Labor Market Assessments in Santa Cruz, CA

At Cheryl Foden & Associates, we provide professional labor market consultation in Santa Cruz, CA to attorneys, and individuals involved in legal, vocational, or disability-related matters. With over 30 years of industry experience, our firm offers targeted labor market research and job feasibility studies to support legal arguments, return-to-work plans, and career transitions. Our consultations are rooted in local employment data-based research, and expert vocational analysis tailored to individual cases.

The Purpose of Labor Market Consultation

Labor market consultation is a specialized service that evaluates the availability, accessibility, and suitability of jobs within a given region—typically as it relates to a client’s vocational profile. In Santa Cruz, this consultation is commonly used to determine realistic job placement options and to provide the foundation for earning capacity assessments, vocational rehabilitation plans, and legal testimony in support of or in opposition to wage-loss claims.


Our firm conducts this research not just through databases, but by contacting local employers, reviewing live job postings, and cross-referencing regional economic trends. This approach ensures that our findings reflect the current job climate and accurately represent the employability of the individuals being assessed.

Research for Legal and Vocational Purposes

Cheryl Foden & Associates often conducts labor market research in support of litigation or disability evaluation. This includes identifying existing job openings, verifying hiring practices, and assessing job demands to determine if a position is realistically attainable for the client. These findings are used to inform court-admissible vocational reports or to support insurance evaluations and return-to-work programs.


In cases involving injury, disability, or divorce, our consultation helps determine whether reemployment is feasible, how long it might take, and what income level is likely. By providing real-time data about job opportunities in Santa Cruz and nearby areas, our reports give attorneys and courts a factual basis for decisions involving support payments, disability claims, or settlement terms.

Wage Data and Labor Market Projections

Accurate wage analysis is a critical component of labor market consultation. At Cheryl Foden & Associates, we investigate current wage offerings for positions that match a client’s skill set and physical or cognitive limitations. These insights help establish baseline earning capacity and are often used in spousal support calculations, personal injury claims, and workers’ compensation cases.


We draw from government sources, job banks, employer outreach, and regional economic forecasts to develop localized wage profiles. This data is then aligned with the client’s vocational qualifications and functional capabilities to produce a thorough, realistic picture of their employment potential in Santa Cruz’s labor market.

Evaluating Job Feasibility and Transferability

Labor market consultation also involves evaluating whether a client’s existing skills are transferable to available positions. For individuals whose prior jobs are no longer viable—whether due to injury, obsolescence, or career change—our consultation identifies comparable occupations based on physical demands, training requirements, and wage expectations.


We analyze job descriptions, employer expectations, and any barriers to employment such as age, education gaps, or medical limitations. In Santa Cruz, where industries vary from tourism and education to healthcare and technology, our research provides insight into which sectors offer real opportunities and which ones present barriers for clients with specific backgrounds.

Application in Legal Testimony and Vocational Reporting

The findings from our labor market consultation are frequently incorporated into formal vocational reports, which are then presented in court or submitted as part of insurance or administrative proceedings. Cheryl Foden & Associates has served as an expert witness in numerous cases, offering testimony grounded in these labor assessments.


Our reports are tailored to meet legal standards and support arguments involving employability, earning potential, and realistic job access. Courts and attorneys in Santa Cruz rely on our firm to deliver clear, defensible insights that directly influence outcomes in family law, personal injury, and workers’ compensation matters.


Cheryl Foden & Associates offers trusted labor market consultation in Santa Cruz, CA, backed by decades of vocational expertise and real-world labor analysis. Whether you need a localized job market evaluation, wage feasibility study, or job transferability analysis, our research delivers reliable insights designed to support litigation, settlement, and vocational planning.