Data Sources

The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy.

Local Employment Dynamics utilizes data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics program to create a variety of products such as Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) and Industry Focus for local area data.

Statistical resources from the ILO, including ILOSTAT, LABORSTA, Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM), Labour Force Surveys, Statistical Information and Monitoring Programme on Child Labour (IPEC-SIMPOC).

The Union Membership and Coverage Database, is an Internet data resource providing private and public sector labor union membership, coverage, and density estimates compiled from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly household survey, using BLS methods. Economy-wide estimates are provided beginning in 1973; estimates by state, detailed industry, and detailed occupation begin in 1983; and estimates by metropolitan area begin in 1986. The Database, constructed by Barry Hirsch (Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University) and David Macpherson (Department of Economics, Trinity University), is updated annually.

Conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) measures the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing. Includes some television viewing statistics.