U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics

November 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS

TAB 1: AGENCY ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW ........................................................ 1

TAB 2: STATE OF PLAY .................................................................................................... 10

TAB 3: CALENDAR ............................................................................................................ 22

TAB 4: BUDGET .................................................................................................................. 24

TAB 5: AGENCY PERFORMANCE................................................................................... 29
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

1

TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

Mission

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal federal statistical agency responsible for 

measuring labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. 

economy to support public and private decision making. The BLS executes its mission1 with 

independence from partisan interests while protecting the confidentiality of data providers and 

strives to meet the needs of a diverse set of customers for accurate, objective, relevant, timely, 

and accessible information and analysis.

Authorizing Legislation

All of the Bureau’s statistical programs, either individually or in conjunction with other 

programs, meet statutory responsibilities assigned to the BLS or to the Department of Labor 

(DOL). The originating legislation that required the establishment of the Bureau authorized it to 

collect information on labor. In addition to the umbrella authorization, which has been 

interpreted broadly to cover the production of all BLS data, many recent joint resolutions and 

acts of Congress have required the production and/or use of BLS statistics. Beyond the 

aforementioned Congressional actions, authorization of BLS output is implicit in the annual 

Congressional review and enactment of the BLS appropriation to support the Bureau’s statistical 

output. The Bureau’s authorizing legislation is included below.

Legislation Statute No. / US Code

An Act to Establish the Bureau of Labor, 1884 (amended 

by Act of 1913 to establish the Department of Labor)

29 U.S.C. 1-9

The Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933, as amended 29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.

Veterans’ Employment, Training, and Counseling 

Amendments of 1988

38 U.S.C. 4110A

Trade Act of 1974 19 U.S.C. 2393

Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act 5 U.S.C. 5301-5304

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 29 U.S.C. 673

Organizational Structure 

The BLS is led by a Commissioner, a Presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed position

(PAS), for a four-year term. All BLS executives are career members of the Senior Executive 

Service (SES). There are no Schedule C appointees at the BLS.

 1 https://www.bls.gov/bls/blsmissn.htm.
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

2

Organizational Chart

Commissioner

William W. Beach

(PAS)

Deputy Commissioner

William J. Wiatrowski 

(Career SES)

Office of Administration 

Nancy F. Ruiz de Gamboa

(Career SES) 

Office of Publication and 

Special Studies

Michael D. Levi 

(Career SES)

Office of Productivity and 

Technology

Lucy P. Eldridge

(Career SES)

Office of Survey Methods 

Research

Jennifer A. Edgar

(Career SES)

Director of Public Affairs 

Megan Kindelan (detailed to Census)

(DOL embedded employee)

Office of Prices and Living 

Conditions

Jeffrey Hill

(Career SES)

Office of Compensation and 

Working Conditions

Kristen A. Monaco

(Career SES)

Office of Technology and 

Survey Processing

Tony D. Williams

(Career SES)

Office of Field Operations

Jay A. Mousa 

(Career SES)

Office of Employment and 

Unemployment Statistics

Julie Hatch Maxfield

(Career SES)

Assistant/Regional Commissioners*

Assistant Commissioner (Survey Response, Protocol, and 

Innovation) – Richard J. Holden*

Assistant Commissioner (Quality Measures and Operations 

Analysis and Improvement) – Vacant*

Assistant Commissioner (Staff Development and Information 

Systems Management) – Vacant*

Boston/NY – William J. Sibley (GS-15)

Philadelphia – Vacant

Atlanta – Janet S. Rankin (GS-15)

Chicago – Jason S. Palmer (GS-15)

Dallas/KC – Michael C. Hirniak (GS-15)

San Francisco – Richard J. Holden* 

* The three Assistant Commissioners for Field Operations serve 

dual/enhanced roles of Regional Commissioner for a region with 

elevated nationwide SES duties.

Directorate of Technology 

and Computing Services

Charles E. Bose

(Career SES)

Directorate of Survey 

Processing

Vacant 

(Career SES)

Office of Safety, Health, and 

Working Conditions

Marika Litras

(Career SES)

Office of Compensation 

Levels and Trends

Hilery Z. Simpson

(Career SES)

Office of Industry 

Employment Statistics

Kenneth W. Robertson

(Career SES)

Office of Current Employment 

Analysis

Patrick J. Carey

(Career SES)

Office of Occupational 

Statistics and Employment 

Projections

Rebecca L. Rust

(Career SES)

Division of Consumer Prices 

and Price Indexes

Robert A. Cage 

(Career SES)

Division of Industrial Prices 

and Price Indexes

Vacant

(Career SES)

Division of International 

Prices

Susan E. Fleck

(Career SES)

Economic Advisor to the 

Commissioner

Joseph S. Piacentini

(Career SES)

Note: As of November 2020. 
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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Workforce At-A-Glance

Agency Overview

The BLS administers 20 statistical programs that produce data products on a variety of economic 

conditions but, specifically, in regard to employment, inflation, compensation, working 

conditions, and productivity. Among the range of key economic indicators the BLS produces, 

seven have been designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as Principal 

Federal Economic Indicators (PFEIs): The Employment Situation, the Consumer Price Index 
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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(CPI), the Producer Price Index (PPI), the U.S. Import and Export Price Index, Productivity and 

Costs, the Employment Cost Index, and Real Earnings.

Labor Force Statistics

Labor Force Statistics programs produce, analyze, and publish aggregate data on payroll 

employment and the civilian labor force, employment and unemployment, persons not in the 

labor force, labor demand and turnover, wages, hours, earnings, occupational employment, time 

use, and employment projections. The programs also prepare studies that cover a broad range of 

topics important to the work of key agencies in DOL and other stakeholders. The subjects 

include annual analyses of labor market developments, occupational analyses, characteristics of 

special worker groups, time-use patterns of workers and non-workers, and labor force 

experiences of displaced workers. In addition, these programs develop information about the 

labor market and labor force trends 10 years into the future. They also make assessments of the 

effect on employment of specified changes in economic conditions and/or changes in federal 

programs and policies. For example, numerous analyses have appeared in academic journal 

articles, the BLS Monthly Labor Review, and the BLS publication, Beyond the Numbers, on such 

diverse topics as the impact of long-term unemployment, employment in the health care industry, 

and the impact of worker strikes on the U.S. economy.

