A Vocational Expert’s Report in a Divorce Case

A vocational expert will evaluate a spouse in a divorce case to establish his or her employability and  earning capacity . The expert will then document the findings from the  vocational evaluation  in a vocational examination report, which will help the court determine the amount and duration of spousal and child support.

A typical vocational examination report will evaluate, summarize, and document findings on the cost and duration of needed education and training, availability of geographically appropriate job openings, salary data, and the estimated time it will take a spouse to find a job. The conclusions and opinions in the report will be based on an interview with the spouse being examined,  vocational testing , and an assessment of his or her career values, marketable skills, and job possibilities. Labor market research is conducted based on the data collected about the spouse being examined.

1. Evaluate the current and future earning capacity and employability of a spouse.
2. Assess the efforts of a spouse to seek employment, start a business, or pursue a future career by obtaining advanced education.
3. Determine the costs and duration of education and training for future career options.
4. Estimate the time it will take for a spouse to find work in the current labor market.
5. Compare actual earnings to the potential earning capacity of a spouse.
6. Demonstrate a spouse’s lack of education, work-related skills, and earning capacity
7. Ascertain to what degree factors such as age, physical health, and emotional health limit employability.
8. Identify child care costs resulting from a spouse’s return to work.
9. Consider changes in circumstances of a spouse’s wage-earning capacity and employability.

The  vocational experts  at Occupational Assessment Services, Inc. (OAS) have over forty years of experience documenting the income potential and employment capacity of underemployed, unemployed, and disabled spouses in divorce cases. Contact OAS at  800-292-1919  to discuss how we can help in the case.