Bureau of Labor Statistics

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly "employment situation" report consists of two surveys: a household survey used to determine the unemployment rate and an establishment (payroll) survey used to measure job creation, wages, and other labor-market indicators.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' household survey for the monthly employment report cannot be conducted retrospectively, while payroll or establishment data from firms can be collected retroactively.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' "employment situation" report is typically released on the first Friday of each month.

U.S. government statistical agencies produce monthly estimates of job gains and inflation by conducting household and business surveys and performing price checks.

Policymakers typically rely on monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) surveys as the broadest and most accurate snapshot of the U.S. job market.

U.S. federal statistical agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Census Bureau collect comprehensive and consistent nationwide economic data that private companies generally cannot fully replicate.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics produces monthly employment reports (the jobs report) that report measures such as the unemployment rate and net job creation, which are widely used by businesses and investors to inform hiring and investment decisions.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is used to calculate the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

Federal government shutdowns can halt the collection and public release of official statistics produced by agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Census Bureau, including labor market, public health, agricultural, and demographic data.

Businesses use official government data such as Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs reports to set wages and make hiring, pricing, and investment decisions; investors monitor government economic indicators and those releases can trigger significant stock market reactions; policymakers use government data to set policies like minimum wage standards and to adjust social assistance programs.

The Consumer Price Index calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is used to determine Social Security's Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the prices of goods and services across the nation.

A Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate found that by August 2025 an estimated 212,000 women had left their jobs while 44,000 men entered the workforce.

In August 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average retail price of ground beef was about $6.63 per pound, approximately $2.00 higher than the price in August 2021.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a federal economic measure of price changes and inflation used by markets and policymakers.

Businesses, investors, and policymakers rely on government economic data (for example, jobs reports) to set wages, make hiring, pricing and investment decisions, and to inform policy actions; investors' reactions to such data can drive significant stock market movements.

The Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revises previously published monthly payroll and job-growth figures for prior months when updated or corrected data becomes available.

Government shutdowns can delay the Bureau of Labor Statistics' release schedule for monthly employment reports, and the agency may incorporate delayed monthly data into subsequent monthly reports rather than publishing a separate delayed release.