What are Some Reasons to Object to A Vocational Expert (VE)?

A VE is an expert witness that testifies on behalf of the Social Security Administration (SSA) at an individual’s disability hearing. However, there are certain circumstances in which a claimant representative might object to a VE and/or the testimony that VE provides.

The following are just a few of the many possible reasons to object to a VE based on his or her qualifications:

-The VE never took a statistics course
-The VE is neither a labor market nor a placement specialist
-The VE has a criminal history
-The VE cannot provide a professional foundation to support his or her arguments
-The VE does not have an advanced degree (if relevant)
-The VE lacks sufficient experience in the field of vocational rehabilitation
-The VE lacks up-to-date knowledge of job sites
-The VE has not written any professional literature

The following are just a few of the many possible reasons to object to a VE’s testimony:

-The VE is biased
-The VE fails to provide evidence and documentation upon which his or her testimony is based
-The VE lacks appropriate professional experience in the private sector
-The VE’s testimony is contradicted by another qualified VE
-The VE’s testimony is based on speculative or non-scientific data extrapolation methods
-The VE will not provide information about the employers with which he or she has placed individuals
-The VE argues that most employers will tolerate more than 1 day a month of absence

Keep in mind that this is just a handful of possible objections. There are many other reasons a claimant representative might object to a VE and/or that VE’s testimony.