Professional Documents
Culture Documents
This section of the Review presents the values) are described as “real,” “constant,” or 1979.
principal statistical series collected and “1982” dollars. Detailed data on the occupational injury
calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: and illness series are published in Occupa-
series on labor force; employment; unem- tional Injuries and Illnesses in the United States,
ployment; labor compensation; consumer, Sources of information by Industry, a BLS annual bulletin.
producer, and international prices; produc- Finally, the Monthly Labor Review carries
tivity; international comparisons; and injury Data that supplement the tables in this sec- analytical articles on annual and longer term
and illness statistics. In the notes that follow, tion are published by the Bureau in a variety developments in labor force, employment,
the data in each group of tables are briefly of sources. Definitions of each series and and unemployment; employee compensation
described; key definitions are given; notes notes on the data are contained in later sec- and collective bargaining; prices; productiv-
on the data are set forth; and sources of ad- tions of these Notes describing each set of ity; international comparisons; and injury
ditional information are cited. data. For detailed descriptions of each data and illness data.
series, see BLS Handbook of Methods, Bulletin
2490. Users also may wish to consult Major
General notes Programs of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Symbols
Report 919. News releases provide the lat- n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified.
The following notes apply to several tables est statistical information published by the
in this section: n.e.s. = not elsewhere specified.
Bureau; the major recurring releases are p = preliminary. To increase
Seasonal adjustment. Certain monthly published according to the schedule appear-
and quarterly data are adjusted to eliminate the timeliness of some series,
ing on the back cover of this issue. preliminary figures are issued
the effect on the data of such factors as cli- More information about labor force,
matic conditions, industry production sched- based on representative but
employment, and unemployment data and incomplete returns.
ules, opening and closing of schools, holiday the household and establishment surveys
buying periods, and vacation practices, which r = revised. Generally, this revision
underlying the data are available in the reflects the availability of later
might prevent short-term evaluation of the Bureau’s monthly publication, Employment
statistical series. Tables containing data that data, but also may reflect other
and Earnings. Historical unadjusted and adjustments.
have been adjusted are identified as “season- seasonally adjusted data from the household
ally adjusted.” (All other data are not season- survey are available on the Internet:
ally adjusted.) Seasonal effects are estimated www.bls.gov/cps/
on the basis of current and past experiences. Historically comparable unadjusted and sea- Comparative Indicators
When new seasonal factors are computed sonally adjusted data from the establishment
each year, revisions may affect seasonally (Tables 1–3)
survey also are available on the Internet:
adjusted data for several preceding years. www.bls.gov/ces/
Seasonally adjusted data appear in tables Additional information on labor force data Comparative indicators tables provide an
1–14, 17–21, 48, and 52. Seasonally adjusted for areas below the national level are pro- overview and comparison of major bls sta-
labor force data in tables 1 and 4–9 and sea- vided in the BLS annual report, Geographic tistical series. Consequently, although many
sonally adjusted establishment survey data Profile of Employment and Unemployment. of the included series are available monthly,
shown in tables 1, 12–14, and 17 usually are For a comprehensive discussion of the all measures in these comparative tables are
revised in the March issue of the Review. A Employment Cost Index, see Employment presented quarterly and annually.
