Opinion ID: 162027
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Demands of Past Relevant Work

Text: Finally, Ms. Westbrook argues that the ALJ failed to discuss the demands of her past relevant work. She cites Winfrey in arguing that the ALJ’s findings were not particularly precise enough to satisfy that case’s mandate of specific findings at each of the three phases of step four. See Winfrey, 92 F.3d at 1023. Our holding in Winfrey , however, is not designed to needlessly constrain ALJs by setting up numerous procedural hurdles that block the ultimate goal of determining disability. Rather, its concern is with the development of a record which forms the basis of a decision capable of review. We have stated that “[t]he ALJ has a basic obligation in every social security case to ensure that an adequate record is developed during the disability hearing consistent with the issues raised.” Henrie v. United States Dep’t of Health & Human Servs., 13 F.3d 359, 360-61 (10th Cir. 1993). “[T]he duty is one of inquiry and factual development. The claimant continues to bear the ultimate burden of proving that she is disabled under the regulations.” Id. at 361. In Henrie, we found that there was no inquiry whatsoever regarding the demands of past relevant work, and that the prior occupation was never even mentioned in evidence. With a record devoid of even -12- any mention of the demands of past relevant work, we were compelled to remand the case for the ALJ to develop that record, despite the claimant’s ultimate burden of proof. See id. In the present case, the record is not devoid of evidence of the demands of Ms. Westbrook’s past relevant work. On the contrary, it includes inquiry at the hearing as well as an earlier description of that work by Ms. Westbrook herself. The ALJ’s specific functional demand finding also referred to his earlier finding of residual functional capacity, which, as we have already said, was based on substantial evidence. The ALJ also specifically found that there was no evidence to support a finding that Ms. Westbrook had any mental limitations on her ability to perform semi-skilled work. A more detailed finding that independently examined the objective mental demands of an administrative assistant was entirely unnecessary, given the lack of medical evidence demonstrating Ms. Westbrook had a severe mental impairment requiring consideration with those demands. In sum, the record as a whole was adequately developed and supports the ALJ’s ruling that Ms. Westbrook could return to her past relevant work, and we conclude that the ALJ’s decision was based on substantial evidence.