U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Page 1 of 32

CES–National Benchmark Article

BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to 

Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2

IMPORTANT Special notice regarding reconstructed data .................................................................. 2

Historical reconstructions for Services for the elderly and disabled and Funds, trusts, and other 

financial vehicles ........................................................................................................................ 2

Summary of the benchmark revisions............................................................................................. 4

Impact of employment moving from Private households into CES scope ................................. 4

Analysis of benchmark revisions ................................................................................................ 4

Revisions in the post benchmark period ....................................................................................... 15

Changes to the CES published series ............................................................................................ 17

Series changes ........................................................................................................................... 17

Why benchmarks differ from estimates ........................................................................................ 22

Benchmark revision effects for other data types........................................................................... 23

Methods......................................................................................................................................... 29

Benchmark adjustment procedure ............................................................................................ 29

Benchmark source material ...................................................................................................... 29

Business birth and death estimation .......................................................................................... 30

Availability of revised data ........................................................................................................... 31

Seasonal adjustment procedure ..................................................................................................... 31

Table of figures ............................................................................................................................. 32

Authored by Wade Petty and Patrick Hu. 

Wade Petty and Patrick Hu are economists in the Division of Current Employment Statistics –

National, Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, Bureau of Labor 

Statistics. Telephone: (202) 691-6555; e-mail: CESInfo@bls.gov 
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Introduction 

With the release of January 2014 data on February 7, 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 

introduced its annual revision of National estimates of employment, hours, and earnings from the 

Current Employment Statistics (CES) monthly survey of nonfarm establishments. Each year, the 

CES survey realigns its sample-based estimates to incorporate universe counts of employment—a 

process known as benchmarking. Comprehensive counts of employment, or benchmarks, are 

derived primarily from unemployment insurance (UI) tax reports that nearly all employers are 

required to file with State Workforce Agencies. 

The benchmark this year, and its analysis, was substantially impacted by the inclusion of 

employment that was previously in Private households and considered out-of-scope. The relevant 

CES time series have been reconstructed to accurately account for this additional employment. 

IMPORTANT Special notice regarding reconstructed data 

Historical reconstructions for Services for the elderly and disabled and Funds, trusts, 

and other financial vehicles 

The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program determined that UI records 

from a number of state programs that provide funding for Services for the elderly and disabled, 

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 624120, were incorrectly coded as being 

in Private households, NAICS 814. With the first quarter of 2013, QCEW began coding this

employment under NAICS 624120. This change moved the employment from a previously outof-scope industry to in-scope for the CES program, prompting a historical reconstruction to 

account for the employment in these state administered programs. 

Six states were identified as having employment associated with their programs moved from outof-scope to in-scope for CES purposes. Those states are California, Massachusetts, Missouri, 

Nebraska, Texas, and Washington. Working with QCEW microdata and information from the 

individual states, a historical time series of employment associated with the six programs was 

developed and added to the original published data to create a consistent time series. As there was 

no additional information that was available with regard to production employees, women 

employees, or any hours and earnings, the existing sample-based ratios were maintained at the 

detailed industry levels and applied to the new All Employees level to reconstruct the higher level 

series. 

Another QCEW recoding effort with first quarter 2013 moved a majority of employment out of 

Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles (NAICS 525). Similar to reconstructions completed 

with each new version of NAICS every five years, ratios relating to the industries that the 

employment moved to were applied to historical data to develop the reconstructed employment, 

hours, and earnings series. For CES purposes, the employment that remained in Funds, trusts, and 

other financial vehicles (CES Industry Code 55-525000) was a small enough amount that it was 

necessary to collapse the industry with another, specifically, All other financial investment 
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activities (CES Industry Code 55-5239901). Exhibit 1 below displays all detailed series affected 

by reconstructions. 

Exhibit 1. Summary of CES detailed series impacted by reconstructions 

NAICS 

Code

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Description

52312 55-523120(1) Securities brokerage Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

5232 55-523200(1) Securities and commodity 

contracts brokerage and 

exchanges

Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

52392 55-523920(1) Portfolio management Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

52393 55-523930(1) Investment advice Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

52399 55-523990(1) All other financial investment 

activities, including funds and 

trusts

Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

524114 55-524114(1) Direct health and medical 

insurance carriers

Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

524126 55-524126(1) Direct property and casualty 

insurers

Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

52421 55-524210(1) Insurance agencies and 

brokerages

Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

524292 55-524292(1) Third-party administration of 

insurance funds

Received employment from NAICS 

525 reconstruction.

525 55-525000 Funds, trusts, and other financial 

vehicles

As noted in the rows above, NAICS 

525 employment was distributed 

into 52312, 5232, 52392, 52393, 

52399, 524114, 524126, 52421, and 

524292. CES series 55-525000 was 

then collapsed into 55-523990. 

 5251 55-525100 Insurance and employee benefit 

funds

CES series 55-525100 was 

collapsed into 55-523990.

 5259 55-525900 Other investment pools and funds CES series 55-525900 was 

collapsed into 55-523990.

62412 65-624120(1) Services for the elderly and 

disabled

Employment related to state run 

programs for Services for the 

elderly and disabled reclassified 

from NAICS 814 into 62412.

(1) Published at second preliminary. 

To Table of Figures

 

1

 As a result of the collapse, the title for CES Industry Code 55-523990 was revised to All other financial investment 

activities, including funds and trusts. 
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Summary of the benchmark revisions 

Impact of employment moving from Private households into CES scope 

In most years, a discussion of revisions to the not seasonally adjusted employment level for the 

March benchmark also describes the revisions to the over-the-year change from the previous 

March benchmark level. This year, with the implementation of the March 2013 benchmark, 

historical data have been reconstructed back to April 1979 to include the employment that was 

previously out-of-scope. As a result of this reconstruction, the March 2012 not seasonally adjusted 

employment level has also been revised and the revisions associated with this benchmark can be 

looked at in several ways. 

To eliminate the nonstandard impact on the benchmark from the additional employment coming 

from Private households, the reconstructed employment associated with the state programs was 

added to the originally estimated CES employment prior to calculating the benchmark error and 

performing the wedge (for more information on the CES wedging process, refer to the Methods

section of this article). This approach better reflects the performance of the estimates for the 

benchmark time period. With the exception of Exhibit 2, the tables in this article reflect that 

process. 

Considering only the change to the employment level due to error, the reconstructed Total nonfarm 

employment estimate for March 2013 was revised downward by 119,000, or 0.1 percent, to 

134,917,000. Since the March 2012 employment level now reflects changes due to the 

reconstruction, another measure of the impact of the benchmark is to consider the over-the-year 

change revision from March 2012 to March 2013. Prior to the implementation of the benchmark, 

the level change for Total nonfarm over that time period was 2,065,000. After the benchmark, the 

change is 2,036,000 which is 29,000 less than previously published. 

