Labor Market Survey/Research: An Approach Centered on the Individual and Grounded in Objective and Reliable Data

In 2010, a cross section of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRC’s) in Washington State took part in a comprehensive review oflabor market survey methodology as it pertains to Washington Administrative Codes (WAC) (Donley & Johnson, 2015). This review produced the Labor Market Survey/Research (LMS/R) protocol: a combination of quantitative and qualitative data derived from scientifically surveyed published statistics and individual employer sampling, analyzed against worker-specific data, to arrive at a valid vocational opinion (Donley & Johnson, 2013). The goal is to arrive at a reliable conclusion based on these factors and VRC’s professional clinical judgment (Barros-Bailey & Heitzman, 2014; Field, Choppa, & Weed, 2009). This article will review the LMS/R protocol as an option when conducting labor market research.