Labor Force Statistics publishes two PFEIs, The Employment Situation and Real Earnings 

releases, and comprises the following statistical programs and activities:

• Current Population Survey (CPS)

• Current Employment Statistics (CES)2

• Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW)2

o Business Employment Dynamics (BED)

• Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)2

• Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)2

• National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS)

• Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

• American Time Use Survey (ATUS)

• Employment Projections (EP)

Prices and Living Conditions

Prices and Living Conditions programs produce, analyze, and publish a wide variety of 

information on price change in the U.S. economy, and conduct research and analysis to improve 

the economic statistics produced. In addition to meeting general statutory responsibilities 

assigned to the BLS (29 U.S.C. 1 and 2), these programs produce data that form the basis for 

adjusting or setting payments, benefits, or other income as required by many laws and private 

sector contracts. Indexes tracking price change are a vital input into both the National Income 

and Product Accounts and gross domestic product, as price indexes allow conversion from 

nominal terms into real terms. This allows for easy historical comparisons. Prices and Living 

 2 Part of Federal-State labor market information programs that are funded and managed through cooperative agreements.
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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Conditions data also are used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to revise benefits 

annually based on price level changes, the Internal Revenue Service to update tax brackets, and 

by numerous states to adjust minimum wage levels. 

Prices and Living Conditions publishes three PFEIs, the CPI, PPI, and U.S. Import and Export 

Price Indexes releases, and comprises the following statistical programs and activities:

• Consumer Prices and Price Indexes (CPI)

• Producer Prices and Price Indexes (PPI)

• International Price Program (IPP)

• Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE)

Compensation and Working Conditions

Compensation and Working Conditions programs produce, analyze, and publish a diverse set of 

measures of employee compensation, including cost, wages, and benefits, and work-related 

injuries, illnesses, and fatalities; compile work stoppages statistics; and conduct research to 

improve the measurement process.

Compensation and Working Conditions publishes one PFEI, the Employment Cost Index release, 

and comprises the following statistical programs and activities:

• National Compensation Survey (NCS)

o Employment Cost Index (ECI)

o Employee Benefits Survey (EBS)

• Occupational Requirement Survey (ORS)3

• Work Stoppages Statistics (WSS)

• Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS)

o Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII)4

o Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI)4

Productivity and Technology

Productivity and Technology programs produce, analyze, and publish a diverse set of measures 

of productivity trends in the U.S. economy, as well as in major sectors and individual industries. 

These programs also analyze trends in order to examine the factors underlying productivity 

change. The data aid economic policymakers, business leaders, and researchers in analyzing 

current economic activity. In addition, these data are used as economic indicators; in studies of 

relationships between productivity, wages, prices, profits, and employment; and as an aid in 

understanding sources of economic growth. The productivity measurement programs are 

authorized by an act dated June 7, 1940 (29 U.S.C. 2b), which directs that the BLS “make 

continuing studies of productivity and labor costs in the manufacturing, mining, transportation, 

distribution, and other industries.” Private sector uses of this data include comparing 

productivity of firms to trends in the larger industry or industries. 

 3 This program is funded by the SSA, which plans to use the information in their administration of disability programs. 4 A Federal-State OSHS program funded and managed through grants.
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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Productivity and Technology publishes one PFEI, the Productivity and Costs release, and 

comprises the following statistical programs and activities:

• Major Sector Productivity (MSP)

• Industry Productivity Studies (IPS)

• Productivity Research and Program Development (PRPD)

• International Technical Cooperation (ITC)

Executive Direction

Executive Direction and Staff Services provide agency-wide policy and management direction, 

and centralized program support activities. Major goals of these programs are the development 

and improvement of economic and statistical programs; efficient management of ongoing 

programs; and provision of the technical, administrative, information technology, dissemination, 

and publication services necessary to produce and release statistical and research output in a 

reliable, secure, timely, and effective manner. Executive Direction supports the BLS statistical 

programs through the following functional areas:

• Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner

• Administration

• Field Operations

• Publication and Special Studies

• Survey Methods Research

• Technology and Survey Processing

Headquarters Relocation

The Headquarters Relocation activity reflects the funding required for the BLS to relocate its 

National Office (NO) Headquarters. As detailed in the FY 2020 President’s Budget, the 

Administration directed that the BLS relocate to the Suitland Federal Center in Suitland, 

Maryland due to the expiration of the current lease. The current lease for the BLS NO in 

Washington, D.C., at the Postal Square Building expires in May 2022. This location provides 

workspace for approximately 1,800 federal staff and contractors, as well as hosts the BLS data 

center. 

Coinciding with the headquarters move, the BLS is establishing an off-site data center. As the 

BLS publishes economic data every week on a pre-determined schedule, any disruption to this 

schedule could have a significant impact to the U.S. economy and financial markets in the U.S 

and abroad. The establishment of the data center at a different location will utilize an approach 

that ensures any potential for disruption is minimized. 

More information on BLS Surveys and Programs can be found on the BLS website.
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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Organizational Changes During the Past Four Years

The BLS has had one organizational change during the past four years to add a Senior Executive 

as an Economic Advisor to the Commissioner. In addition, DOL implemented Shared Services 

for human resources, procurement, and personnel security, centralizing these services under the 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM) at DOL.