Analysis of benchmark revisions 

Table 1 below shows the recent history of Total nonfarm percentage benchmark errors. Over the 

prior ten years, the annual benchmark error at the Total nonfarm level has averaged 0.3 percent (in 

absolute terms), with an absolute range of 0.1 percent to 0.7 percent. 
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Table 1. Percent differences between nonfarm employment benchmarks and estimates by industry supersector, 

March 2003-2013(1)

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

(2) 2012 2013(3)

00-000000 Total nonfarm -0.1 0.2 -0.1 0.6 -0.2 -0.1 -0.7 -0.3 0.1 0.3 -0.1

(Level difference in 

thousands)

(-122) (203) (-158) (752) (-293) (-89) (-902) (-378) (67) (424) (-119)

05-000000 Total private -.2 .2 -.2 .7 -.2 -.1 -.9 -.4 (4)

.4 -.1

10-000000 Mining and 

logging .9 .7 -.3 1.2 (4)

.4 -3.5 -3.0 -.4 1.6 -1.2

20-000000 Construction -.8 .6 .5 2.6 .1 .7 -2.9 -1.3 -.5 1.8 .3

30-000000 Manufacturing -1.1 -.4 -.3 -.1 -1.0 -.1 -.7 -1.0 .1 -.2 .2

40-000000 Trade, 

transportation, 

and utilities

(4)

.2 .3 .6 .5 .2 -1.2 -.6 .4 .6 -.5

50-000000 Information -2.6 -1.0 -2.1 -.5 -1.8 .3 -1.5 -.4 -.4 1.8 -.2

55-000000 Financial 

activities .2 .1 -.8 .4 -1.3 -.3 -.1 .4 -.3 .6 -.1

60-000000 Professional and 

business services -.7 -.2 -.4 1.3 .2 -.4 -.8 (4)

.7 (4) (4)

65-000000 Education and 

health services .3 .2 (4)

.5 -.2 -.1 -.3 (4)-.6 (4)-.3

70-000000 Leisure and 

hospitality .5 1.2 .4 .3 -.8 -1.1 -.6 -.6 .7 .8 .5

80-000000 Other services 1.4 .5 -1.3 .5 .3 .2 -.8 .2 -2.0 1.1 -.4

90-000000 Government .3 .1 (4) (4)

-.2 .2 .1 .1 .1 -.3 (4)

(1) The differences listed in this table reflect the error due to normal benchmarking procedures. Typically this error is equal to the March benchmarked level 

minus the published March estimated level. However in some years, other factors beyond normal benchmarking procedures influence the difference between the 

benchmarked and published March estimate levels. Those years are footnoted.
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(2) A review of industries for the possible presence of noncovered employment in benchmark 2011 yielded 13 additional industries. As a result of including these 

industries, employment in the amount of 95,000 was added to the Total nonfarm benchmark level. The difference between the benchmarked and published 

March 2011 estimate level was 162,000. For this table, the 95,000 amount was added to the original published Total nonfarm and Total private March 2011

estimates before calculating the percent and level differences. Portions of the 95,000 amount were also added as appropriate to the original published March 

2011 estimates of supersectors Financial activities and Education and health services before calculating the percent differences. 

(3) The percent and level differences in this column reflect reconstructions to series within CES supersectors Financial activities and Education and healthcare 

services. Each first quarter, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, whose data account for approximately 97 percent of the CES 

universe scope (see www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#section1), incorporates updated industry assignments. In 2013, these updates included two substantial 

groups of nonrandom, noneconomic code changes, one to Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles (NAICS 525), and the other, a reclassification of 

approximately 466,000 in employment from Private households (NAICS 814), which is out of scope for CES, to Services for the elderly and persons with 

disabilities (NAICS 62412), which is in scope. These changes also had an impact, beyond what would be considered typical for a given benchmark year, on 

corresponding CES series. For more information about the changes to these industries, see the QCEW First Quarter 2013 News Release available at 

www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cewqtr_09262013.htm or the reconstruction section of the CES Benchmark Article at Special notice regarding reconstructed 

data.

(4) Less than 0.05 percent. 

To Table of Figures
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Table 2 shows the nonfarm employment benchmarks for March 2013, not seasonally adjusted, by 

industry. Please note that the value presented in the column titled Estimate in Table 2 represents 

the original published estimate plus applicable reconstructions. The revision to the reconstructed 

Total nonfarm employment is -119,000.

Five supersectors had upward revisions. The largest upward revision occurred in Leisure and 

hospitality by an amount of 72,000, or 0.5 percent. Within this supersector, the revision was 

concentrated in Accommodation and food services, which was revised upward by 62,100, or 0.5 

percent. Manufacturing was revised upward by 23,000, or 0.2 percent, with the vast majority of 

the increase attributed to Durable goods, which experienced an upward revision of 21,000, or 0.3 

percent. Construction and Government were also revised upward by 14,000, or 0.3 percent, and 

7,000 (less than 0.05 percent), respectively. The smallest upward revision of 4,000 (less than 0.05 

percent) occurred in Professional and business services. 

The remaining six supersectors saw negative revisions. The largest downward revision occurred 

in Trade, transportation, and utilities, which decreased by -131,000, or -0.5 percent. Within this 

supersector, the largest share of the revision was due to Retail trade with a revision of -110,300, 

or -0.8 percent. Retail trade was largely affected by a downward revision of -147,600, or -11.3

percent, in Department stores. The next largest negative revision occurred in the reconstructed 

Education and health services estimate, which experienced a drop of -61,000, or -0.3 percent, with 

most of the decrease occurring in Health care and social assistance (-41,500, or -0.2 percent). 

Other services was also revised downward by -22,000, or -0.4 percent, and Mining and logging 

and Financial activities exhibited identical level decreases of -10,000 (-1.2 percent and -0.1 

percent, respectively). The smallest negative revision of -5,000, or -0.2 percent, occurred in 

Information. 

Table 2. Nonfarm employment benchmarks by industry, March 2013 (in 

thousands) 

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark Estimate(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

00-000000 Total nonfarm 134,917 135,036 -119 -0.1 

05-000000 Total private 112,644 112,770 -126 -.1 

06-000000 Goods-producing 18,283 18,256 27 .1 

07-000000 Service-providing 116,634 116,780 -146 -.1 

08-000000 Private serviceproviding 

94,361 94,514 -153 -.2 

10-000000 Mining and logging 847 857 -10 -1.2 

10-113300 Logging 49.0 47.7 1.3 2.7 

10-210000 Mining 798.4 808.8 -10.4 -1.3 

10-211000 Oil and gas extraction 193.0 191.0 2.0 1.0 

10-212000 Mining, except oil and 

gas 

207.6 220.1 -12.5 -6.0 

10-212100 Coal mining 79.7 85.8 -6.1 -7.7 
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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark Estimate(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

10-213000 Support activities for 

mining 

397.8 397.7 .1 (2)

20-000000 Construction 5,501 5,487 14 .3 

20-236000 Construction of 

buildings 

1,226.1 1,212.2 13.9 1.1 

20-236100 Residential building 574.7 551.7 23.0 4.0 

20-236200 Nonresidential building 651.4 660.5 -9.1 -1.4 

20-237000 Heavy and civil 

engineering 

construction 

801.7 809.8 -8.1 -1.0 

20-238000 Specialty trade 

contractors 

3,473.1 3,464.7 8.4 .2 

30-000000 Manufacturing 11,935 11,912 23 .2 

31-000000 Durable goods 7,507 7,486 21 .3 

31-321000 Wood products 344.2 340.4 3.8 1.1 

31-327000 Nonmetallic mineral 

products 

363.1 358.5 4.6 1.3 

31-331000 Primary metals 397.7 397.4 .3 .1 

31-332000 Fabricated metal 

products 

1,419.8 1,425.1 -5.3 -.4 

31-333000 Machinery 1,105.0 1,104.3 .7 .1 

31-334000 Computer and 

electronic products 

1,067.1 1,082.3 -15.2 -1.4 

31-334100 Computer and 

peripheral equipment 

155.5 159.4 -3.9 -2.5 

31-334200 Communications 

equipment 

103.8 107.8 -4.0 -3.9 

31-334400 Semiconductors and 

electronic components 

375.2 379.4 -4.2 -1.1 

31-334500 Electronic instruments 394.1 396.5 -2.4 -.6 

31-335000 Electrical equipment 

and appliances 

373.1 363.6 9.5 2.5 

31-336000 Transportation 

equipment 

1,506.0 1,489.8 16.2 1.1 

31-337000 Furniture and related 

products 

354.9 350.7 4.2 1.2 

31-339000 Miscellaneous durable 

goods manufacturing 

575.8 573.9 1.9 .3 

32-000000 Nondurable goods 4,428 4,426 2 (2)