brief explanation of the seasonal adjustment Cost Indexes and Levels, 1975–95, BLS Bul- Labor market indicators include em-
methodology appears in “Notes on the data.” letin 2466. The most recent data from the ployment measures from two major surveys
Revisions in the productivity data in table Employee Benefits Survey appear in the fol- and information on rates of change in
54 are usually introduced in the September lowing Bureau of Labor Statistics bulletins: compensation provided by the Employment
issue. Seasonally adjusted indexes and per- Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Firms; Cost Index (ECI) program. The labor force
cent changes from month-to-month and Employee Benefits in Small Private Establish- participation rate, the employment-popula-
quarter-to-quarter are published for numer- ments; and Employee Benefits in State and Local tion ratio, and unemployment rates for major
ous Consumer and Producer Price Index Governments. demographic groups based on the Current
series. However, seasonally adjusted indexes More detailed data on consumer and Population (“household”) Survey are pre-
are not published for the U.S. average All- producer prices are published in the monthly sented, while measures of employment and
Items CPI. Only seasonally adjusted percent periodicals, The CPI Detailed Report and Pro- average weekly hours by major industry sec-
changes are available for this series. ducer Price Indexes. For an overview of the tor are given using nonfarm payroll data. The
Adjustments for price changes. Some 1998 revision of the CPI, see the December Employment Cost Index (compensation),
data—such as the “real” earnings shown in 1996 issue of the Monthly Labor Review. Ad- by major sector and by bargaining status, is
table 14—are adjusted to eliminate the effect ditional data on international prices appear chosen from a variety of BLS compensation
of changes in price. These adjustments are in monthly news releases. and wage measures because it provides a
made by dividing current-dollar values by Listings of industries for which produc- comprehensive measure of employer costs for
the Consumer Price Index or the appropriate tivity indexes are available may be found on hiring labor, not just outlays for wages, and it
component of the index, then multiplying the Internet: is not affected by employment shifts among
by 100. For example, given a current hourly www.bls.gov/lpc/ occupations and industries.
wage rate of $3 and a current price index Data on changes in compensation, pric-
number of 150, where 1982 = 100, the hourly For additional information on inter- es, and productivity are presented in table 2.
rate expressed in 1982 dollars is $2 ($3/150 national comparisons data, see Interna- Measures of rates of change of compensation
x 100 = $2). The $2 (or any other resulting tional Comparisons of Unemployment, Bulletin and wages from the Employment Cost Index
tions. Those workers mentioned in tables probability-based sample design. The indus- lished as preliminary in January and February
11–16 include production workers in manu- try-coding update included reconstruction and as final in March.
facturing and natural resources and min- of historical estimates in order to preserve F OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on
ing; construction workers in construction; time series for data users. Normally 5 years establishment survey data, contact the Di-
and nonsupervisory workers in all private of seasonally adjusted data are revised with vision of Current Employment Statistics:
service-providing industries. Production each benchmark revision. However, with this (202) 691–6555.
and nonsupervisory workers account for release, the entire new time series history for
about four-fifths of the total employment on all CES data series were re-seasonally adjusted Unemployment data by State
private nonagricultural payrolls. due to the NAICS conversion, which resulted
Earnings are the payments production in the revision of all CES time series. Description of the series
or nonsupervisory workers receive during Also in June 2003, the CES program in-
the survey period, including premium pay troduced concurrent seasonal adjustment for Data presented in this section are obtained
for overtime or late-shift work but exclud- the national establishment data. Under this from the Local Area Unemployment Statis-
ing irregular bonuses and other special methodology, the first preliminary estimates tics (LAUS) program, which is conducted in
payments. Real earnings are earnings for the current reference month and the cooperation with State employment security
adjusted to reflect the effects of changes agencies.
revised estimates for the 2 prior months will
in consumer prices. The deflator for this Monthly estimates of the labor force,
be updated with concurrent factors with each
series is derived from the Consumer Price employment, and unemployment for States
new release of data. Concurrent seasonal and sub-State areas are a key indicator of lo-
Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
adjustment incorporates all available data, cal economic conditions, and form the basis
Workers (CPI-W).
including first preliminary estimates for for determining the eligibility of an area for
Hours represent the average weekly
hours of production or nonsupervisory the most current month, in the adjustment benefits under Federal economic assistance
workers for which pay was received, and are process. For additional information on all of programs such as the Job Training Partner-
different from standard or scheduled hours. the changes introduced in June 2003, see the ship Act. Seasonally adjusted unemployment
Overtime hours represent the portion of June 2003 issue of Employment and Earnings rates are presented in table 10. Insofar as pos-
average weekly hours which was in excess and “Recent changes in the national Current sible, the concepts and definitions underlying
of regular hours and for which overtime Employment Statistics survey,” Monthly La- these data are those used in the national
premiums were paid. bor Review, June 2003, pp. 3–13. estimates obtained from the CPS.