Key Leaders

Office of the Commissioner

• William W. Beach, Commissioner (Presidential Appointment)

• William J. Wiatrowski, Deputy Commissioner

• Joseph S. Piacentini, Economic Advisor to the Commissioner

• Megan Kindelan (detailed to Census), Director of Public Affairs (DOL embedded 

employee)

Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics

• Julie Hatch Maxfield, Associate Commissioner

• Kenneth W. Robertson, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Industry Employment 

Statistics

• Patrick J. Carey, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Current Employment Analysis

• Rebecca L. Rust, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Occupational Statistics and 

Employment Projections

• Mark A. Loewenstein, Senior Research Economist, Employment Research and Program 

Development Staff

Office of Prices and Living Conditions

• Jeffrey Hill, Associate Commissioner

• Robert A. Cage, Assistant Commissioner, Division of Consumer Prices and Price 

Indexes

• Vacant, Assistant Commissioner, Division of Industrial Prices and Price Indexes

• Susan E. Fleck, Assistant Commissioner, Division of International Prices

• Thesia I. Garner, Chief, Division of Price and Index Number Research

Office of Compensation and Working Conditions

• Kristen A. Monaco, Associate Commissioner

• Marika Litras, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Safety, Health, and Working 

Conditions

• Hilery Z. Simpson, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Compensation Levels and Trends

• Nicole Nestoriak, Research Economist, Compensation Research and Program 

Development

Office of Productivity and Technology

• Lucy P. Eldridge, Associate Commissioner
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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• Jay C. Stewart, Chief, Productivity Research and Program Development

Office of Technology and Survey Processing

• Tony D. Williams, Associate Commissioner

• Vacant, Director, Directorate of Survey Processing

• Charles E. Bose, Director, Directorate of Technology and Computing Services

Office of Administration

• Nancy F. Ruiz de Gamboa, Associate Commissioner 

Office of Publication and Special Studies

• Michael D. Levi, Associate Commissioner

Office of Survey Methods Research

• Jennifer A. Edgar, Associate Commissioner 

• William P. Mockovak, Senior Statistician 

• Vacant, Senior Statistician

Office of Field Operations

• Jay A. Mousa, Associate Commissioner

• Richard J. Holden, Assistant Commissioner (Survey Response, Protocol, and 

Innovation)*

• Vacant, Assistant Commissioner (Quality Measures and Operations Analysis and 

Improvement)*

• Vacant, Assistant Commissioner (Staff Development and Information Systems 

Management)*

• Regional Commissioners:

o William J. Sibley, Boston/New York Regional Commissioner (GS-15)

o Vacant, Philadelphia Regional Commissioner (GS-15)

o Janet S. Rankin, Atlanta Regional Commissioner (GS-15)

o Jason S. Palmer, Chicago Regional Commissioner (GS-15)

o Michael C. Hirniak, Dallas/Kansas City Regional Commissioner (GS-15)

o Richard J. Holden, San Francisco*

*Note: The three Assistant Commissioners for Field Operations serve dual/enhanced roles of 

Regional Commissioner for a region with elevated nationwide SES duties as detailed above.

Key Vacancies

The BLS defines a key vacancy as a position classified as SES, Senior-Level (SL), Regional 

Commissioners, or a PAS position that is unfilled.

As of November 2020, the BLS has six key vacancies: the Assistant Commissioner for the 

Division of Industrial Prices and Price Indexes, Director for the Directorate for Survey 

Processing, Senior Statistician, two Assistant Commissioners for Regional Operations, and the 
TAB 1: Agency Organizational Overview

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Philadelphia Regional Commissioner. The BLS has made significant progress on these 

vacancies (one of the five selection packages was sent to OPM for approval) and expects to have 

them filled soon.
TAB 2: State of Play

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TAB 2: State of Play

Key Meetings, Decisions, and Announcements

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates the following Key Meetings, Decisions, and 

Announcements:

Upcoming Releases and Meetings

By end of January 2021

• January 8 at 8:30am – Employment Situation release for December 2020

• January 13 at 8:30am – Consumer Price Index (CPI) release for December 2020

By end of February 2021

• February 5 at 8:30am – Employment Situation release for January 2021

• February 10 at 8:30am – CPI release for January 2021

By end of March 2021

• March 5 at 8:30am – Employment Situation release for February 2021

• March 10 at 8:30am – CPI release for February 2021

BLS Release of Principal Federal Economic Indicators (PFEIs)

The BLS issues a range of key economic indicators. Seven of these have been designated by the 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as PFEIs: The Employment Situation, the CPI, the 

Producer Price Index (PPI), the U.S. Import and Export Price Index, Productivity and Costs, the 

Employment Cost Index, and Real Earnings.

In issuing these releases, the BLS follows OMB Statistical Policy Directive Number 3, which 

precludes prerelease distribution of information except under certain very restricted conditions 

and requires a one-hour separation between the issuance of releases and policy comment on 

them.

The processing, analyzing, reviewing, and disseminating of the PFEIs take place entirely within 

the BLS. Physical and computer security procedures are scrupulously followed. All processes 

can be completed off-site.

The Employment Situation Release

The Employment Situation release is derived from two separate monthly surveys. The Current 

Employment Statistics (CES) survey (also known as “the payroll survey” or “the establishment 

survey”) provides employment, hours, and earnings estimates based on payroll records of 

employers. The Current Population Survey (CPS), also known as “the labor force survey” or 

“the household survey,” queries households to obtain a comprehensive body of information on 

the employment and unemployment experience of the nation’s population, classified by age, sex, 

race, and a variety of other characteristics. 

The Employment Situation release includes changes in payroll employment from the CES, with 
TAB 2: State of Play

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information by detailed industry classifications. Also included is the national unemployment 

rate and other labor force indicators, including six alternative measures of labor underutilization. 

The Employment Situation is closely watched by investors, economists, the Federal Reserve, and 

industry analysts, among others, to assess the strength of the labor market. 

The release process for the Employment Situation:

1. Data are collected, processed, tabulated, and analyzed. Text of the news release and 

Commissioner’s Statement are prepared and reviewed. Data typically are released on the 

first Friday of the month, although this can vary.