32-311000 Food manufacturing 1,445.1 1,445.0 .1 (2)

32-313000 Textile mills 116.8 114.4 2.4 2.1 

32-314000 Textile product mills 114.2 115.2 -1.0 -.9 

32-315000 Apparel 145.3 145.7 -.4 -.3 
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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark Estimate(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

32-322000 Paper and paper 

products 

377.7 375.3 2.4 .6 

32-323000 Printing and related 

support activities 

453.3 454.5 -1.2 -.3 

32-324000 Petroleum and coal 

products 

109.1 112.8 -3.7 -3.4 

32-325000 Chemicals 792.1 793.3 -1.2 -.2 

32-326000 Plastics and rubber 

products 

654.1 654.2 -.1 (2)

32-329000 Miscellaneous 

nondurable goods 

manufacturing 

220.1 215.3 4.8 2.2 

40-000000 Trade, transportation, 

and utilities 

25,366 25,497 -131 -.5 

41-420000 Wholesale trade 5,684.5 5,704.7 -20.2 -.4 

41-423000 Durable goods 2,849.3 2,843.2 6.1 .2 

41-424000 Nondurable goods 1,958.7 1,980.1 -21.4 -1.1 

41-425000 Electronic markets and 

agents and brokers 

876.5 881.4 -4.9 -.6 

42-000000 Retail trade 14,705.4 14,815.7 -110.3 -.8 

42-441000 Motor vehicle and 

parts dealers 

1,763.6 1,748.4 15.2 .9 

42-441100 Automobile dealers 1,119.5 1,106.4 13.1 1.2 

42-442000 Furniture and home 

furnishings stores 

436.4 443.8 -7.4 -1.7 

42-443000 Electronics and 

appliance stores 

485.3 498.8 -13.5 -2.8 

42-444000 Building material and 

garden supply stores 

1,181.2 1,167.5 13.7 1.2 

42-445000 Food and beverage 

stores 

2,870.8 2,864.0 6.8 .2 

42-446000 Health and personal 

care stores 

1,003.9 1,019.5 -15.6 -1.6 

42-447000 Gasoline stations 845.3 837.7 7.6 .9 

42-448000 Clothing and clothing 

accessories stores 

1,338.4 1,391.3 -52.9 -4.0 

42-451000 Sporting goods, hobby, 

book, and music stores 

570.8 561.7 9.1 1.6 

42-452000 General merchandise 

stores 

2,987.7 3,061.3 -73.6 -2.5 

42-452100 Department stores 1,303.4 1,451.0 -147.6 -11.3 

42-453000 Miscellaneous store 

retailers 

773.6 785.2 -11.6 -1.5 
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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark Estimate(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

42-454000 Nonstore retailers 448.4 436.5 11.9 2.7 

43-000000 Transportation and 

warehousing 

4,426.3 4,422.7 3.6 .1 

43-481000 Air transportation 447.1 444.4 2.7 .6 

43-482000 Rail transportation 231.8 230.5 1.3 .6 

43-483000 Water transportation 64.2 61.5 2.7 4.2 

43-484000 Truck transportation 1,342.9 1,348.2 -5.3 -.4 

43-485000 Transit and ground 

passenger 

transportation 

460.3 483.8 -23.5 -5.1 

43-486000 Pipeline transportation 43.4 44.5 -1.1 -2.5 

43-487000 Scenic and sightseeing 

transportation 

23.6 21.4 2.2 9.3 

43-488000 Support activities for 

transportation 

589.1 584.2 4.9 .8 

43-492000 Couriers and 

messengers 

526.2 522.0 4.2 .8 

43-493000 Warehousing and 

storage 

697.7 682.2 15.5 2.2 

44-220000 Utilities 549.3 553.9 -4.6 -.8 

50-000000 Information 2,694 2,699 -5 -.2 

50-511000 Publishing industries, 

except Internet 

733.1 727.5 5.6 .8 

50-512000 Motion picture and 

sound recording 

industries 

369.5 401.5 -32.0 -8.7 

50-515000 Broadcasting, except 

Internet 

285.1 286.0 -.9 -.3 

50-517000 Telecommunications 851.9 856.0 -4.1 -.5 

50-518000 Data processing, 

hosting and related 

services 

265.0 250.6 14.4 5.4 

50-519000 Other information 

services 

188.9 177.6 11.3 6.0 

55-000000 Financial activities 7,813 7,823 -10 -.1 

55-520000 Finance and insurance 5,856.8 5,876.4 -19.6 -.3 

55-521000 Monetary authorities -

central bank 

17.6 16.5 1.1 6.3 

55-522000 Credit intermediation 

and related activities 

2,615.8 2,601.9 13.9 .5 

55-522100 Depository credit 

intermediation 

1,737.1 1,735.2 1.9 .1 

55-522110 Commercial banking 1,316.6 1,308.8 7.8 .6 
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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark Estimate(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

55-523000 Securities, commodity 

contracts, investments, 

and funds and trusts 

859.2 875.6 -16.4 -1.9 

55-524000 Insurance carriers and 

related activities 

2,364.2 2,382.4 -18.2 -.8 

55-530000 Real estate and rental 

and leasing 

1,956.5 1,946.7 9.8 .5 

55-531000 Real estate 1,427.8 1,416.7 11.1 .8 

55-532000 Rental and leasing 

services 

505.2 506.7 -1.5 -.3 

55-533000 Lessors of nonfinancial 

intangible assets 

23.5 23.3 .2 .9 

60-000000 Professional and 

business services 

18,173 18,169 4 (2)

60-540000 Professional and 

technical services 

8,126.1 8,127.7 -1.6 (2)

60-541100 Legal services 1,129.0 1,123.1 5.9 .5 

60-541200 Accounting and 

bookkeeping services 

1,041.4 1,053.8 -12.4 -1.2 

60-541300 Architectural and 

engineering services 

1,323.0 1,325.8 -2.8 -.2 

60-541500 Computer systems 

design and related 

services 

1,670.8 1,667.3 3.5 .2 

60-541600 Management and 

technical consulting 

services 

1,150.5 1,160.3 -9.8 -.9 

60-550000 Management of 

companies and 

enterprises 

2,072.5 2,024.3 48.2 2.3 

60-560000 Administrative and 

waste services 

7,973.9 8,016.7 -42.8 -.5 

60-561000 Administrative and 

support services 

7,606.0 7,646.2 -40.2 -.5 

60-561300 Employment services 3,139.5 3,183.9 -44.4 -1.4 

60-561320 Temporary help 

services 

2,495.2 2,535.0 -39.8 -1.6 

60-561400 Business support 

services 

836.3 834.5 1.8 .2 

60-561700 Services to buildings 

and dwellings 

1,745.1 1,743.5 1.6 .1 
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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark Estimate(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