The Diffusion Index represents the Revisions in State data (table 11) oc-
percent of industries in which employment curred with the publication of January 2003 Notes on the data
was rising over the indicated period, plus data. For information on the revisions for
one-half of the industries with unchanged the State data, see the March and May 2003 Data refer to State of residence. Monthly
employment; 50 percent indicates an equal issues of Employment and Earnings, and “Re- data for all States and the District of Colum-
balance between industries with increasing cent changes in the State and Metropolitan bia are derived using standardized procedures
and decreasing employment. In line with Area CES survey,” Monthly Labor Review, established by BLS. Once a year, estimates are
Bureau practice, data for the 1-, 3-, and 6- June 2003, pp. 14–19. revised to new population controls, usually
month spans are seasonally adjusted, while Beginning in June 1996, the BLS uses with publication of January estimates, and
those for the 12-month span are unadjusted. the X-12-ARIMA methodology to season- benchmarked to annual average CPS levels.
Table 17 provides an index on private non- ally adjust establishment survey data. This FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on data
farm employment based on 278 industries, procedure, developed by the Bureau of the in this series, call (202) 691–6392 (table 10)
Census, controls for the effect of varying or (202) 691–6559 (table 11).
and a manufacturing index based on 84
industries. These indexes are useful for mea- survey intervals (also known as the 4- versus
suring the dispersion of economic gains or 5-week effect), thereby providing improved Quarterly Census of
losses and are also economic indicators. measurement of over-the-month changes
and underlying economic trends. Revisions
Employment and Wages
of data, usually for the most recent 5-year
Notes on the data period, are made once a year coincident with Description of the series
With the release of data for January 2010, the the benchmark revisions.
Employment, wage, and establishment data
CES program introduced its annual revision
In the establishment survey, estimates
in this section are derived from the quarterly
of national estimates of employment, hours, for the most recent 2 months are based on tax reports submitted to State employment
and earnings from the monthly survey of incomplete returns and are published as pre- security agencies by private and State and
nonfarm establishments. Each year, the CES liminary in the tables (12–17 in the Review). local government employers subject to State
survey realigns its sample-based estimates When all returns have been received, the unemployment insurance (ui) laws and from
to incorporate universe counts of employ- estimates are revised and published as “final” Federal, agencies subject to the Unemploy-
ment—a process known as benchmarking. (prior to any benchmark revisions) in the ment Compensation for Federal Employees
Comprehensive counts of employment, or third month of their appearance. Thus, De- (ucfe) program. Each quarter, State agen-
benchmarks, are derived primarily from un- cember data are published as preliminary in cies edit and process the data and send the
employment insurance (UI) tax reports that January and February and as final in March. information to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
nearly all employers are required to file with For the same reasons, quarterly establish- The Quarterly Census of Employment
State Workforce Agencies. With the release ment data (table 1) are preliminary for the and Wages (QCEW) data, also referred as ES-
in June 2003, CES completed the transition first 2 months of publication and final in the 202 data, are the most complete enumeration
from its original quota sample design to a third month. Fourth-quarter data are pub- of employment and wage information by
switched to the 2007 version of the North The Office of Management and Budget lion establishments compiled as part of the
American Industry Classification System (OMB) defines metropolitan areas for use operations of the Quarterly Census of Em-
(NAICS) as the basis for the assignment and in Federal statistical activities and updates ployment and Wages, or QCEW, program. This
tabulation of economic data by industry. these definitions as needed. Data in this table program includes all employers subject to
NAICS is the product of a cooperative effort use metropolitan area criteria established State unemployment insurance (UI) laws and
on the part of the statistical agencies of the by OMB in definitions issued June 30, 1999 Federal agencies subject to Unemployment
United States, Canada, and Mexico. Due to (OMB Bulletin No. 99-04). These definitions Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE).
difference in NAICS and Standard Industrial reflect information obtained from the 1990 The sampling frame is stratified by own-
Classification (SIC) structures, industry data Decennial Census and the 1998 U.S. Census ership, region, industry sector, and size class.
