Opinion ID: 3012642
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: “Erosion of the Occupational Base”

Text: There is no dispute that, because of her age, limited education, and unskilled work experience, Boone is disabled if she has the physical ability to do only sedentary work. See 20 C.F.R. pt. 404, subpt. P, app. 2, § 201.00(g) (“Individuals approaching advanced age (age 50-54) may be significantly limited in vocational adaptability if they are restricted to sedentary work. When such individuals . . . can no longer perform vocationally relevant past work and have no transferable skills, a finding of disabled ordinarily obtains.”). The parties also agree that Boone is not disabled 12 if she can perform the full range of light work. See id. § 202.00. Her residual functional capacity does not, however, fall neatly into either category. Rather, as noted above, the ALJ found that Boone can do a limited range of light work. Boone asserts that the ALJ committed per se reversible error by failing to specify how limited the range of light work that she can perform is and by not addressing whether she is also limited in the range of sedentary work that she can do. Social Security Ruling 83-12 directs that if the claimant’s residual functional capacity does not coincide with any of the established categories, the ALJ “will consider the extent of any erosion of the occupational base and assess its significance.” Id.16 Thus, Boone’s argument, in the language of SSR 83-12, is that the ALJ should have assessed the “extent” of the “erosion of the occupational base” for both the sedentary and light work that she can perform. SSR 83-12 further states, however, that where “difficult judgments are involved” in the categorization of a claimant’s work ability, VE “assistance is advisable.” Id. The Ruling so advises because a VE can provide a more individualized analysis as to what jobs the claimant can and cannot perform than does a determination of the claimant’s remaining occupational base. Id.17 Consequently, we shall not interpret SSR 83-12 to mandate reversal whenever the ALJ does not set out specific findings concerning the erosion of the occupational base if, as here, the ALJ has received the assistance of a VE in considering the more precise question whether there are a significant number of jobs in the economy that the claimant can perform. At the same time, however, the absence of those findings means that we are hindered in considering whether substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s ultimate determination that Boone is not disabled. 16. The Ruling is binding on the agency. See 20 C.F.R. § 402.35(b)(1). 17. See also, e.g., 20 C.F.R. § 416.966(e) (“If the issue in determining whether you are disabled is whether your work skills can be used in other work and the specific occupations in which they can be used, or there is a similarly complex issue, [the ALJ] may use the services of a vocational expert or other specialist.”). 13 The Commissioner contends, however, that, because the ALJ found that Boone can do a limited range of light work, she can perform the 200 unskilled sedentary occupations, see 20 C.F.R. pt. 404, subpt. P., app. 2, § 202.00(a), and the approximately 1,400 unskilled light level occupations, see id. § 201.00(a), that exist in the national economy. We cannot agree. SSR 83-12 makes clear that if a person “must alternate periods of sitting and standing,” as Boone must have the option to do, she “is not functionally capable of doing either the prolonged sitting contemplated in the definition of sedentary work (and for the relatively few light jobs which are performed primarily in a seated position) or the prolonged standing or walking contemplated for most light work.” Id. Thus, the requirement, found by the ALJ, that Boone’s employment allow her the option to sit or stand at will every thirty minutes precludes her from performing “the prolonged sitting contemplated in the definition of sedentary work” as well as “most light work.” Id. Moreover, “Unskilled types of jobs are particularly structured so that a person cannot ordinarily sit or stand at will.” Id. (“There are some jobs in the national economy — typically professional and managerial ones — in which a person can sit or stand with a degree of choice.”). The sedentary and light jobs that Boone physically can perform are, therefore, likely to require a higher degree of skill than she is capable of. Id.; see also 20 C.F.R. § 416.963(d) (“If [the claimant is] closely approaching advanced age (age 5054), [the Commissioner] will consider that [her] age along with a severe impairment(s) and limited work experience may seriously affect [her] ability to adjust to other work.”). Moreover, Boone’s inability to perform repetitive hand movements will further limit the number of unskilled sedentary jobs she can perform. See SSR 83-14 (“[B]ilateral manual dexterity is necessary for the performance of substantially all unskilled sedentary occupations.”). Given that SSR 83-12 suggests that Boone cannot perform most sedentary or light jobs (because of her need to have the option to sit or stand at will and her ability to perform only unskilled work), we cannot — as the Commissioner would have us do — assume that the ALJ’s finding that Boone can perform a limited range of light 14 work means that she can perform a significant number of jobs in the economy. Substantial evidence therefore does not support the ALJ’s conclusion that the Commissioner met her burden of proof.