Opinion ID: 724046
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Phase Two: Demands of Plaintiff's Past Relevant Work

Text: 25 At the second phase of the step four analysis, the ALJ must make findings regarding the physical and mental demands of the claimant's past relevant work. See Henrie, 13 F.3d at 361. To make the necessary findings, the ALJ must obtain adequate factual information about those work demands which have a bearing on the medically established limitations. SSR 82-62, Soc. Sec. Rep. Serv., Rulings 1975-1982, at 812. When the claimant has a mental impairment, 26 care must be taken to obtain a precise description of the particular job duties which are likely to produce tension and anxiety, e.g., speed, precision, complexity of tasks, independent judgments, working with other people, etc., in order to determine if the claimant's mental impairment is compatible with the performance of such work. 27 Id. Here, the ALJ made no inquiry into, or any findings specifying, the mental demands of plaintiff's past relevant work, either as plaintiff actually performed the work or as it is customarily performed in the national economy. 28 On appeal, the Secretary argues, relying on cases from outside this circuit, that plaintiff bore the responsibility for developing the record as to the demands of his past relevant work. Tenth Circuit law concerning the ALJ's duty of inquiry and factual development is, however, to the contrary. See, e.g., Washington, 37 F.3d at 1442; Henrie, 13 F.3d at 361. Further, the Secretary's own rule dictates that the ALJ make the necessary findings at phases two and three of the step four inquiry. See SSR 82-62, Soc. Sec. Rep. Serv., Rulings 1975-1982, at 813. 29