60-562000 Waste management 

and remediation 

services 

367.9 370.5 -2.6 -.7 

65-000000 Education and health 

services 

21,153 21,214 -61 -.3 

65-610000 Educational services 3,497.6 3,516.8 -19.2 -.5 

65-620000 Health care and social 

assistance 

17,655.3 17,696.8 -41.5 -.2 

65-621000 Ambulatory health 

care services 

6,417.7 6,454.5 -36.8 -.6 

65-621100 Offices of physicians 2,416.0 2,418.7 -2.7 -.1 

65-621400 Outpatient care centers 670.1 679.8 -9.7 -1.4 

65-621600 Home health care 

services 

1,213.0 1,256.4 -43.4 -3.6 

65-622000 Hospitals 4,792.2 4,830.6 -38.4 -.8 

65-623000 Nursing and residential 

care facilities 

3,210.5 3,202.3 8.2 .3 

65-623100 Nursing care facilities 1,652.9 1,659.3 -6.4 -.4 

65-624000 Social assistance 3,234.9 3,209.4 25.5 .8 

65-624400 Child day care services 866.6 879.8 -13.2 -1.5 

70-000000 Leisure and hospitality 13,740 13,668 72 .5 

70-710000 Arts, entertainment, 

and recreation 

1,875.1 1,865.2 9.9 .5 

70-711000 Performing arts and 

spectator sports 

402.1 408.6 -6.5 -1.6 

70-712000 Museums, historical 

sites, and similar 

institutions 

133.3 131.6 1.7 1.3 

70-713000 Amusements, 

gambling, and 

recreation 

1,339.7 1,325.0 14.7 1.1 

70-720000 Accommodation and 

food services 

11,864.9 11,802.8 62.1 .5 

70-721000 Accommodation 1,788.3 1,762.5 25.8 1.4 

70-722000 Food services and 

drinking places 

10,076.6 10,040.3 36.3 .4 

80-000000 Other services 5,422 5,444 -22 -.4 

80-811000 Repair and 

maintenance 

1,205.3 1,194.4 10.9 .9 

80-812000 Personal and laundry 

services 

1,325.0 1,322.4 2.6 .2 
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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark Estimate(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

80-813000 Membership 

associations and 

organizations 

2,891.8 2,927.3 -35.5 -1.2 

90-000000 Government 22,273 22,266 7 (2)

90-910000 Federal 2,781.0 2,762.0 19.0 .7 

90-911000 Federal, except U.S. 

Postal Service 

2,191.9 2,173.4 18.5 .8 

90-919120 U.S. Postal Service 588.7 588.8 -.1 (2)

90-920000 State government 5,205.0 5,197.0 8.0 .2 

90-921611 State government 

education 

2,555.7 2,546.1 9.6 .4 

90-922000 State government, 

excluding education 

2,649.6 2,650.5 -.9 (2)

90-930000 Local government 14,287.0 14,307.0 -20.0 -.1 

90-931611 Local government 

education 

8,137.9 8,142.3 -4.4 -.1 

90-932000 Local government, 

excluding education 

6,148.9 6,165.1 -16.2 -.3 

(1) The CES estimates in this column contain reconstructions to series within CES supersectors Financial activities 

and Education and healthcare services. Each first quarter, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) 

program, whose data account for approximately 97 percent of the CES universe scope (see 

www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#section1), incorporates updated industry assignments. In 2013, these updates 

included two substantial groups of nonrandom, noneconomic code changes, one to Funds, trusts, and other financial 

vehicles (NAICS 525), and the other, a reclassification of approximately 466,000 in employment from Private 

households (NAICS 814), which is out of scope for CES, to Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities 

(NAICS 62412), which is in scope. These changes also had an impact, beyond what would be considered typical for 

a given benchmark year, on corresponding CES series. For more information about the changes to these industries, 

see the QCEW First Quarter 2013 News Release available at 

www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cewqtr_09262013.htm or the reconstruction section of the CES Benchmark 

Article at Special notice regarding reconstructed data. 

(2) Less than 0.05 percent. 

To Table of Figures
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Exhibit 2 displays a comparison between the previously published estimates and the benchmarks 

for those CES series published at first preliminary release affected by reconstructions or collapses. 

The Benchmark column in Exhibit 2 reflects benchmarked values as presented in Table 2 above, 

and the column titled As Previously Published represents the previously published estimates before 

the reconstructions were performed. The difference between the March 2013 published estimate 

and the final benchmarked employment level for Total nonfarm is 347,000, or 0.3 percent. 

Exhibit 2. Nonfarm employment change from published estimates to 

benchmarks for affected industries, March 2013 (in thousands) 

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Benchmark

As 

Previously 

Published(1)

Differences

Amount Percent

00-000000 Total nonfarm 134,917 134,570 347 0.3 

05-000000 Total private 112,644 112,304 340 .3 

07-000000 Service-providing 116,634 116,314 320 .3 

08-000000 Private serviceproviding 

94,361 94,048 313 .3 

55-523000 Securities, commodity 

contracts, investments, 

and funds and trusts 

859.2 826.0 33.2 3.9 

55-524000 Insurance carriers and 

related activities 

2,364.2 2,345.7 18.5 .8 

65-000000 Education and health 

services 

21,153 20,748 405 1.9 

65-620000 Health care and social 

assistance 

17,655.3 17,231.0 424.3 2.4 

65-624000 Social assistance 3,234.9 2,743.6 491.3 15.2

(1) Estimates as previously published before any reconstructions are performed. 

To Table of Figures
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Revisions in the post benchmark period 

Post benchmark period estimates from April 2013 to December 2013 were calculated for each month based on new benchmark levels 

and new net birth/death factors. Net birth/death factors were revised to incorporate information from the most recent year of universe 

employment counts. Table 3 shows the net birth/death model figures for the supersectors over the post benchmark period. From April 

2013 to December 2013, the cumulative net birth/death model added 877,000, compared with 755,000 in the previously published April 

to December estimates. 

Table 3. Net birth/death estimates by industry supersector, April – December 2013 (in thousands) 

CES Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Cumulative

Total

10-000000 Mining and logging 1 2 3 2 2 1 2 0 0 13

20-000000 Construction 33 35 23 6 8 7 9 -13 -18 90

30-000000 Manufacturing -2 6 3 -5 4 0 2 1 -1 8

40-000000 Trade, transportation, and utilities 18 24 13 3 18 13 35 4 4 132

50-000000 Information 0 4 0 0 3 -2 5 4 0 14

55-000000 Financial activities 4 8 4 1 6 -1 16 1 10 49

60-000000 Professional and business services 74 27 10 27 18 -15 70 7 -10 208

65-000000 Education and health services 20 18 -12 7 19 13 46 7 -4 114

70-000000 Leisure and hospitality 78 79 90 48 20 -44 -30 -21 6 226

80-000000 Other services 10 7 6 -3 1 -2 4 -1 1 23

Total nonfarm birth/death adjustment 236 210 140 86 99 -30 159 -11 -12 877

To Table of Figures
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Table 4 presents revised Total nonfarm employment data on a seasonally adjusted basis for January 

2013 through December 2013. The revised data for April 2013 forward incorporate the effect of 

applying the rate of change measured by the sample to the new benchmark level, as well as updated 

net birth/death model adjustments and new seasonal adjustment factors. Revisions to November 

and December also reflect incorporation of the annual CES sample update. 

Table 4. Differences in seasonally adjusted levels and over-the-month changes, 

Total nonfarm employment, January – December 2013 (in thousands)

2013

Levels Over-the-month changes

As 

Previously

Published

As 

Revised Difference

As 

Previously 

Published

As 

Revised Difference

January 134,839 135,261 422 148 197 49

February 135,171 135,541 370 332 280 -52

March 135,313 135,682 369 142 141 -1

April 135,512 135,885 373 199 203 4

May 135,688 136,084 396 176 199 23

June 135,860 136,285 425 172 201 29

July 135,949 136,434 485 89 149 60

August 136,187 136,636 449 238 202 -36

September 136,362 136,800 438 175 164 -11

October 136,562 137,037 475 200 237 37

November 136,803 137,311 508 241 274 33

December(p) 136,877 137,386 509 74 75 1

(p)Preliminary. 

To Table of Figures
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Changes to the CES published series 

With the release of the January 2014 first preliminary estimates, CES incorporated series changes 

related to annual sample adequacy and disclosure review and reconstructed the history of series 

impacted by the noneconomic code changes involving NAICS 525 (Funds, trusts, and other 

financial vehicles) and 62412 (Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities). 

Series changes 

All CES series are evaluated annually for sample size, coverage, and response rates. The following 

series changes result from a reevaluation of the sample and universe coverage for NAICS 

industries. 

Some series have new CES industry codes or titles as a result of the series changes (Exhibit 3). 

