Displaced Workers Technical Note
- 4 - Technical Note The data presented in this release were collected through a supplement to the January 2008 Current Population Survey (CPS), the monthly survey of about 60,000 households that provides the basic data on employment and un- employment for the nation. The CPS is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The purpose of this supplement was to obtain information on the number and characteristics of persons who had been displaced (as defined below) from their jobs over the prior 3 calen- dar years. Data presented in this release are based on Census 2000 population con- trols that are updated annually in January. For additional information, see "Population control adjustments to the CPS" available on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#pop. Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired in- dividuals upon request. Voice phone: (202)691-5200; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339. Reliability of the estimates Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling error, varies de- pending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence. The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the pop- ulation, inability to obtain information for all respondents in the sample, in- ability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data. For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and informa- tion on estimating standard errors, see "Reliability of estimates from the CPS" available online at: http://www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability. Concepts The first question asked of survey respondents to the CPS supplement was, "During the last 3 calendar years, that is, January 2005 through December 2007, did (you/name) lose a job or leave one because: (your/his/her) plant or com- pany closed or moved, (your/his/her) position or shift was abolished, there was insufficient work, or another similar reason?" If the answer to that question was "yes," then the respondent was asked to identify which reason, among the fol- lowing, best described the reason for the job loss: Plant or company closed down or moved Plant or company operating but lost or left job because of: Insufficient work Position or shift abolished Seasonal job completed Self-operated business failed Some other reason - 5 - Respondents who provided one of the first three reasons--plant or company closed or moved, insufficient work, or position or shift abolished--were then asked ques- tions about the lost job, including how many years it had been held; the year the job was lost; its earnings, industry, and occupation; and whether health insurance had been provided. Other questions were asked to determine what transpired before and after the job loss, such as: Was the respondent notified of the upcoming dis- missal? How long did he/she go without work? Did he/she receive unemployment ben- efits? And, if so, were the benefits used up? Did the person move to another lo- cation after the job loss to take or look for another job? Information also was collected about current health insurance coverage (other than Medicare and Medicaid) and current earnings for those employed in January 2008.
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Last Modified Date: August 26, 2008