?
Depending on the type of information you are seeking, you may obtain informationfrom several agencies:
4. Why are there different levels of detail in the SOC?
The four hierarchical levels in the SOC enable users to choose the level or levels ofdetail corresponding to their interest and ability to analyze data on different occupations. Users using different levels of detail will still be able to compare data at the defined levels.
5. Why can�t I find my job title in the SOC?
This manual lists occupations that may have many different job titles. It does not attemptto provide an exhaustive list of job titles. An extensive list of associated job titles will be available on the SOC Web site at: http://stats.bls.gov/soc/soc_home.htm. If your title is not listed, you may e-mail soc@bls.gov to suggest its inclusion.
6. Why are supervisors of most professional occupations not listed? Where should they be classified?
Supervisors of professional occupations are classified with the occupations they supervisebecause they often must have the same type of training, education, and experienceas the workers they supervise.
7. When is the next revision of the SOC scheduled?
To ensure that the successful efforts of the SOCRPC continue and that the SOCremains appropriate to the world of work, OMB has established a new standingcommittee, the Standard Occupational Classification Policy Committee (SOCPC).The SOCPC will consult periodically to ensure that the implementation of the SOC is comparable across Federal agencies. This consultation will include regularly scheduled interagency communication to ensure a smooth transition to the SOC.
The SOCPC also will perform SOC maintenance functions, such as recommending changes in the SOC occupational definitions and placement of new occupations. The next major review and revision of the SOC is expected to begin in 2005, in preparation for use in the 2010 Decennial Census.
8. Can the SOC be used for nonstatistical purposes?
The SOC was designed solely for statistical purposes. Although it is likely that the SOCalso will be used for various nonstatistical purposes (e.g., for administrative, regulatory, or taxation functions), the requirements of government agencies that choose to use the SOC for nonstatistical purposes have played no role in its development, nor will OMBmodify the classification to meet the requirements of any nonstatistical program.
Consequently, as has been the case with the 1980 SOC (Statistical Policy DirectiveNo. 10, Standard Occupational Classification), the current SOC is not to be used inany 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.