These CES industry code or title changes have been applied to all data types published for the 

designated series. Historical data for those series with new CES industry codes or CES industry 

titles were impacted as noted on the remainder of this page; historical data are available under the 

new CES industry codes or CES industry titles. 

Exhibit 3. Series with CES industry code or title changes 

NAICS Code

Previous New

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title

336212,3,4 31-336214 Motor homes, travel 

trailers, and 

campers

31-336214 Truck trailers, motor 

homes, travel trailers, 

and campers

523,5(1) 55-523000 Securities, 

commodity 

contracts, 

investments

55-523000 Securities, 

commodity contracts, 

investments, and 

funds and trusts

5239,51,59(1) 55-523900 Other financial 

investment 

activities

55-523900 Other financial 

investment activities, 

including funds and 

trusts

52399,510,590(1) 55-523990 All other financial 

investment

activities

55-523990 All other financial 

investment activities, 

including funds and 

trusts

To Table of Figures

The remaining series changes exhibits (Exhibit 4 through Exhibit 9) reference the new CES 

industry codes and titles, not the previous CES industry codes and titles, as noted in Exhibit 3. 
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Only directly estimated data types2are included in the series changes exhibits: 

 All Employees (AE)  Production Employees (PE)

 AE Average Weekly Hours (AE AWH)  PE Average Weekly Hours (PE AWH)

 AE average hourly earnings (AE AHE)  PE average hourly earnings (PE AHE)

 AE Average Weekly Overtime Hours 

(AE AWOH)

 PE Average Weekly Overtime Hours 

(PE AWOH)

 Women Employees (WE)

The directly estimated data types listed except for AE are collectively called non-AE data types. 

In order to more easily identify affected series, since AE series are published at a more detailed 

industry level than non-AE series, series changes exhibits are split by AE and non-AE data types. 

The non-AE tables cover all directly estimated non-AE data types. 

The first group of series changes exhibits contains three exhibits referencing the AE data type and 

the second group contains three exhibits referencing all non-AE data types. The three exhibits in 

each group display the discontinued, collapsed, and new series. Discontinued series exhibits 

(Exhibit 4 and Exhibit 7) display series for which the data types noted are no longer published. 

Collapsed series exhibits (Exhibit 5 and Exhibit 8) display series for which the data types noted 

are no longer published because the industry no longer has sufficient sample to be estimated and 

published separately. Affected industries have been combined with other similar industries for 

estimation and publication purposes. Historical data for these series were reconstructed to provide 

consistent time series. New series exhibits (Exhibit 6 and Exhibit 9) display series for which the 

data types noted are now published. 

 

AE exhibits 

Exhibit 4. Discontinued AE series 

NAICS 

Code

CES Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title Next Highest Published Industry

321991 31-321991 Manufactured and 

mobile homes

All other wood products (31-321990)

33142 31-331420 Rolled, drawn,

extruded, and alloyed 

copper

Other nonferrous metal production 

(31-331400)

42442 41-424420 Packaged frozen 

food

Grocery and related products (41-

424400)

To Table of Figures

 

2

 CES estimates data in two ways: directly and indirectly. Directly estimated data types refer to data types for which 

estimates are calculated directly from the responding sample. Indirectly estimated data types refer to data types for 

which estimates are calculated from other directly estimated data types. Average weekly earnings of all employees 

and indexes of aggregate weekly hours of all employees are examples of indirectly estimated data types. For more 

information on indirectly estimated data types, see the CES Technical Notes at www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm. 
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Exhibit 5. Collapsed AE series 

NAICS 

Code

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title Collapsed into CES Industry

336212 31-336212 Truck trailers Collapsed into Truck trailers, motor 

homes, travel trailers, and campers (31-

336214)

5251(1) 55-525100 Insurance and 

employee benefit funds

Collapsed into All other financial 

investment activities, including funds 

and trusts (55-523990)

5259(1) 55-525900 Other investment pools 

and funds

Collapsed into All other financial 

investment activities, including funds 

and trusts (55-523990)

To Table of Figures

Exhibit 6. New AE series 

There are no new AE series published. 

To Table of Figures

Non-AE exhibits 

Exhibit 7. Discontinued Non-AE series 

NAICS 

Code

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title

Discontinued 

From Publication

Next Highest 

Published Industry(2)

3271 31-327100 Clay products 

and refractories

AE AWOH Nonmetallic mineral 

products (31-327000)

3272 31-327200 Glass and glass 

products

AE AWOH, PE, PE 

AWH, PE AHE, PE 

AWOH

Nonmetallic mineral 

products (31-327000)

3314 31-331400 Other nonferrous 

metal production

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE, PE AWOH

Primary metals (31-

331000)

33151 31-331510 Ferrous metal 

foundries

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Foundries (31-331500)

33152 31-331520 Nonferrous 

metal foundries

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Foundries (31-331500)

3325 31-332500 Hardware WE Fabricated metal 

products (31-332000)

3326 31-332600 Spring and wire 

products

WE Fabricated metal 

products (31-332000)

332721 31-332721 Precision turned 

products

WE Turned products and 

screws, nuts, and bolts 

(31-332720)
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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NAICS 

Code

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title

Discontinued 

From Publication

Next Highest 

Published Industry(2)

332722 31-332722 Bolts, nuts, 

screws, rivets, 

and washers

WE Turned products and 

screws, nuts, and bolts 

(31-332720)

3333 31-333300 Commercial and 

service industry 

machinery

PE AWOH Machinery (31-333000)

333511 31-333511 Industrial molds AE AWH, AE AHE, 

AE AWOH, WE

Metalworking machinery 

(31-333500)

333515,9 31-333519 Miscellaneous 

metalworking 

machinery

AE AWH, AE AHE, 

AE AWOH, WE

Metalworking machinery 

(31-333500)

3339 31-333900 Other general 

purpose 

machinery

PE AWOH Machinery (31-333000)

3342 31-334200 Communications 

equipment

AE AWOH Computer and electronic 

products (31-334000)

33637 31-336370 Motor vehicle 

metal stamping

AE AWOH Motor vehicle parts (31-

336300)

336411 31-336411 Aircraft WE Aerospace products and 

parts (31-336400)

337122 31-337122 Nonupholstered 

wood household 

furniture

PE AWOH Other household and 

institutional furniture 

(31-337120)

3111 32-311100 Animal food AE AWH, AE AHE, 

AE AWOH, PE, PE 

AWH, PE AHE, PE 

AWOH, WE

Food manufacturing (32-

311000)

3112 32-311200 Grain and 

oilseed milling

AE AWH, AE AHE, 

AE AWOH, WE

Food manufacturing (32-

311000)

3141 32-314100 Textile 

furnishings mills

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Textile product mills (32-

314000)

3149 32-314900 Other textile 

product mills

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Textile product mills (32-

314000)

3221 32-322100 Pulp, paper, and 

paperboard mills

PE AWOH Paper and paper products 

(32-322000)

3222 32-322200 Converted paper 

products

PE AWOH Paper and paper products 

(32-322000)

32411 32-324110 Petroleum 

refineries

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE, PE AWOH

Petroleum and coal 

products (32-324000)

32412,9 32-324190 Asphalt paving 

and roofing 

materials and 

other petroleum 

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE, PE AWOH

Petroleum and coal 

products (32-324000)
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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NAICS 

Code

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title

Discontinued 

From Publication

Next Highest 

Published Industry(2)

and coal 

products

32612 32-326120 Plastics pipe, 

fittings, and 

profile shapes

AE AWOH Plastics products (32-

326100)

32613,6 32-326160 Plastics bottles 

and laminated 

plastics plate, 

sheet, and shapes

AE AWOH Plastics products (32-

326100)

42394 41-423940 Jewelry PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Miscellaneous durable 

goods (41-423900)

