A vocational expert (VE) is a professional who specializes in assessing an individual’s abilities, skills, and limitations in the context of employment. This person is hired by Social Security to appear at a hearing but is not an employee of Social Security. At the hearing, the VE will likely join via telephone. They will have already read information about the claimant’s past work in the exhibit file and will listen to the claimant’s testimony about past work. The VE asks any clarifying questions about past job history through the judge, not the claimant. The VE testifies at the end of the hearing. They will classify (describe) past relevant work for the judge. The judge will ask the VE hypothetical questions about what jobs a person of the claimant’s same age, education, and work experience with certain physical and mental limitations would be able to perform. It is important to note that the VE does not decide whether a claimant is disabled or not. This decision is solely for the judge. Typical limitations judges include in their hypothetical questions are below: Sitting, standing, and walking limitations Limitations in concentration and following simple or complex directions Frequent absences from work Frequent unscheduled breaks Use of assistive devices to ambulate If you are represented at the hearing, your attorney will have the opportunity to ask the VE questions after the judge. In many cases, the VE testimony plays a significant role in the outcome of your case. Therefore, it is important to have a knowledgeable representative with current training in the cross-examination of vocational experts.