Physical Demands of Work, Exits From the Workforce, and Participation in Disability Programs

In 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) launched a 3-year effort to survey U.S. employers regarding the requirements of work. The new survey, the Occupational Requirements Survey, captures physical demands, education and skill requirements, and other requirements of work. Coinciding with the release of the new BLS data is the second wave of the redesigned Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a rich household survey that allows for measuring transitions from the workforce and transitions to disability programs. Using the combined data, I find that adverse health events during the course of the SIPP are associated with exits from the workforce in general and especially among individuals in physically demanding work. This research brings together two new and important federal data sources to foster improved understanding of physical work requirements and their role in predicting workforce exit and participation in disability programs.