42392,9 41-423990 Toy, hobby, and 

other durable 

goods

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Miscellaneous durable 

goods (41-423900)

42411,2 41-424120 Printing and 

writing paper 

and office 

supplies

AE AWH, AE AHE Paper and paper products 

(41-424100)

42413 41-424130 Industrial paper AE AWH, AE AHE Paper and paper products 

(41-424100)

4542 42-454200 Vending 

machine 

operators

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Nonstore retailers (42-

454000)

4543 42-454300 Direct selling 

establishments

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Nonstore retailers (42-

454000)

525(1) 55-525000 Funds, trusts, 

and other 

financial 

vehicles

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Other financial 

investment activities, 

including funds and 

trusts (55-523900)

811118 80-811118 Other 

automotive 

mechanical and 

elec. repair

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Automotive mechanical 

and electrical repair (80-

811110)

811121 80-811121 Automotive 

body and interior 

repair

AE AWH, AE AHE, 

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Automotive body, 

interior, and glass repair 

(80-811120)

811122 80-811122 Automotive 

glass 

replacement 

shops

AE AWH, AE AHE, 

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Automotive body, 

interior, and glass repair 

(80-811120)

813212 80-813212 Voluntary health 

organizations

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Grantmaking and giving 

services (80-813200)
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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NAICS 

Code

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title

Discontinued 

From Publication

Next Highest 

Published Industry(2)

813219 80-813219 Other 

grantmaking and 

giving services

PE, PE AWH, PE 

AHE

Grantmaking and giving 

services (80-813200)

(2) The industry listed is the next highest published industry for all data types discontinued from publication. 

 

To Table of Figures

Exhibit 8. Collapsed Non-AE series 

NAICS 

Code

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry 

Title

Collapsed into CES 

Industry

Data 

Types 

Collapsed

525(1) 55-525000 Funds, trusts, and 

other financial 

vehicles

Collapsed into All other 

financial investment 

activities, including funds 

and trusts (55-523990)

AE AWH, 

AE AHE, 

WE

To Table of Figures

Exhibit 9. New Non-AE series 

There are no new non-AE series published. 

To Table of Figures

___________________________ 

(1) Each first quarter, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which accounts for 

approximately 97 percent of the CES universe scope (see www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#section1), 

incorporates updated industry assignments. In 2013, the updates included substantial nonrandom, noneconomic 

code changes to NAICS 525 (Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles). These changes also had an impact, beyond 

what would be considered typical for a given benchmark year, on corresponding CES series. For more information 

about the changes to Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles, see the QCEW First Quarter 2013 News Release 

Box Note titled "Notable Industry Changes" available at www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cewqtr_09262013.htm. 

Why benchmarks differ from estimates 

A benchmark revision is the difference between the benchmark employment level for a given 

March and its corresponding sample-based estimate. The overall accuracy of the establishment 

survey is usually gauged by the size of this difference. The benchmark revision often is regarded 

as a proxy for total survey error, but this does not take into account error in the universe data or 

infrequent events such as this year’s historical reconstruction of previously out-of-scope 

employment. The employment counts obtained from quarterly UI tax forms are administrative 

data that reflect employer record-keeping practices and differing state laws and procedures. The 

benchmark revision can be more precisely interpreted as the difference between two independently 

derived employment counts, each subject to its own error sources. 
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Like all sample surveys, the establishment survey is susceptible to two sources of error: sampling 

error and nonsampling error. Sampling error is present any time a sample is used to make 

inferences about a population. The magnitude of the sampling error, or variance, relates directly 

to sample size and the percentage of the universe covered by that sample. The CES monthly survey 

captures slightly under one-third of the universe, exceptionally high by usual sampling 

standards. This coverage ensures a small sampling error at the Total nonfarm employment level. 

Both the universe counts and the establishment survey estimates are subject to nonsampling errors 

common to all surveys – measurement, response, and processing errors. The error structures for 

both the CES monthly survey and the UI universe are complex. Still, the two programs generally 

produce consistent total employment figures, each validating the other. 

Benchmark revision effects for other data types 

The routine benchmarking process results in revisions to the series for production and 

nonsupervisory employees and women employees. There are no benchmark employment levels 

for these series; they are revised by preserving ratios of employment for the particular data type to 

all employee employment prior to benchmarking, and then applying these ratios to the revised all 

employee figures. These figures are calculated at the basic cell level and then aggregated to 

produce the summary estimates. Average weekly hours, average hourly earnings, and in 

manufacturing industries, average weekly overtime hours are not benchmarked; they are estimated 

solely from reports supplied by survey respondents at the basic estimating cell level. 

The aggregate industry levels of the hours and earnings series are derived as a weighted average. 

The all employee employment estimates or the production and nonsupervisory employee 

employment estimates for the basic cells essentially act as weights for their respective hours and 

earnings estimates for broader industry groupings. Adjustments of the all employee estimates to 

new benchmarks may alter the weights used for both AE and PE hours and earnings, which, in 

turn, may change the estimates for both AE and PE hours and earnings at higher levels of 

aggregation. 

Generally, new employment benchmarks have little effect on hours and earnings estimates for 

major industry groupings. To influence the hours and earnings estimates of a broader industry 

group, employment revisions have to be relatively large and must affect industries that have hours 

or earnings averages that are substantially different from those of other industries in their broader 

group. Table 5 and Table 6 provide information on the levels of specific hours and earnings series 

resulting from the March 2013 benchmark. At the Total private level, there was no change in 

average weekly hours estimates for both AE and PE from the previously published level. Total 

private average hourly earnings increased by two cents for AE and one cent for PE from the 

previously published level. 
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Table 5. Effect of March 2013 benchmark revisions to AE AWH and AE AHE estimates, selected industries 

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title

Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings

Estimated(1) Revised Difference Estimated(1) Revised Difference

05-000000 Total private 34.3 34.3 0.0 $23.82 $23.84 $0.02 

06-000000 Goods-producing 40.2 40.2 .0 25.00 24.97 -.03 

08-000000 Private serviceproviding 

33.2 33.2 .0 23.55 23.58 .03 

10-000000 Mining and logging 42.7 42.7 .0 29.35 29.37 .02 

20-000000 Construction 38.6 38.6 .0 26.08 26.04 -.04 

30-000000 Manufacturing 40.7 40.7 .0 24.20 24.17 -.03 

31-000000 Durable goods 41.1 41.1 .0 25.58 25.55 -.03 

31-321000 Wood products 40.5 40.5 .0 17.93 17.96 .03 

31-327000 Nonmetallic mineral 

products 

41.5 41.5 .0 21.79 21.80 .01 

31-331000 Primary metals 43.3 43.3 .0 24.39 24.35 -.04 

31-332000 Fabricated metal 

products 

41.1 41.1 .0 21.76 21.77 .01 

31-333000 Machinery 41.3 41.4 .1 26.27 26.26 -.01 

31-334000 Computer and 

electronic products 

39.8 39.8 .0 32.95 32.95 .00

31-335000 Electrical equipment 

and appliances 

40.7 40.7 .0 24.25 24.25 .00

31-336000 Transportation 

equipment 

42.7 42.7 .0 29.01 28.96 -.05 

31-336001 Motor vehicles and 

parts 

42.7 42.6 -.1 23.46 23.40 -.06 

31-337000 Furniture and related 

products 

39.6 39.7 .1 18.60 18.59 -.01 

31-339000 Miscellaneous durable 

goods manufacturing 

39 39 .0 23.61 23.56 -.05 

32-000000 Nondurable goods 40.1 40.1 .0 21.79 21.78 -.01 
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title

Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings

Estimated(1) Revised Difference Estimated(1) Revised Difference

32-311000 Food manufacturing 39.6 39.6 .0 18.16 18.16 .00

32-313000 Textile mills 40.9 40.9 .0 17.31 17.31 .00

32-314000 Textile product mills 38.5 38.6 .1 16.27 16.26 -.01 

32-315000 Apparel 35.9 35.9 .0 17.48 17.47 -.01 

32-322000 Paper and paper 

products 

41.7 41.7 .0 24.30 24.27 -.03 

32-323000 Printing and related 

support activities 

37 37 .0 22.12 22.12 .00

32-324000 Petroleum and coal 

products 

45 45 .0 36.78 36.88 .10 

32-325000 Chemicals 42.1 42.1 .0 27.78 27.78 .00

32-326000 Plastics and rubber 

products 

41 41 .0 20.20 20.20 .00

32-329000 Miscellaneous 

nondurable goods 

manufacturing 

37.5 37.5 .0 21.48 21.48 .00

40-000000 Trade, transportation, 

and utilities 

34.4 34.5 .1 20.83 20.85 .02 

41-420000 Wholesale trade 38.5 38.5 .0 27.37 27.36 -.01 

42-000000 Retail trade 31.4 31.4 .0 16.58 16.60 .02 

43-000000 Transportation and 

warehousing 

38.5 38.5 .0 22.02 22.10 .08 

44-220000 Utilities 42.3 42.3 .0 35.00 35.01 .01 

50-000000 Information 36 36.1 .1 32.55 32.61 .06 

55-000000 Financial activities 36.9 36.9 .0 29.90 29.85 -.05 

60-000000 Professional and 

business services 

35.9 35.9 .0 28.43 28.49 .06 

65-000000 Education and health 

services 

32.6 32.6 .0 24.25 24.30 .05 

70-000000 Leisure and hospitality 26.1 26.1 .0 13.48 13.48 .00
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title

Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings

Estimated(1) Revised Difference Estimated(1) Revised Difference

80-000000 Other services 31.6 31.7 .1 21.20 21.32 .12 

(1) The CES estimates in this column contain reconstructions to series within CES supersectors Financial activities and Education and healthcare services. Each 

first quarter, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, whose data account for approximately 97 percent of the CES universe scope 

(see www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#section1), incorporates updated industry assignments. In 2013, these updates included two substantial groups of 

nonrandom, noneconomic code changes, one to Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles (NAICS 525), and the other, a reclassification of approximately 

466,000 in employment from Private households (NAICS 814), which is out of scope for CES, to Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities (NAICS 

62412), which is in scope. These changes also had an impact, beyond what would be considered typical for a given benchmark year, on corresponding CES 

series. For more information about the changes to these industries, see the QCEW First Quarter 2013 News Release available at 

www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cewqtr_09262013.htm or the reconstruction section of the CES Benchmark Article at Special notice regarding reconstructed 

data.

To Table of Figures

Table 6. Effect of March 2013 benchmark revisions to PE AWH and PE AHE estimates, selected industries 

CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title

Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings

Estimated(1) Revised Difference Estimated(1) Revised Difference

05-000000 Total private 33.6 33.6 0.0 $20.02 $20.03 $0.01 

06-000000 Goods-producing 41.2 41.2 .0 21.10 21.08 -.02 

08-000000 Private serviceproviding 

32.3 32.3 .0 19.80 19.81 .01 

10-000000 Mining and logging 45.3 45.3 .0 26.80 26.81 .01 

20-000000 Construction 39.3 39.3 .0 24.15 24.11 -.04 

30-000000 Manufacturing 41.8 41.8 .0 19.23 19.21 -.02 

31-000000 Durable goods 42.3 42.3 .0 20.25 20.23 -.02 

31-321000 Wood products 42.6 42.6 .0 15.28 15.30 .02 

31-327000 Nonmetallic mineral 

products 

42.2 42.1 -.1 18.01 18.01 .00 

31-331000 Primary metals 43.7 43.6 -.1 21.51 21.44 -.07 

31-332000 Fabricated metal 

products 

42.1 42.1 .0 18.32 18.32 .00 
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title

Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings

Estimated(1) Revised Difference Estimated(1) Revised Difference

31-333000 Machinery 43.3 43.3 .0 20.51 20.50 -.01 

31-334000 Computer and 

electronic products 

40.7 40.7 .0 23.35 23.35 .00 

31-335000 Electrical equipment 

and appliances 

41.5 41.5 .0 18.02 18.02 .00 

31-336000 Transportation 

equipment 

43.8 43.8 .0 24.40 24.34 -.06 

31-336001 Motor vehicles and 

parts 

44 44 .0 20.89 20.81 -.08 

31-337000 Furniture and related 

products 

40.1 40.1 .0 15.41 15.39 -.02 

31-339000 Miscellaneous durable 

goods manufacturing 

40.2 40.2 .0 17.10 17.08 -.02 

32-000000 Nondurable goods 40.9 40.9 .0 17.53 17.52 -.01 

32-311000 Food manufacturing 40.1 40.1 .0 15.41 15.41 .00 

32-313000 Textile mills 42.2 42.2 .0 13.82 13.82 .00 

32-314000 Textile product mills 39.2 39.2 .0 12.81 12.81 .00 

32-315000 Apparel 37.2 37.2 .0 12.97 12.97 .00 

32-322000 Paper and paper 

products 

43.1 43.1 .0 20.32 20.29 -.03 

32-323000 Printing and related 

support activities 

38.3 38.3 .0 17.67 17.67 .00 

32-324000 Petroleum and coal 

products 

47 47.1 .1 34.40 34.51 .11 

32-325000 Chemicals 42.8 42.8 .0 21.18 21.18 .00 

32-326000 Plastics and rubber 

products 

41.6 41.7 .1 16.14 16.13 -.01 

32-329000 Miscellaneous 

nondurable goods 

manufacturing 

40.4 40.4 .0 18.22 18.22 .00 
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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CES 

Industry 

Code

CES Industry Title

Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings

Estimated(1) Revised Difference Estimated(1) Revised Difference

40-000000 Trade, transportation, 

and utilities 

33.6 33.6 .0 17.58 17.61 .03 

41-420000 Wholesale trade 38.5 38.5 .0 22.30 22.30 .00 

42-000000 Retail trade 30 30.1 .1 13.98 14.00 .02 

43-000000 Transportation and 

warehousing 

38.4 38.4 .0 19.42 19.46 .04 

44-220000 Utilities 41.7 41.7 .0 32.04 32.05 .01 

50-000000 Information 35.4 35.6 .2 27.67 27.76 .09 

55-000000 Financial activities 36.4 36.4 .0 23.72 23.66 -.06 

60-000000 Professional and 

business services 

35.1 35.1 .0 23.63 23.67 .04 

65-000000 Education and health 

services 

32.1 32.1 .0 21.13 21.15 .02 

70-000000 Leisure and hospitality 25 25 .0 11.77 11.77 .00 

80-000000 Other services 30.6 30.7 .1 17.87 17.94 .07

(1) The CES estimates in this column contain reconstructions to series within CES supersectors Financial activities and Education and healthcare services. Each 

first quarter, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, whose data account for approximately 97 percent of the CES universe scope 

(see www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#section1), incorporates updated industry assignments. In 2013, these updates included two substantial groups of 

nonrandom, noneconomic code changes, one to Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles (NAICS 525), and the other, a reclassification of approximately 

466,000 in employment from Private households (NAICS 814), which is out of scope for CES, to Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities (NAICS 

62412), which is in scope. These changes also had an impact, beyond what would be considered typical for a given benchmark year, on corresponding CES 

series. For more information about the changes to these industries, see the QCEW First Quarter 2013 News Release available at 

www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cewqtr_09262013.htm or the reconstruction section of the CES Benchmark Article at Special notice regarding reconstructed 

data.