for 2001 is not comparable to the SIC-based Bureau population estimate. A complete list Large firms fall into the sample with virtual
data for earlier years. of metropolitan area definitions is available certainty. JOLTS total employment estimates
Effective January 2001, the program from the National Technical Information are controlled to the employment estimates
began assigning Indian Tribal Councils and Service (NTIS), Document Sales, 5205 Port of the Current Employment Statistics (CES)
related establishments to local government Royal Road, Springfield, Va. 22161, tele- survey. A ratio of CES to JOLTS employment
ownership. This BLS action was in response to phone 1-800-553-6847. is used to adjust the levels for all other JOLTS
a change in Federal law dealing with the way OMB defines metropolitan areas in terms data elements. Rates then are computed from
Indian Tribes are treated under the Federal of entire counties, except in the six New Eng- the adjusted levels.
Unemployment Tax Act. This law requires land States where they are defined in terms of The monthly JOLTS data series begin with
federally recognized Indian Tribes to be treat- cities and towns. New England data in this December 2000. Not seasonally adjusted
ed similarly to State and local governments. table, however, are based on a county concept data on job openings, hires, total separa-
In the past, the Covered Employment and defined by OMB as New England County tions, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other
Wage (CEW) program coded Indian Tribal Metropolitan Areas (NECMA) because coun- separations levels and rates are available for
Councils and related establishments in the ty-level data are the most detailed available the total nonfarm sector, 16 private industry
private sector. As a result of the new law, CEW from the Quarterly Census of Employment divisions and 2 government divisions based
data reflects significant shifts in employment and Wages. The NECMA is a county-based on the North American Industry Classifica-
and wages between the private sector and alternative to the city- and town-based metro- tion System (NAICS), and four geographic
local government from 2000 to 2001. Data politan areas in New England. The NECMA for regions. Seasonally adjusted data on job
also reflect industry changes. Those accounts a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) include: openings, hires, total separations, and quits
previously assigned to civic and social organi- (1) the county containing the first-named city levels and rates are available for the total
zations were assigned to tribal governments. in that MSA title (this county may include nonfarm sector, selected industry sectors, and
There were no required industry changes for the first-named cities of other MSA, and (2) four geographic regions.
related establishments owned by these Tribal each additional county having at least half its
Councils. These tribal business establishments population in the MSA in which first-named Definitions
continued to be coded according to the eco- cities are in the county identified in step 1.
nomic activity of that entity. The NECMA is officially defined areas that Establishments submit job openings infor-
To insure the highest possible quality are meant to be used by statistical programs mation for the last business day of the
of data, State employment security agencies that cannot use the regular metropolitan area reference month. A job opening requires
verify with employers and update, if neces- definitions in New England. that (1) a specific position exists and there
sary, the industry, location, and ownership For additional information on the is work available for that position; and (2)
classification of all establishments on a 3-year covered employment and wage data, contact work could start within 30 days regardless
cycle. Changes in establishment classifica- the Division of Administrative Statistics and of whether a suitable candidate is found; and
tion codes resulting from the verification Labor Turnover at (202) 691–6567. (3) the employer is actively recruiting from
process are introduced with the data reported outside the establishment to fill the position.
for the first quarter of the year. Changes Included are full-time, part-time, permanent,
resulting from improved employer reporting Job Openings and Labor short-term, and seasonal openings. Active
also are introduced in the first quarter. For Turnover Survey recruiting means that the establishment is
these reasons, some data, especially at more taking steps to fill a position by advertising
detailed geographic levels, may not be strictly Description of the series in newspapers or on the Internet, posting
comparable with earlier years. help-wanted signs, accepting applications,
County definitions are assigned according Data for the Job Openings and Labor or using other similar methods.