2. Federal Reserve staff responsible for producing the Industrial Production Index receive 

employment, hours, and earnings measures for the manufacturing, mining, utilities and 

publishing industries from CES staff on the Wednesday of the Employment Situation release 

week through a Memorandum of Understanding, which lays out the parameters that must be 

followed to keep the information secure and confidential until release.

3. Data are provided to the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) on behalf of 

the President on the day before the data are to be released. Senior program office staff are 

available to discuss the data by phone with the CEA.

4. At 8 a.m. on the morning of release, the Secretary of Labor may be briefed on the data by 

BLS staff under lockup conditions monitored by BLS staff. Traditionally, the Secretary 

includes the Department of Labor (DOL) Chief Economist and other designated members of 

the Secretary’s staff in the briefing, as well as staff from the CEA. All attendees (except the 

Secretary and Deputy Secretary) are required to sign a roster indicating they will not disclose 

information prior to release time. In addition, all attendees are required to refrain from using 

electronic devices (cell phones, etc.) prior to release time. 

5. Data are released to the public at 8:30 a.m., via the BLS website and through Twitter. BLS 

staff are available by telephone and email to provide technical explanations beginning at 8:30 

a.m.

6. On the day of the Employment Situation release, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics may 

be requested to testify before the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) of the Congress at 9:30 

a.m. When a hearing is held, which has been infrequent in recent years, JEC staff are 

provided the data at 8 a.m. under lockup conditions monitored by BLS staff.

At 9:30 a.m., the Secretary of Labor and other members of the Executive Branch are permitted to 

discuss the data and their implications for policy.

Release of Other BLS Principal Federal Economic Indicators

Other BLS PFEIs follow much the same process as the Employment Situation, with the following 

exceptions:

• No data are provided in advance by the BLS to the Federal Reserve.

• Pre-release data from the PPI and the U.S. Import and Export Price Index are not 

provided to the CEA.

• There are no pre-release briefings for the Secretary of Labor.

• There are no JEC hearings.

More information on BLS releases in CY 2021 can be found here: 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/pfei_schedule_release_dates_2021.pdf.
TAB 2: State of Play

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BLS Priorities and Issues

The BLS has the following topics that may not require action within 90 days of the 

Administration change, but of which the transition team should be aware:

1. COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts

2. Lockup

3. Strengthening the CPI

4. DOL Enterprise-Wide Shared Services Initiative

5. National Office Headquarters Relocation and Data Center Establishment

6. Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act

COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced unprecedented challenges to how the BLS operates. In 

response to the pandemic, BLS leadership has taken steps to maintain the safety of employees, 

stakeholders, and customers while minimizing the impact to the quality of its products and 

services.

Impact

The BLS has devoted significant resources to introducing improved website technologies that 

strengthen the security of our data and expand our network and server capacity. The successful 

release of the Employment Situation and other data products since the pandemic began in March 

demonstrate that the BLS website can serve thousands of users per second immediately after 

release time with little or no degradation in response time and a negligible error rate.

The BLS has mandated a maximum telework posture for staff and has suspended in-person data 

collection and respondent initiation activities. There have been impacts on response rates for 

some surveys, but the BLS is relying on telephone, email, and internet collection and alternative 

data to counter the decline in in-person data collection while limiting direct contact with certain 

industries that are on the front lines of the pandemic, such as hospitals. With these impacts in 

mind, the BLS expects to continue releases for its statistical programs in FY 2021, with the 

exception of the American Time Use Survey.

The BLS has strict criteria for publishing data to ensure that the Bureau publishes only highquality data. In the interest of transparency, the BLS is publishing notes on data quality with its 

releases and is maintaining a section on its website to address common questions from the public 

about releases during the pandemic. Also, to maintain production, the BLS is using funding 

from cancelled activities, such as conferences, outreach, and travel for new investments that 

support increased telework for Data Collection Center (DCC) contractors, and economists or 

economic assistants that normally are on-site or in the field. In addition, the BLS has published 

articles and is adding questions to several surveys to help inform the economic impact from 

COVID-19.

Important Dates

• In March 2020, the BLS mandated a telework posture for all staff, and suspended all in-
TAB 2: State of Play

13

person data collection.

Other DOL Agencies Involved: N/A

Other Federal Agencies Involved: Census Bureau 

Last Action Taken on Issue

• In July 2020, the BLS released an addendum to the FY 2020 Operating Plan, describing 

COVID-19 impacts on current strategies and outcomes.

• Ongoing planning is underway in preparation for an eventual resumption of in-person 

work, including in-person data collection.

Lockup

Background

The DOL pre-release media lockup began in the 1980s, allowing a limited number of 

credentialed media outlets access to certain BLS and Employment and Training Administration 

(ETA) data in advance of the public release. The original goal of providing this access was to 

serve the general public by expanding the distribution of key economic data and ensuring that 

news reports about the DOL releases would be accurate. Such expanded distribution is less 

important today, as the primary method of data release is over the internet, supplemented by 

social media.

In addition to the BLS and ETA, DOL had allowed the Department of Commerce (BEA and 

Census Bureau) to utilize the DOL press lockup facility starting in 2013.

Impact

The DOL Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued two reports expressing concern that prerelease lockups give credentialed press organizations an unfair advantage. The OIG has repeated 

this concern every six months in its report to Congress. The advantage stems from press 

organizations spending time formatting data that can immediately be uploaded for trading at the 

time of public release. Such high-speed/little delay transmission is often referred to as “ultra-low 

latency”; some lockup attendees advertise such a service. Given this inequity, the OIG 

recommended that a solution be developed to eliminate any competitive advantage provided to 

attendees of media lockups, or absent a solution, discontinue the lockup.

Following considerable internal discussion over the years and across Administrations, DOL 

announced plans in January 2020 to maintain lockups, but to prohibit attendees from using 

electronics in the lockup facility. This plan provided press organizations with advance time to 

review release materials, but it eliminated the concern about unfair advantage. The press 

organizations obtained legal counsel and pushed back against DOL’s plan. This resulted in 

many discussions between the parties, but in the end, no alternatives were found that would 

address the OIG concerns.

