ICYMI: NENA Files Comments With OMB in Support of Telecommunicator Reclassification
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The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has begun the process of reviewing the Standard Occupational Classification manual that lists 9-1-1 telecommunicator as a clerical job.
On behalf of our members, NENA filed comments recommending the reclassification of 9-1-1 telecommunicators into the "Protective Service Occupation" category for the next version of the SOC manual, set to be released in 2028.
From the Executive Summary of NENA's comments:
Despite dealing with a majority of the same day-to-day stressors as law enforcement officers, 9-1-1 professionals are grouped in OMB’s Standard Occupational Classification system along with secretaries and office clerks. This outdated and improper classification has resulted in staffing shortages, faulty data collection, and mischaracterization of the nation’s most important front-line public safety professions. Public Safety Telecommunicators (PST) should be reclassified to Protective Service Occupations, the same as police officers and other public safety professionals. This misclassification should be corrected based upon the job requirements, education, and the vital roles PSTs have in the safety of individuals and communities.
Click here to read NENA's full comments.