to Federal Information Processing Standards Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are collected and Jobs to be filled only by internal transfers,
Publications as issued by the National In- compiled from a sample of 16,000 business promotions, demotions, or recall from layoffs
stitute of Standards and Technology. Areas establishments. Each month, data are col- are excluded. Also excluded are jobs with
shown as counties include those designated lected for total employment, job openings, start dates more than 30 days in the future,
as independent cities in some jurisdictions hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and other jobs for which employees have been hired but
and, in Alaska, those areas designated by the separations. The JOLTS program covers all have not yet reported for work, and jobs to be
Census Bureau where counties have not been private nonfarm establishments such as fac- filled by employees of temporary help agen-
created. County data also are presented for tories, offices, and stores, as well as Federal, cies, employee leasing companies, outside
the New England States for comparative State, and local government entities in the contractors, or consultants. The job openings
purposes, even though townships are the 50 States and the District of Columbia. The rate is computed by dividing the number of
more common designation used in New JOLTS sample design is a random sample job openings by the sum of employment and
England (and New Jersey). drawn from a universe of more than eight mil- job openings, and multiplying that quotient
aggregations, such as professional and related lished beginning in 1975. Changes in total service requirement. Employees in noncontr-
occupations, or one of five higher level aggre- compensation cost—wages and salaries and ibutory plans are counted as participating
gations, such as management, professional, benefits combined—were published begin- regardless of whether they have fulfilled the
and related occupations. ning in 1980. The series of changes in wages service requirements.
Fixed employment weights are used and salaries and for total compensation in Defined benefit pension plans use pre-
each quarter to calculate the most aggregate the State and local government sector and determined formulas to calculate a retirement
series—civilian, private, and State and local in the civilian nonfarm economy (excluding benefit (if any), and obligate the employer to
government. These fixed weights are also used Federal employees) were published begin- provide those benefits. Benefits are generally
to derive all of the industry and occupational ning in 1981. Historical indexes (December based on salary, years of service, or both.
series indexes. Beginning with the March 2005=100) are available on the Internet: Defined contribution plans generally
2006 estimates, 2002 fixed employment www.bls.gov/ect/ specify the level of employer and employee
weights from the Bureau’s Occupational A DDITIONAL INFORMATION on the contributions to a plan, but not the formula
Employment Statistics survey were intro- Employment Cost Index is available at www. for determining eventual benefits. Instead,
duced. From March 1995 to December 2005, bls.gov/ncs/ect/home.htm or by telephone individual accounts are set up for par-
1990 employment counts were used. These at (202) 691–6199. ticipants, and benefits are based on amounts
fixed weights ensure that changes in these credited to these accounts.
indexes reflect only changes in compensation, Tax-deferred savings plans are a type of
not employment shifts among industries or National Compensation Survey defined contribution plan that allow partici-
occupations with different levels of wages Benefit Measures pants to contribute a portion of their salary
and compensation. For the series based on to an employer-sponsored plan and defer
bargaining status, census region and division, income taxes until withdrawal.
and metropolitan area status, fixed employ- Description of the series Flexible benefit plans allow employees
ment data are not available. The employment to choose among several benefits, such as life
NCS benefit measures of employee benefits
weights are reallocated within these series insurance, medical care, and vacation days,
each quarter based on the current eci sample. are published in two separate reports. The and among several levels of coverage within
The indexes for these series, consequently, are annual summary provides data on the in- a given benefit.
not strictly comparable with those for aggre- cidence of (access to and participation in)
gate, occupational, and industry series. selected benefits and provisions of paid
holidays and vacations, life insurance plans, Notes on the data
and other selected benefit programs. Data on
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE NCS
Definitions percentages of establishments offering major
benefit measures is available at www.bls.
employee benefits, and on the employer and
Total compensation costs include wages, gov/ncs/ebs/home.htm or by telephone at
employee shares of contributions to medical
salaries, and the employer’s costs for em- (202) 691–6199.
care premiums also are presented. Selected
ployee benefits. benefit data appear in the following tables. A
Wages and salaries consist of earnings second publication, published later, contains Work stoppages
before payroll deductions, including produc- more detailed information about health and
tion bonuses, incentive earnings, commis- retirement plans.
sions, and cost-of-living adjustments. Description of the series
Benefits include the cost to employers
Definitions Data on work stoppages measure the number
for paid leave, supplemental pay (includ-
and duration of major strikes or lockouts
ing nonproduction bonuses), insurance, Employer-provided benefits are benefits (involving 1,000 workers or more) occurring
retirement and savings plans, and legally that are financed either wholly or partly by during the month (or year), the number of
required benefits (such as Social Security, the employer. They may be sponsored by a workers involved, and the amount of work
workers’ compensation, and unemployment union or other third party, as long as there time lost because of stoppage. These data are
insurance). is some employer financing. However, some presented in table 37.
