Overview
The Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program is a
Federal-State cooperative effort in which monthly estimates of total
employment and unemployment are prepared for approximately 7,300 areas:
- Census regions and divisions
- States
- Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Metropolitan NECTAS (New England City and Town Areas)
- Metropolitan Divisions and NECTA Divisions
- Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Micropolitan NECTAs
- Combined Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Combined NECTAs
- Small Labor Market Areas
- Counties and county equivalents
- Cities of 25,000 population or more
- Cities and towns in New England regardless of population
These estimates are key indicators of local economic conditions. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor is
responsible for the concepts, definitions, technical procedures,
validation, and publication of the estimates that State employment
security agencies prepare under agreement with BLS.
A wide variety of customers use these estimates:
- Federal programs use the data for allocations to States and areas,
as well as eligibility determinations for assistance.
- State and local governments use the estimates for planning and
budgetary purposes and to determine the need for local employment and
training services.
- Private industry, researchers, the media, and other individuals use
the data to assess localized labor market developments and make
comparisons across areas.
The concepts and definitions underlying LAUS data come from the Current
Population Survey (CPS), the household survey that is the official measure
of the labor force for the nation. State monthly model estimates are
controlled in "real time" to sum to national monthly labor force estimates
from the CPS. These models combine current and historical data
from the CPS, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program, and State
unemployment insurance (UI) systems. Estimates for seven large areas and their
respective balances of State are also model-based. Estimates for the remainder
of the substate labor market areas are produced through a building-block
approach known as the "Handbook method." This procedure also uses data
from several sources, including the CPS, the CES program, State UI
systems, and the decennial census, to create estimates that are adjusted
to the statewide measures of employment and unemployment. Below the labor
market area level, estimates are prepared using disaggregation techniques
based on inputs from the decennial census, annual population estimates,
and current UI data.
Last Modified Date: September 25, 2008
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