In mid-March 2020, pre-release lockups had to be suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

During the suspension period, the press continued to publish their stories without complications 

and often just as fast as when there was a lockup.
TAB 2: State of Play

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In May 2020, informed by the previous month’s experience, DOL announced the permanent 

discontinuation of pre-release lockups and Commerce chose not to continue early access through 

other means. Since the announcement, DOL received inquiries from press organizations, 

lawyers representing the press, and Members of Congress. All of their questions have been 

answered. DOL has no plans to revisit its decision to discontinue lockups.

Important Dates

• In July 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the elimination of their 

lockup.

• In January 2020, DOL announced plans to eliminate electronics from the media lockup.

• In March 2020, DOL suspended pre-release media lockups for all releases due to the 

COVID-19 pandemic.

• In May 2020, DOL announced that pre-release media lockups would be discontinued 

permanently, effective June 3, 2020. The discontinuation applies to all DOL and 

Department of Commerce releases.

Other DOL Agencies Involved: ETA, OCIA, OCIO, OIG, OPA, SOL

Other Federal Agencies Involved: Department of Commerce

Last Action Taken on Issue

On May 19, 2020, the BLS Commissioner Beach announced that, effective June 3, 2020, the 

Department will permanently discontinue media lockups for all releases regardless of whether 

the current restrictions in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic remain necessary as of 

that date. DOL has responded to all inquiries from the public regarding the lockup 

discontinuation.

Strengthening the CPI

Background

The CPI serves as the nation’s principal gauge of inflation. The CPI is a measure of the average 

change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods 

and services. Dating back to 1913, it is one of the most widely used statistics in the United 

States. As a measure of consumer inflation, it is a PFEI as designated by the OMB, and along 

with other PFEI statistics, it helps describe the current condition of the U.S. economy. It serves 

as a guide for the Federal Reserve Board’s monetary policy and is an essential tool in calculating 

changes in the nation’s output and living standards. It is used to determine annual cost-of-living 

allowances for Social Security beneficiaries and other recipients of federal payments, to adjust 

the federal income tax system for inflation, and as the yardstick for U.S. Treasury inflationindexed bonds among many other uses.

Impact

The objective of the CPI is to measure a conditional cost-of-living index. Given the visibility of 

the program, the BLS has remained committed to making improvements to the CPI to ensure it 

meets this measurement objective and to guarantee the high quality of CPI outputs. BLS has 

continued to research innovative approaches to improve the data into the future. For example, 

BLS has revised the CPI geographic area sample to reflect changes in population based on the 
TAB 2: State of Play

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Decennial Census. This, and many other CPI improvements, are documented on the BLS 

website. The economy continues to change, and the growth of online shopping, ecommerce, and 

the digitization of the consumer marketplace has created enormous opportunities, but also 

challenges, for inflation measurement. 

Important Dates

• The BLS has contracted with the Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) to conduct 

a Consensus Panel Study on Improving Cost-of-Living Indexes and Consumer Inflation 

Statistics in the Digital Age. Expected completion is May 31, 2021.

• The ongoing CPI Geographic Area Sample Revision currently is planned to be completed 

by December 2021.

Other DOL Agencies Involved: N/A

Other Federal Agencies Involved: OMB

Last Action Taken on Issue

Under the above mentioned contract with CNSTAT, the expert panel will identify specific areas 

where new kinds of data may be harnessed in a relatively straightforward way to improve price 

measurement of some items such as food and electronics. The panel will also propose solutions 

for some historically difficult-to-measure expenditure categories, particularly for which the 

availability of alternative data create opportunities for improved price measurement. Finally, the 

panel will consider opportunities to mitigate substitution bias in the headline CPI index as well 

as the index used for Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. As part of that task, the panel 

will assess the prospects for creating new inflation products that would present information about 

prices paid and spending for goods and services by households across the income distribution.

DOL Enterprise-Wide Shared Services Initiative

Background

DOL has been implementing in-house reforms since FY 2019, as part of the Administration’s 

Management Agenda to reorganize and improve federal government operations. Many of 

DOL’s administrative activities, including information technology (IT), procurement, human 

resources, financial management, and personnel security, were previously separated across its 

subcomponents. The Shared Services initiative is intended to centralize DOL administrative and 

IT services.

Impact

To date, the DOL Enterprise-Wide Shared Services initiative has resulted in the transition of 

BLS Human Resources, Procurement, and Personnel Security functions to the Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM), with 48 FTE and associated 

compensation and benefits funding realigned from the BLS to OASAM. To ensure success, 

pertinent BLS staff and leadership spent considerable time over the past two years participating 

in the development and implementation of shared services in these areas. The BLS continues to 

work with OASAM to ensure future success.

BLS Commissioner Beach is working with OASAM on developing a plan for IT shared services 
TAB 2: State of Play

16

that would allow for shared services in a manner that ensures compliance with required by the 

Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) and OMB 

Statistical Policy Directives.

The confidentiality protections were reinforced with the passage of the Foundations for 

Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018, which reiterated CIPSEA protections and codified 

the concepts found in OMB’s Statistical Policy Directive #1. That directive states that “Federal 

statistical agencies and recognized statistical units must be able to conduct statistical activities 

autonomously when determining what information to collect and process, the physical security 

and information systems security employed to protect confidential data,... [and] when and how 

to store and disseminate their statistical products...In order to maintain credibility with data 

providers and users as well as the public, Federal statistical agencies and recognized statistical 

units must seek to avoid even the appearance that agency design, collection, processing, editing, 

compilation, storage, analysis, release, and dissemination processes may be manipulated.” While 

we await final regulations on implementation of this directive into law, circulated drafts of the 

regulations indicate that the role of the statistical agency head will be strengthened through this 

process.

Important Dates 

Dates vary and subject to change. Please see Last Action Taken on Issue section.

Other DOL Agencies Involved: OASAM, OCIO

Other Federal Agencies Involved: N/A

Last Action Taken on Issue

• Human Resources: The functions and staff were transferred to OASAM in August 2019.