Excluded from wages and salaries and benefits that are fully paid for by the employ- Data are largely from a variety of pub-
employee benefits are such items as payment- ee also are included. For example, long-term lished sources and cover only establishments
in-kind, free room and board, and tips. care insurance paid entirely by the employee directly involved in a stoppage. They do not
are included because the guarantee of insur- measure the indirect or secondary effect of
Notes on the data ability and availability at group premium stoppages on other establishments whose
rates are considered a benefit. employees are idle owing to material short-
The ECI data in these tables reflect the Employees are considered as having ac- ages or lack of service.
con-version to the 2002 North American cess to a benefit plan if it is available for their
Industry Classification System (NAICS) and use. For example, if an employee is permitted Definitions
the 2000 Standard Occupational Classifica- to participate in a medical care plan offered
tion (SOC) system. The NAICS and SOC data by the employer, but the employee declines to Number of stoppages: The number of
shown prior to 2006 are for informational do so, he or she is placed in the category with strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 work-
purposes only. ECI series based on NAICS those having access to medical care. ers or more and lasting a full shift or longer.
and SOC became the official BLS estimates Employees in contributory plans are Workers involved: The number of work-
starting in March 2006. considered as participating in an insurance ers directly involved in the stoppage.
The ECI for changes in wages and salaries or retirement plan if they have paid required Number of days idle: The aggregate
in the private nonfarm economy was pub- contributions and fulfilled any applicable number of workdays lost by workers involved
the first week of the month. Survey respon- output per unit of labor input, or output per is developed from measures of the net stock
dents are asked to indicate all discounts, allow- unit of capital input, as well as measures of of physical assets—equipment, structures,
ances, and rebates applicable to the reported multifactor productivity (output per unit land, and inventories—weighted by rental
prices, so that the price used in the calculation of combined labor and capital inputs). The prices for each type of asset.
of the indexes is the actual price for which the Bureau indexes show the change in output Combined units of labor and capital
product was bought or sold. relative to changes in the various inputs. inputs are derived by combining changes in
In addition to general indexes of prices The measures cover the business, nonfarm labor and capital input with weights which
for U.S. exports and imports, indexes are also business, manufacturing, and nonfinancial represent each component’s share of total
published for detailed product categories of ex- corporate sectors. cost. Combined units of labor, capital, energy,
ports and imports. These categories are defined Corresponding indexes of hourly com- materials, and purchased business services are
according to the five-digit level of detail for the pensation, unit labor costs, unit nonlabor similarly derived by combining changes in
Bureau of Economic Analysis End-use Clas- payments, and prices are also provided. each input with weights that represent each
sification, the three-digit level for the Standard input’s share of total costs. The indexes for
International Trade Classification (SITC), and each input and for combined units are based
the four-digit level of detail for the Harmo- Definitions
on changing weights which are averages of
nized System. Aggregate import indexes by Output per hour of all persons (labor pro- the shares in the current and preceding year
country or region of origin are also available. ductivity) is the quantity of goods and services (the Tornquist index-number formula).
BLS publishes indexes for selected cat- produced per hour of labor input. Output per
egories of internationally traded services, unit of capital services (capital productivity)
calculated on an international basis and on a is the quantity of goods and services produced Notes on the data
balance-of-payments basis. per unit of capital services input. Multifactor
productivity is the quantity of goods and Business sector output is an annually-
Notes on the data services produced per combined inputs. For weighted index constructed by excluding
private business and private nonfarm business, from real gross domestic product ( GDP)
The export and import price indexes are inputs include labor and capital units. For the following outputs: general government,
weighted indexes of the Laspeyres type. The manufacturing, inputs include labor, capital, nonprofit institutions, paid employees of
trade weights currently used to compute both energy, nonenergy materials, and purchased private households, and the rental value of
indexes relate to 2000. business services. owner-occupied dwellings. Nonfarm busi-
Because a price index depends on the same Compensation per hour is total com- ness also excludes farming. Private business
items being priced from period to period, it pensation divided by hours at work. Total and private nonfarm business further exclude
is necessary to recognize when a product’s compensation equals the wages and salaries government enterprises. The measures are
specifications or terms of transaction have of employees plus employers’ contributions supplied by the U.S. Department of Com-
been modified. For this reason, the Bureau’s for social insurance and private benefit plans, merce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.
