Opinion ID: 3052354
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Tommasetti’s Ability to Perform Past Work and

Text: Other Work [11] Tommasetti further argues that the ALJ committed error at step four by finding that he could have returned to past work as an electronics assembler. The ALJ determined that Tommasetti’s physical impairment limited him to “sedentary work,” with a maximum lifting capacity of ten pounds. At step four, the ALJ and VE agreed that, based on the elecTOMMASETTI v. ASTRUE 8841 tronics assembler job classification in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (“DOT”), Tommasetti could not perform electronics assembly work as he actually performed it because it would require him to lift more than ten pounds. However, the VE testified that electronics assembly work is performed in a variety of ways in the national economy. The ALJ deferred to the VE’s assessment, stating that “regardless of the differences in demands in the position as performed in the national economy, it would not ordinarily require that the individual perform activities requiring a greater residual functional capacity” than that of Tommasetti. [12] This assessment is contrary to the ALJ’s determination that Tommasetti could only perform “sedentary” work because the DOT lists the “electronics assembler” position as requiring “light” exertion. Dictionary of Occupational Titles § 726.684-018 (4th ed. 1991); see 20 C.F.R. § 404.1567(a), (b). The DOT creates a rebuttable presumption as to the job classification. Johnson, 60 F.3d at 1435. To deviate from the DOT classification, an ALJ “may rely on expert testimony which contradicts the DOT, but only insofar as the record contains persuasive evidence to support the deviation.” Id. Here, the ALJ offered her own speculative explanation to rebut the DOT’s presumptive exertion requirement, commenting that the reason for the light exertion label is that the position “may require some pushing or pulling of arm controls.” She concluded that this requirement should not elevate the job classification from sedentary to light. The ALJ also deferred to the VE’s personal knowledge and experience as superseding the DOT to the extent that the light exertion label was related to any standing/walking requirements. [13] The ALJ’s determination that Tommasetti could return to his work as an electronics assembler is not supported by the record. Instead of persuasive evidence in the record, the ALJ relied on her own speculation and the VE’s brief and indefinite testimony. Id.; Soc. Sec. Ruling 00-4p (Dec. 4, 2000) (stating that “[t]he adjudicator must resolve the conflict by 8842 TOMMASETTI v. ASTRUE determining if the explanation given by the VE or [vocational specialist] is reasonable and provides a basis for relying on the VE or [vocational specialist] testimony rather than on the DOT information”). The ALJ did not identify what aspect of the VE’s experience warranted deviation from the DOT, and did not point to any evidence in the record other than the VE’s sparse testimony for the deviation. Therefore, the ALJ’s step four finding was erroneous. [14] Although the ALJ’s step four determination constitutes error, it is harmless error in light of the ALJ’s alternative finding at step five. At step five, the ALJ concluded that, assuming Tommasetti could not perform past work, he could still perform other work in the national and local economies that existed in significant numbers. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520(a) (4)(v), 404.1560(c); Robbins, 466 F.3d at 885 (holding that error that is inconsequential to the ultimate nondisability determination is harmless error). The ALJ, relying on the VE’s testimony, found that Tommasetti could work as a semiconductor assembler, which is a sedentary, semi-skilled position offering 100,000 positions nationally and 9,000 regionally. See Dictionary of Occupational Titles § 726.684034. The VE testified that Tommasetti’s prior skills as an electronics assembler transferred to the “very closely related” semiconductor assembler job because both positions involve similar assembler tools, assembler products, and subassembly components, and the semiconductor assembler position simply involves smaller items. [15] The ALJ also found that the VE’s testimony augmented Rule 201.07 of the Medical Vocational Guidelines (the “grids”), 20 C.F.R. Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 2,4 4 We summarized the role of the grids, in the evaluation of a disability claim in Lounsburry v. Barnhart, 468 F.3d 1111, 1114-15 (9th Cir. 2006): The grids are applied at the fifth step of the analysis under 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520, and present, in table form, a short-hand TOMMASETTI v. ASTRUE 8843 which provides an alternate basis for finding that Tommasetti was not disabled. Pursuant to Rule 201.07, a claimant of advanced age who is limited to sedentary work, has a high school degree, can perform skilled or semi-skilled work, and has transferrable skills is “not disabled.” Rule 201.07 is augmented by Rule 201.00(f), which states that “[i]n order to find transferability of skills to skilled sedentary work for individuals who are of advanced age . . . , there must be very little, if any, vocational adjustment required in terms of tools, work processes, work settings, or the industry.” Tommasetti meets these criteria. Tommasetti argues that the ALJ’s step five determination is undermined by this court’s decision in Lounsburry v. Barnhart, 468 F.3d 1111 (9th Cir. 2006), which was filed after the district court’s decision in this case. In Lounsburry, the claimant was restricted to performing light work and had transferrable skills. Id. at 1116. The court found that Rule 202.07, from the grid table governing light exertion, applied and that Footnote 2 to Rule 202.07 expressly incorporated language from Rule 202.00(c). Id. The result of this incorporation was that a person of advanced age with a high school degree who could do light work could only be found “not disabled” if her skills were readily transferable to a “significant range” of method for determining the availability and numbers of suitable jobs for a claimant. [Tackett v. Apfel, 180 F.3d 1094, 1101 (9th Cir. 1999).] The grids categorize jobs by their physical-exertional requirements, and set forth a table for each category. A claimant’s placement with the appropriate table is determined by applying a matrix of four factors identified by Congress—a claimant’s age, education, previous work experience, and physical ability. For each combination of these factors, they direct a finding of either “disabled” or “not disabled” based on the number of jobs in the national economy in that category of physicalexertional requirements. Id. If a claimant is found able to work jobs that exist in significant numbers, the claimant is generally considered not disabled. Heckler v. Campbell, 461 U.S. 458, 461 . . . (1983). 8844 TOMMASETTI v. ASTRUE semi-skilled or skilled work. Id. at 1116-17. The court held that one “occupation” did not constitute a “significant range” and, because the ALJ had only identified one occupation, Lounsburry was “disabled.” Id. at 1117. [16] Tommasetti asks the court to extend Lounsburry’s definition of “significant range,” which pertains to a light work analysis under Rule 202.00(c), to his case, which involves a sedentary work analysis under Rule 201.07. He asserts that applying Lounsburry, the ALJ erred at step five by identifying only one occupation to which Tommasetti could adjust, i.e., semiconductor assembler. We do not agree. Lounsburry is distinguishable because it involved a different grid rule that was based on light exertion (Rule 202.07), whereas this case involves a grid rule based on sedentary exertion (Rule 201.07). A plain reading of Rule 201.07 makes clear that it is not augmented by Rule 202.00(c), the specific text which was the driving consideration in Lounsburry. 468 F.3d at 1116-17. Moreover, the grid rules related to sedentary exertion do not contain the language of Rule 202.00(c).5 The Social Security Administration has promulgated rules that treat jobs requiring light exertion and sedentary exertion differently under the grids. Tommasetti has not convinced us that we should do otherwise. Accordingly, we reject Tommasetti’s attempt to graft rules applicable to the light exertion grid onto the sedentary exertion grid. A contrary result would lead to the confused and arbitrary application of grid rules from one exertional category to other exertional categories and might well, in effect, defeat the goal of consistency and uniformity in decision-making that the particularized grids serve. See Soc. Sec. Ruling 83-10 (1983) (stating that the regulations were expanded to include Appendix 2 and the grids to “increase consistency and promote the uniformity with which disability determinations are made” at step five). 5 Tommasetti’s argument that Rule 201.00(e) is the “same provision” as Rule 202.00(c) is not persuasive based on the text of the rules. TOMMASETTI v. ASTRUE 8845