• Personnel Security: The function and staff were transferred to OASAM in October 2019. 

• Procurement: The functions and staff were transferred to OASAM in April 2020. 

• The BLS continues discussions with OASAM to determine how the BLS can leverage 

Enterprise-Wide Shared Services for IT, while ensuring legal and confidentiality 

requirements are met and risk to mission is avoided.

National Office Headquarters Relocation and Data Center Establishment

Background

The BLS lease on the Postal Square Building (PSB) in Washington, DC, which provides 

workspace for approximately 1,800 federal staff and contractors, expires in May 2022. The BLS 

and the OASAM have been working with the GSA and the OMB on the requirements and costs 

for a new lease for the BLS national office. In addition to the headquarters move, the BLS also 

is establishing its data center at a shared facility to improve the security and resilience of the 

BLS IT Infrastructure.

Impact

As part of the 2020 budget process, OMB directed the BLS to co-locate with Census and the 

BEA in the Suitland Federal Complex (SFC), rather than to enter into a new lease in the current 

BLS headquarters location or elsewhere in the Central Business District. GSA has been 
TAB 2: State of Play

17

conducting a Building Assessment Study to determine how the BLS will fit into the SFC, 

together with the two existing tenants, Census and BEA, and to validate expected costs. This 

work is ongoing. The BLS received partial funding in FY 2020 ($27,000,000), which remains 

available through FY 2024. The FY 2021 President’s Budget includes $13,000,000, which also 

remains available until September 30, 2024, for the costs requested but not received in FY 2020 

for the BLS headquarters move to the SFC. This includes funding for replication of space, 

furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Costs for construction-related major repairs and alterations to 

the core shell of the facility were anticipated to be funded separately by GSA, as the BLS will 

move into GSA-owned space following a GSA-executed repair and alteration project at the SFC. 

This may change and additional funding may be required for the BLS.

Coinciding with the efforts to move the headquarters to the SFC, the BLS is working on 

establishing a data center in FY 2021 at an off-site Tier 4 facility. The aim of this plan is to 

improve the security and resilience of the BLS infrastructure, including the processes that 

support its release schedule. The establishment of the new data center will utilize an approach 

that ensures any potential for disruption is minimized. 

Important Dates

• In late September 2019, the GSA awarded a contract for a Building Assessment Study to 

determine how the existing SFC can be reconfigured to accommodate the additional 

1,800 BLS federal staff and contractors. 

• In mid-FY 2020, the BLS secured space for establishing the data center.

• FY 2021 Congressional Action

• FY 2022 President’s Budget: February 2021

• Establish new data center: By the end of FY 2021

• Current PSB lease expires: May 2022

Other DOL Agencies Involved: OASAM

Other Federal Agencies Involved: OMB, Census, BEA, GSA

Last Action Taken on Issue

• The Building Assessment Study and selection of a build-out alternative is ongoing.

• In FY 2020, the BLS received partial funding ($27,000,000) for the headquarters 

relocation.

• The FY 2021 President’s Budget requests $13,000,000 for the funds requested but not 

received in FY 2020. The House bill for FY 2021 is consistent with this request. 

Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act

Background

The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-435) recognizes that 

better use of existing data may improve how government programs operate. The law requires 

that the head of the statistical agency within the Department, in this case the Commissioner of 

Labor Statistics, serve as a Statistical Official to advise the entire Department on statistical 

policy, techniques, and procedures. Further, the statute recodifies the CIPSEA, under which 

statistical agencies collect information from respondents for exclusively statistical purposes.
TAB 2: State of Play

18

Impact

In addition to the Statistical Official, the law requires each Department to designate a Chief 

Evaluation Officer to coordinate evidence-building activities and a Chief Data Officer to be 

responsible for data management, privacy and confidentiality, and data access. At DOL, the 

Chief Evaluation Officer and the Chief Data Officer are part of the Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Policy (OASP). The DOL “evidence officials” are identified on DOL.gov.

This law recodifies all CIPSEA provisions relating to confidential information protection and 

statistical efficiency. In addition, the new version codifies the four primary principles from 

OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 1, “Fundamental Responsibilities of Federal Statistical 

Agencies and Recognized Statistical Units,” which requires agencies to “produce and 

disseminate relevant and timely information; conduct credible and accurate statistical activities; 

conduct objective statistical activities; and protect the trust of information providers by ensuring 

the confidentiality and exclusive statistical use of their responses.” The BLS coordinated the 

development of regulations implementing these new provisions, working with other statistical 

agencies. Those regulations are pending at OMB.

This law also created a new Advisory Committee on Data for Evidence Building, which will 

review, analyze, and make recommendations on how to promote the use of federal data for 

evidence building. The committee’s duties include assisting the Director of OMB on issues of 

access to data and providing recommendations on how to facilitate data sharing, data linkage, 

and privacy enhancing techniques. The first meeting of this advisory committee occurred on

October 23, 2020.

Important Dates: N/A

Other DOL Agencies Involved: OASP

Other Federal Agencies Involved: OMB, All Agencies

Last Action Taken on Issue

For DOL, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics was designated Statistical Official. The duties 

and responsibilities of the Statistical Official are laid out in OMB memorandum M-19-23 on 

pages 30 and 31.

Major Cooperative Agreements and Contracts

Cooperative Agreements

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) operates the Current Employment Statistics, Quarterly 

Census of Employment and Wages, Occupational Employment Statistics, and Local Area 

Unemployment Statistics programs in cooperation with the states and territories. These 

programs compose the BLS Labor Market Information (LMI) Cooperative Statistical Programs. 

The BLS also works with state partners to operate Occupational Safety and Health Statistics 

(OSHS) which is comprised of the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and the Census 

of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
TAB 2: State of Play

19

For FY 2020, the BLS awarded $70 million in LMI cooperative agreements and $7 million in 

OSHS cooperative agreements. These funds were awarded to the 50 states and territories in 

support of the BLS cooperative statistical programs. This funding is awarded on an FY basis.