questionnaire requests detailed descriptions of plus an estimate of these payments for the Annual estimates of manufacturing sectoral
the physical and functional characteristics of self-employed (except for nonfinancial corpo- output are produced by the Bureau of Labor
the products being priced, as well as informa- rations in which there are no self-employed). Statistics. Quarterly manufacturing output
tion on the number of units bought or sold, Real compensation per hour is compensation indexes from the Federal Reserve Board are
discounts, credit terms, packaging, class of per hour deflated by the change in the Con- adjusted to these annual output measures by
buyer or seller, and so forth. When there are sumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. the BLS. Compensation data are developed
changes in either the specifications or terms Unit labor costs are the labor compensa- from data of the Bureau of Economic Analy-
of transaction of a product, the dollar value tion costs expended in the production of a sis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hours
of each change is deleted from the total price unit of output and are derived by dividing data are developed from data of the Bureau
change to obtain the “pure” change. Once compensation by output. Unit nonlabor of Labor Statistics.
this value is determined, a linking procedure payments include profits, depreciation, The productivity and associated cost
is employed which allows for the continued interest, and indirect taxes per unit of output. measures in tables 47–50 describe the rela-
repricing of the item. They are computed by subtracting compensa- tionship between output in real terms and
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, con- tion of all persons from current-dollar value the labor and capital inputs involved in its
tact the Division of International Prices: of output and dividing by output. production. They show the changes from
(202) 691–7155. Unit nonlabor costs contain all the com- period to period in the amount of goods and
ponents of unit nonlabor payments except services produced per unit of input.
unit profits. Although these measures relate output
Productivity Data Unit profits include corporate profits to hours and capital services, they do not
with inventory valuation and capital con- measure the contributions of labor, capital,
(Tables 2; 47–50) sumption adjustments per unit of output. or any other specific factor of production.
Hours of all persons are the total hours Rather, they reflect the joint effect of many
Business and major sectors at work of payroll workers, self-employed influences, including changes in technology;
Description of the series persons, and unpaid family workers. shifts in the composition of the labor force;
Labor inputs are hours of all persons capital investment; level of output; changes
The productivity measures relate real output adjusted for the effects of changes in the in the utilization of capacity, energy, material,
to real input. As such, they encompass a fam- education and experience of the labor force. and research and development; the organi-
ily of measures which include single-factor Capital services are the flow of services zation of production; managerial skill; and
input measures, such as output per hour, from the capital stock used in production. It characteristics and efforts of the work force.
on the Internet at www.bls.gov/ilc/intl_un- statistics of manufacturing employment and Survey of Occupational Injuries
employment_rates_monthly.htm. average hours. For most other economies, and Illnesses
recent years’ aggregate hours series are
obtained from national statistical offices, Description of the series
Manufacturing productivity usually from national accounts. However,
and labor costs for some economies and for earlier years, The Survey of Occupational Injuries and
BLS calculates the aggregate hours series Illnesses collects data from employers about
Description of the series using employment figures published with their workers’ job-related nonfatal injuries
the national accounts, or other comprehen- and illnesses. The information that employers
Table 53 presents comparative indexes sive employment series, and data on average provide is based on records that they maintain
o f m a n u f ac t u r i n g o u t p u t p e r h o u r hours worked. under the Occupational Safety and Health
(labor productivity), output, total hours, Hourly compensation is total compensa- Act of 1970. Self-employed individuals, farms
compensation per hour, and unit labor tion divided by total hours. Total compensa- with fewer than 11 employees, employers
costs for 19 countries. These measures are tion includes all payments in cash or in-kind regulated by other Federal safety and health
trend comparisons—that is, series that made directly to employees plus employer laws, and Federal, State, and local government
measure changes over time—rather than level expenditures for legally required insurance agencies are excluded from the survey.