To Table of Figures
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Page 29 of 32

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Methods 

Benchmark adjustment procedure 

Establishment survey benchmarking is done on an annual basis to a population derived primarily 

from the administrative file of employees covered by UI. The time required to complete the 

revision process—from the full collection of the UI population data to publication of the revised 

industry estimates—is about ten months. The benchmark adjustment procedure replaces the 

March sample-based employment estimates with UI-based population counts for March. The 

benchmark therefore determines the final employment levels, while sample movements capture 

month-to-month trends. 

Benchmarks are established for each basic estimating cell and are aggregated to develop published 

levels. On a not seasonally adjusted basis, the sample-based estimates for the year preceding and 

the nine months following the benchmark also are then subject to revision. Employment estimates 

for the months between the most recent March benchmark and the previous year's benchmark are 

adjusted using a "wedge-back" procedure. In this process, the difference between the benchmark 

level and the previously published March estimate for each estimating cell is computed. This 

difference, or error, is linearly distributed across the 11 months of estimates subsequent to the 

previous benchmark; eleven-twelfths of the March difference is added to February estimates, tentwelfths to January estimates, and so on, ending with the previous April estimates, which receive 

one-twelfth of the March difference. The wedge procedure assumes that the total estimation error 

accumulated at a steady rate since the last benchmark. Applying previously derived over-themonth sample changes to the revised March level yields revised estimates for the nine months 

following the March benchmark (also referred to as the post benchmark period, see Revisions in 

the post benchmark period). New net birth/death model estimates also are calculated and applied 

during post benchmark estimation. The annual sample update is introduced in the November final 

sample-based estimates, which are released along with the January first preliminary sample-based 

estimates that coincide with the Benchmark release. The new sample is used for all subsequent 

estimates. 

Benchmark source material 

The principal source of benchmark data for private industries is the Quarterly Census of 

Employment and Wages (QCEW). The QCEW scope is defined by employment data provided to 

state employment security agencies by employers covered by state UI laws. BLS uses several 

other sources to establish benchmarks for the industries partially covered or exempt from 

mandatory UI coverage, accounting for nearly 3 percent of the nonfarm employment total. 

Data on employees covered under Social Security laws, published by the U.S. Census Bureau in 

County Business Patterns, are used to augment UI data for industries not fully covered by the UI 

scope, such as Non-office insurance sales workers, child daycare workers, Religious organizations, 

and Private schools and hospitals. Noncovered employment for state and local government 

hospitals and educational institutions is based on the Annual Survey of Public Employment and 

Payroll (ASPEP) conducted by the Census Bureau. Noncovered employment data from these 
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sources are available only on a lagged basis. Extrapolation to a current level is accomplished by 

applying the employment trends from the UI-covered part of the population in these industries to 

the noncovered part. Universe data for interstate railroads are obtained from the Railroad 

Retirement Board. More information on calculating noncovered employment in the CES program 

is available in the CES Technical Notes at www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#NCE.

Business birth and death estimation 

Regular updating of the CES sample frame with information from the UI universe files helps to 

keep the CES survey current with respect to employment from business births and deaths. 

However, the timeliest UI universe files available will always be a minimum of six to seven months 

out of date. The CES survey thus cannot rely on regular frame maintenance alone to provide 

estimates for business birth and death employment contributions. BLS has researched both 

sample-based and model-based approaches to measuring birth units that have not yet appeared on 

the UI universe frame. Since the research demonstrated that sampling for births was not feasible 

in the very short CES production timeframes, the Bureau is utilizing a model-based approach for 

this component. 

Earlier research indicated that while both the business birth and death portions of total employment 

are generally significant, the net contribution is relatively small. To account for this net birth/death 

portion of total employment, BLS is utilizing an estimation procedure with two components. The 

first component excludes employment losses from business deaths from sample-based estimation 

in order to offset the missing employment gains from business births. This is incorporated into 

the sample-based link relative estimate procedure by simply not reflecting sample units going out 

of business, but imputing to them the same trend as the other firms in the sample. The second 

component is an Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) time series model designed 

to estimate the net birth/death employment not accounted for by the imputation. The historical 

time series used to create and test the ARIMA model was derived from the UI universe micro level 

database, and reflects the actual net of births and deaths over the past five years. The net 

birth/death model component figures are unique to each month and include negative adjustments 

in some months. Furthermore, these figures exhibit a seasonal pattern similar to the seasonal 

patterns of the continuing businesses. 

Only error from the second component is directly measurable. Error from this component is 

measured by comparing the actual net of births and deaths from March 2012-13 — once it becomes 

available — with the model-based estimate. As Table 7 shows, the actual net birth/death for April 

2012 to March 2013 was approximately 230,000 above the forecasted amount used in the CES 

monthly estimates for the time period. 
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Table 7. Differences between forecasted and actual net birth/death, Total private employment, April 2012 –

March 2013 (in thousands) 

Benchmark 2013 2012 2013Total Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Actual Net Birth/Death 273 210 162 88 103 -30 202 -3 -2 -345 147 60 865

Forecast Net Birth/Death 206 205 122 66 89 -14 118 -36 -1 -314 102 92 635

Difference 67 5 40 22 14 -16 84 33 -1 -31 45 -32 230

Cumulative Difference 67 72 112 134 148 132 216 249 248 217 262 230

To Table of Figures

Availability of revised data 

LABSTAT, the BLS public database on the Internet, contains all historical employment, hours, and earnings data revised as a result of 

this benchmark, including both not seasonally adjusted and seasonally adjusted data. The data can be accessed at www.bls.gov/ces/, the 

CES homepage. 

Seasonal adjustment procedure 

For technical information on how seasonal adjustment is performed in the CES program, refer to the Seasonal Adjustment section of 

the CES Technical Notes, available at www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#section5e. For more information on seasonal adjustment 

model specifications and special model adjustments, please see the Seasonal Adjustment Model Specification List section of the CES 

Seasonal Adjustment Files and Documentation page, available at www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cesseasadj.htm#samodel.
Benchmark Article: BLS Establishment Survey National Estimates Revised to Incorporate March 2013 Benchmarks 

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Table of figures

Tables

Table 1. Percent differences between nonfarm employment benchmarks and estimates by 

industry supersector, March 2003-2013 .................................................................5

Table 2. Nonfarm employment benchmarks by industry, March 2013 (in thousands) .......7

Table 3. Net birth/death estimates by industry supersector, April – December 2013 (in 

thousands) .............................................................................................................15

Table 4. Differences in seasonally adjusted levels and over-the-month changes, Total 

nonfarm employment, January – December 2013 (in thousands) ........................16 

Table 5. Effect of March 2013 benchmark revisions to AE AWH and AE AHE 

estimates, selected industries ................................................................................24

Table 6. Effect of March 2013 benchmark revisions to PE AWH and PE AHE estimates, 

selected industries .................................................................................................26

Table 7. Differences between forecasted and actual net birth/death, Total private 

employment, April 2012 – March 2013 (in thousands) .......................................31

Exhibits

Exhibit 1. Summary of CES detailed series impacted by reconstructions ...........................3 

Exhibit 2. Nonfarm employment change from published estimates to benchmarks for 

affected industries, March 2013 (in thousands) ................................................14

Exhibit 3. Series with CES industry code or title changes ................................................17

Exhibit 4. Discontinued AE series .....................................................................................18

Exhibit 5. Collapsed AE series ..........................................................................................19 

Exhibit 6. New AE series ...................................................................................................19

Exhibit 7. Discontinued Non-AE series .............................................................................19

Exhibit 8. Collapsed Non-AE series ..................................................................................22

Exhibit 9. New Non-AE series...........................................................................................22 

Last Modified Date: February 7, 2014 

Wade Petty and Patrick Hu, Economists 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Division of Current Employment Statistics – National 

PSB Suite 4860, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20212-0001 

www.bls.gov/CES | Telephone: 1-202-691-6555 | CESinfo@bls.gov