a logical person would then ask why aren't the questions that BLS or CPS
uses part of the acs? would this increase the level of confidence and
reliability of these data?
>>> edc(a)berwyned.com 9/30/2009 7:23 PM >>>
Earlier this week I was part of an email chain where it was discovered
that with the new 2008 ACS data which was just release there was a
national change in workers from 2007 of about 4.8 million for a growth
of about 3.4 percent. Of course this seemed odd given the year that we
have been through. I further learned that BLS was showing a loss of
workers during the same time which prompted me to pass the issue over
to
Melissa Chiu our CTPP coordinator at the Census Bureau. Here is what
Melissa had to say.
Hi Ed,
I spoke with the subject matter branch chief and it turns out that the
Bureau recommends using caution when making labor force comparisons
between data from 2008 or later and data from prior years (make sure to
look at the footnote at the bottom of the labor force tables). This is
because there was a question change starting in 2008 that results in
more people responding that they worked last week. The question in use
before 2008 missed many marginal workers. Essentially the data are
better now and this also puts the ACS data more in line with the
Current
Population Survey (CPS)-based BLS data. In addition, as far as labor
force estimates go, the BLS data are considered the official estimates,
and many more questions are asked on the CPS regarding employment than
on the ACS. So there may still be differences between CPS and ACS due
to
this and other issues.
There is more information on this question change in the research
note:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/laborfor/researchnote092209.html
The note references the following 2006 content test report that
resulted
in the question change:
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/AdvMeth/content_test/P6a_Employment_Status.pdf
Finally, for other information on labor force data, please start here:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/laborfor/laborforce.html
I hope this helps. If you have further questions, please let me know
and
I will refer you to the appropriate person.
Thanks, Melissa
--
Ed Christopher
708-283-3534 (V)
708-574-8131 (cell)
FHWA RC-TST-PLN
4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 600
Matteson, IL 60443
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