comparisons. BLS does not recommend using programs and contractual and private ben- The survey is a Federal-State cooperative
these series for level comparisons because of efit plans. For Australia, Canada, France, program with an independent sample select-
technical problems. Singapore, and Sweden, compensation is ed for each participating State. A stratified
BLS constructs the comparative indexes increased to account for important taxes on random sample with a Neyman allocation
from three basic aggregate measures—output, payroll or employment. For the Czech Re- is selected to represent all private industries
total labor hours, and total compensation. public, Finland, and the United Kingdom, in the State. The survey is stratified by Stan-
The hours and compensation measures refer compensation is reduced in certain years to dard Industrial Classification and size of
to employees (wage and salary earners) in account for subsidies. employment.
Belgium and Taiwan. For all other economies, Labor productivity is defined as real
the measures refer to all employed persons, output per hour worked. Although the la-
including employees, self-employed persons, bor productivity measure presented in this Definitions
and unpaid family workers. release relates output to the hours worked
The data for recent years are based on the of persons employed in manufacturing, it Under the Occupational Safety and Health
United Nations System of National Accounts does not measure the specific contributions Act, employers maintain records of nonfatal
1993 (SNA 93). Manufacturing is generally of labor as a single factor of production. work-related injuries and illnesses that in-
defined according to the International Rather, it reflects the joint effects of many volve one or more of the following: loss of
Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC). influences, including new technology, capital consciousness, restriction of work or motion,
However, the measures for France include investment, capacity utilization, energy use, transfer to another job, or medical treatment
parts of mining as well. For the United and managerial skills, as well as the skills other than first aid.
States and Canada, manufacturing is defined and efforts of the workforce. Occupational injury is any injury such
according to the North American Industry Unit labor costs are defined as the cost of as a cut, fracture, sprain, or amputation that
Classification System (NAICS 97). labor input required to produce one unit of results from a work-related event or a single, in-
output. They are computed as compensation stantaneous exposure in the work environment.
in nominal terms divided by real output. Occupational illness is an abnormal
Definitions condition or disorder, other than one result-
Output. For most economies, the output ing from an occupational injury, caused by
Notes on the data exposure to factors associated with employ-
measures are real value added in manufac-
turing from national accounts. However, ment. It includes acute and chronic illnesses
The measures for recent years may be based
output for Japan prior to 1970 and for the or disease which may be caused by inhalation,
on current indicators of manufacturing out-
Netherlands prior to 1960 are indexes of absorption, ingestion, or direct contact.
put (such as industrial production indexes),
industrial production. The manufacturing Lost workday injuries and illnesses are
employment, average hours, and hourly com-
value added measures for the United King- cases that involve days away from work, or
pensation until national accounts and other
dom are essentially identical to their indexes days of restricted work activity, or both.
statistics used for the long-term measures
of industrial production. Lost workdays include the number of
become available. For more in-depth infor-
For the United States, the output mea- workdays (consecutive or not) on which the
mation on sources and methods, see http://
sure is a chain-weighted index of real value employee was either away from work or at
www.bls.gov/news.release/prod4.toc.htm.
added produced by the Bureau of Economic work in some restricted capacity, or both,
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on in-
Analysis. BLS uses this series here to pre- ternational comparisons, contact the Division because of an occupational injury or illness.
serve international comparability. However, BLS measures of the number and incidence
of International Labor Comparisons: (202)
for its domestic industry measures, shown 691–5654 or ilchelp@bls.gov. rate of lost workdays were discontinued be-
in tables 47–50 in this section, BLS uses a ginning with the 1993 survey. The number
different output measures called “sectoral of days away from work or days of restricted
output,” which is gross output less intra- Occupational Injury work activity does not include the day of injury
sector transactions. or onset of illness or any days on which the
Total hours refer to hours worked in all
and Illness Data employee would not have worked, such as a
economies. The measures are developed from (Tables 54–55) Federal holiday, even though able to work.