Contracts

For FY 2020, the BLS awarded $98 million in contracts (figures taken from USAspending.gov); 

the bulk of these contracts were to support data collection and program operations.
TAB 2: State of Play

20

Key Agency Stakeholders
TAB 2: State of Play

21
TAB 3: Calendar

22

TAB 3: Calendar

Below are the seven Principal Federal Economic Indicators (PFEIs) that the BLS will release 

from October 2020 to December 2021.

See also https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/pfei schedule release 

dates 2021.pdf.

PFEI Release Dates

Employment Situation October 2, November 6, December 4, January 8, 

February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4, July 2, 

August 6, September 3, October 8, November 5, 

December 3

Consumer Price Index October 13, November 12, December 10, January 13, 

February 10, March 10, April 13, May 12, June 10, 

July 13, August 11, September 14, October 13, 

November 10, December 10

Producer Price Index October 14, November 13, December 11, January 15, 

February 17, March 12, April 9, May 13, June 15, July 

14, August 12, September 10, October 14, 

November 9, December 14

U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes October 15, November 17, December 15, January 14, 

February 18, March 16, April 14, May 14, June 16, 

July 15, August 13, September 15, October 15, 

November 16, December 15

Productivity and Costs November 5, December 8, February 4, March 4, May 

6, June 3, August 10, September 2, November 4, 

December 7

Employment Cost Index October 30, January 29, April 30, July 30, October 29

Real Earnings October 13, November 12, December 10, January 13, 

February 10, March 10, April 13, May 12, June 10, 

July 13, August 11, September 14, October 13, 

November 10, December 10
TAB 3: Calendar

23

Regular Convenings Date

BLS Technical Advisory Committee (BLSTAC) –

BLSTAC advises the BLS Commissioner of statistical 

and other technical matters related to the collection and 

analysis of BLS data.

BLSTAC expects to meet two times 

each year. The next two meeting dates 

are set for November 20, 2020, and 

May 21, 2021. The November 

meeting will be virtual.

Data Users Advisory Committee (DUAC) – DUAC 

provides points of view of data users from various 

sectors of the U.S. economy on matters related to the 

analysis, dissemination, and use of the Bureau’s 

statistics, on published reports, and on data gaps or the 

need for new Bureau statistics.

DUAC expects to meet twice during 

FY 2021. The next two meeting dates 

are set for November 10, 2020, and 

May 20, 2021. The November 

meeting will be virtual.

Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee 

(FESAC) – FESAC advises the Directors of the Bureau 

of Economic Analysis and Census, and the BLS 

Commissioner on statistical methodology and other 

technical matters related to the collection, tabulation, 

and analysis of federal economic statistics.

FESAC expects to meet twice in FY 

2021. The next meeting date is 

December 11, 2020. The December

meeting will be virtual. The second 

FY 2021 meeting is not scheduled yet.
TAB 4: Budget

24

TAB 4: BUDGET

BUDGET AUTHORITY AND FTE SUMMARY

(Dollars in millions)

FY 2017

Enacted

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019 

Enacted

FY 2020 

Enacted 1/

FY 2021 

Request 2/

Budget 

Authority $609.0 $612.0 $615.0 $655.0 $658.3

FTE 2,185 2,022 2,057 1,941 1,977

1/ The FY 2020 Enacted level includes $27.0 million in one-time partial funding for 

relocation the BLS national office to Suitland, Maryland. 

2/ The FY 2021 Request includes an additional $13.0 million to support relocating the 

BLS national office.

At-A-Glance

• Funds for the BLS are appropriated on an annual basis. The agency is funded through the 

General Fund, the Unemployment Trust Fund (UTF), and through reimbursable 

agreements (see below for more information about BLS reimbursable authority). 

• BLS’ share of the UTF is $68.0 million as of FY 2020. The BLS uses the UTF to fund 

cooperative agreements with its state partners to operate the Current Employment 

Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Occupational Employment 

Statistics, and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) programs.

• BLS’ reimbursable authority allows the agency to, upon request, complete special 

statistical work. The amount of reimbursable funding varies from year to year based on 

the projects requested and funded. In FY 2021, BLS anticipates having reimbursable 

agreements totaling about $41 million, of which nearly $35 million is from the Social 

Security Administration (SSA) for producing occupational data for use in the SSA’s 

disability programs. 

Budget and FTE Trends

• The FY 2020 Enacted level provides partial, one-time funding of $27.0 million for 

relocating the BLS Headquarters to Suitland, Maryland where the Census Bureau and the 

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are located, due to the BLS National Office lease 

expiring in May 2022. Consistent with the Joint Explanatory Statement, the remaining 

$13.0 million increase over FY 2019 Enacted will enable the BLS to meet the additional 

mandate to "rebuild capacity" including (1) restoring LAUS for New England Minor 

Civil Divisions with populations less than 1,000, (2) providing an annual Current 

Population Survey (CPS) supplement with collection of data on contingent and 

alternative work arrangements in alternating years, and (3) initiating spending on the 

planning and developing of a new National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) cohort.

• The FY 2021 President’s Budget proposes $658.3 million in funding for the BLS, which 

includes an additional $13.0 million to support relocating the BLS national office. In 

addition, the BLS request for FY 2021 includes $7.1 million to improve the Job Openings 
TAB 4: Budget

25

and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) by expanding the sample to produce sample-based 

state estimates and more detailed industry data for the nation as a whole, accelerating 

data review and the production of estimates, and adding focused questions to provide 

more information about job openings, hires, and separations; as well as $7.1 million to 

research the nature and construction of a potential consumption-based poverty measure 

and improve the Consumer Expenditure (CE) program in support of improved poverty 

measurement.

Upcoming Issues

• The GSA has been conducting a Building Assessment Study to determine how the BLS 

will fit into the Suitland Federal Complex (SFC), together with the two existing tenants, 

Census and the BEA, and to validate expected costs. This work is ongoing, and costs that 

were anticipated to be funded separately by the GSA, may change and additional funding 

might be required for the BLS.

