. "Appendix A Overview of Current Data Collections." Understanding Business Dynamics: An Integrated Data System for America's Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2007.
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Understanding Business Dynamics: An Integrated Data System for America’s Future
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)
Purpose/uses
Data serve as demand-side indicators of labor shortages at the national level. Availability of unfilled jobs—the job openings rate—is an important measure of job market dynamics that complements measures of unemployment.
Design basics
Data from a sample of approximately 16,000 U.S. business establishments are collected on a voluntary basis. The sample frame consists of approximately UI million establishments on the BLS' ES-202 QCEW file. Reference periods for total employment is the pay period that includes the 12th of the month; for job openings, it is the last business day of the month; for hires and separations, it is the entire calendar month.
Frequency
Data tables are released monthly.
Unit level
Establishment
Coverage
The survey covers all nonagricultural industries in the public and private sectors for the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Content
Total employment, job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations.
Limitations or lag time
Data available only on a national level. No turnover rates by occupation.
Accessibility of data
Data are disseminated in a news release and through updated tables on the BLS website.
BLS AND U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Current Population Survey (CPS)
Purpose/uses
Provides information on the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population. Data are used to calculate total employment (by occupation) and unemployment statistics. Used as sample frame for ATUS. Used to produce supplements on displaced workers, job tenure and occupational mobility. CPS data have also been used to construct the KIEA (1996 to 2004), a measure of business creation defined as the percentage of nonbusiness owners who started a business each month.
Design basics
Uses a household-based (from the Census Bureau) sampling frame and rotating sample design: respondents are in the survey for UI months, out for UI months, and back in for an additional UI months.
Frequency
Monthly, longitudinal panel capability upon matching, 1962 to present (matching is imperfect—annual match rates around 70%).
Unit level
Individual, family, and household
Coverage
Civilian noninstitutionalized population ages 16 and over. Survey size is approximately 60,000 households.
Content
Employment (by occupation and industry), indicators for self-employed, unemployment, business ownership, some characteristics of small business employees, earnings, hours of work, age, sex, race, marital status, and educational attainment. Supplemental questions on school enrollment, income, previous work experience, health, employment benefits, and work schedules.
Limitations or lag time
Record matching over time is imperfect.
Accessibility of data
Microdata are publicly available. Data can be accessed electronically.
