Finding Local Jobs Stories in BLS Data

Tami Luhby

Senior Writer, CNNMoney Tami.Luhby@turner.com

Familiarize yourself with BLS Understand the terms used

Learn how to access the data Think how to incorporate stats in stories

Today’s Agenda

Data the bureau collects

Organization of data

Regional offices

Ways of accessing data

Overview of BLS

Unemployment/employment

Labor force

Employment population ratio

Labor force participation rate

Seasonally/non-seasonally adjusted

Basic terms

Monthly releases

Data points in trend/feature articles

Digging through data to find stories

How to use BLS data in stories

BLS Homepage

Two surveys: Payroll and household

Number of jobs added/lost (P)

Unemployment rate (H)

Industry breakdown (P)

Long term unemployment (H)

National: Monthly jobs report

Demographics from household survey

Race

Age

Gender

Education

National: Monthly jobs report

Hours and earnings

Weekly earnings by occupation

Weekly hours worked

Minimum wage – by industry/state

Other National Info

The 86 million invisible unemployed

Fewer young adults hold jobs

Women leaving workforce in record numbers

Workers’ wage gains lag pace of inflation

Story ideas

Subject areas

Unemployment data by state/metro/county

Employment/labor force

Quit hit: Look at the dinosaur

State and local: Monthly reports

Industry breakdown

Changes over time

State and local: Unemployment

Only available by annual averages

Age

Race

Education

State and local: Demographics

Data screen

Industry breakdown

Some statewide/some metro

Earnings

Economy at a Glance

State and local data: Employment

Odd dynamic propels Ore. jobless rate to No. 2

Howard County earnings down, but still better than state average

'Part Time' Cleaner Survives by Constant Work

Wage gains not matching job gains in Miami

Story ideas

Quarterly reports with more data

Automotive repair to waste collection

All employees/establishments

Total wages, av. weekly wages, av. annual pay

State and local: Employed

800 occupations for 640 areas

One occupation over multiple areas

Multiple occupations in one area

Downside: comes out once a year

State and local: Occupations

Employment numbers

Average hourly wage

Annual 90th percentile wage

Fun facts: highest/lowest paying jobs

State and local: Occupations

Top 30 jobs employment growth/declines

2010-2020

Growth by education level

Hot jobs

JOLTS

Mass layoffs

Green jobs

What else is out there?

Nurse demand high

3.1 million 'green jobs' number casts wide net

Colorado experienced 12 mass layoffs in April

Boston salaries higher than nation's average

Story ideas

A lot of unpublished data

Call BLS helpline

Get answers on data questions

Know the code

BLS PR: Gary Steinberg (202) 691-5902/steinberg.gary@bls.gov

National Unemployment (202) 691-6378

State & Local Unemployment (202) 691-6392

National Employment (202) 691-6555

State & Local Employment (202) 691-6559

Contacts

Find trends

Bolster stories with stats

Navigate the maze

Call BLS for help

Summary