What’s the purpose of having a vocational expert testify at a Social Security Disability hearing?

A vocational evaluator at a Social Security Disability hearing assists the Administrative Law Judge in determining whether or not there are “a significant number” of jobs you may be able to perform given your age, education, prior work experience and residual functional capacity.

A vocational evaluator will also render an opinion as to whether or not you can return to your past relevant work which step four of the five step sequential evaluation.

At step five you will be called in to discuss whether or not you have transferable skills to other work that might exist in the national economy.

Attending the cross exam of the vocational evaluator at a Social Security Disability hearing could be disastrous for the unrepresented Social Security Disability applicants.

Sharon Barrett, former Social Security staff attorney in the Tampa Social Security Administration office knows what questions to ask when a vocational expert who may be testifying at your Social Security Disability hearing.