• The House minibus containing the FY 2021 Labor/HHS/Education funding bill continues 

to fund the BLS at $655.0 million.

• The House funding bill includes the $13 million requested for the headquarters 

relocation, but encourages the BLS to prioritize implementing a new NLS Youth cohort 

and supporting the CPS supplement before undertaking any new work for JOLTS and 

CE. 

• As of October 30, 2020, the Senate has not made any funding recommendations for 

FY 2021 appropriations. 

Reports/Audits/Evaluations

• The Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued the FY 2020 Office of Audit Workplan that 

includes a planned audit on BLS survey response rates. The focus of this audit will be to 

determine how the BLS has incorporated new methodologies and technology into its data 

collection process to ensure expected response rates and reduced respondent burden. 

This audit has not commenced. 

Staff Contacts

Todd Zimmerman, Agency Budget Officer

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Zimmerman.Todd@bls.gov

202-691-7943
TAB 4: Budget

26

FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021

PB

Request $647.0 $618.2 $613.8 $610.0 $632.7 $640.9 $607.8 $609.4 $655.0 $658.3

Enacted $609.0 $577.2 $592.2 $592.2 $609.0 $609.0 $612.0 $615.0 $655.0

$560

$580

$600

$620

$640

$660

$680

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Request vs. Enacted, FY 2012-FY 2021

(Dollars in millions)

FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Enacted $609.0 $577.2 $592.2 $592.2 $609.0 $609.0 $612.0 $615.0 $655.0

Inflation Adjusted $609.0 $617.9 $627.9 $628.7 $636.9 $650.2 $665.8 $677.8

$560

$580

$600

$620

$640

$660

$680

$700

Bureau of Labor Statistics

FY 2012 Inflation Adjusted BA vs. FY 2012-FY 2020 

Enacted BA

(Dollars in millions)
TAB 4: Budget

27

Note: 

FY

2009

FY

2010

FY

2011

FY

2012

FY

2013

FY

2014

FY

2015

FY

2016

FY

2017

FY

2018

FY

2019

FY

2020

Enacted $597.2 $611.4 $610.2 $609.0 $577.2 $592.2 $592.2 $609.0 $609.0 $612.0 $615.0 $655.0

Obligations $596.7 $607.6 $609.1 $608.2 $576.2 $591.6 $591.4 $608.4 $608.3 $611.4 $614.4 $627.4

$560

$570

$580

$590

$600

$610

$620

$630

$640

$650

$660

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Budget Authority vs. Obligations, FY 2009-FY 2020

(Dollars in millions)

FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021

PB

Authorized 2,313 2,239 2,232 2,234 2,195 2,185 2,022 2,057 1,961 1,977

Actuals 2,304 2,254 2,165 2,166 2,147 2,153 1,988 1,946 1,910

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Authorized FTE vs. Actuals, FY 2012-2021
TAB 4: Budget

28

• FTE lapse was due to budgetary constraints and late timing of enacted appropriations. 

Despite this, the BLS shifted funding from unused personnel compensation and benefits 

resources to address non-personnel costs, avoiding significant lapses in spending.

• FY 2020 reflects the apportioned FTE ceiling. The Enacted ceiling after a comparative 

transfer of shared services is 1,941.
TAB 5: Agency Performance

29

TAB 5: Agency Performance

The BLS conforms to the conceptual framework of the Interagency Council on Statistical 

Policy’s (ICSP) Guidelines for Reporting Performance by Statistical Agencies and the 

“Strengthening Federal Statistics” chapter of the Analytical Perspectives volume in the 

President’s Budget. The BLS measures accuracy, timeliness, relevance, dissemination, and 

mission achievement, and also reports the full cost to produce its data products. These six 

criteria are common among statistical agencies because they represent critical aspects of a 

statistical program’s performance.

Over the last five years, the BLS reached 100 percent of the underlying timeliness, accuracy, and 

relevance targets for its PFEIs, with only four exceptions.

5

 The BLS regularly evaluates its 

targets in the interest of continuous improvement and undertakes projects aimed at improving the 

timeliness, accuracy, and relevance of BLS products and processes, including the development 

of new products and expansion of existing ones. For example, in FY 2020, the Producer Price 

Index published, on an experimental basis, new indexes in the net inputs to industry data series 

including an import component based upon International Price Program data.

Additionally, the BLS continues working to accelerate the timeliness of its data releases. For 

example, from 2010 to 2020, the BLS accelerated the following data releases, further improving 

timeliness:

• Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages – Between 2010 and 2017, accelerated 

publication of county, Metropolitan Statistical Area, state, and national employment and 

wages by a total of four weeks.

 5 OMB designates seven economic indicators which the BLS issues as PFEIs: Employment Situation, Consumer Price Index, 

Producer Price Index, U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes, Productivity and Costs, Employment Cost Index, and Real Earnings.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Percentage of timeliness, accuracy, and relevance targets 

achieved for the Principal Federal Economic Indicators (PFEIs)

Percentage of timeliness targets achieved for the PFEIs

Percentage of accuracy targets achieved for the PFEIs

Percentage of relevance targets achieved for the PFEIs
TAB 5: Agency Performance

30

• Employment Projections – Between 2016 and 2019, accelerated release of employment 

projections by four months and, in 2019, released employment projections for the first 

time on an annual basis rather than a biennial basis. 

• Consumer Expenditure Survey – In 2015, accelerated release by nearly one month.

• National Compensation Survey – In 2015, accelerated release of data on employer health 

and retirement plan provisions by eight months.

• Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries – In 2016, accelerated release of final data by 

four months.

• Labor Productivity – In 2016, accelerated release of final labor productivity measures by 

two months and improved release of measures of services by one month.

• Multifactor Productivity – In 2016, accelerated release of trends in private business sector 

multifactor productivity by two months.