Erica Groshen

Statistics, public data leaders condemn Trump’s order to fire BLS commissioner One group, whose leadership includes two former BLS commissioners, called on Congress to respond immediately and investigate her removal.

Excellent recap of reactions to firing the BLS Commish.

fedscoop.com/statistics-p...

The BLS appointment is for a 4- year fixed term. She has >2 years left before the President could appoint the next one.
Fixed terms are for Technical and professional jobs, intended to span Presidential terms & be nonpartisan.
These aren’t appointees who serve at the pleasure of the President.

"The BLS uses the same proven, transparent, reliable process to produce estimates every month."

I hope the market takes note. The future data should be called into question now that it is politicized.

#economicdata #CPI #unemployment #employment #JobsDay #monetarypolicy #inflation #jobs #jobsday #productivity #markets #infotech #finance #labor #labormarket #economics
#regionaldata #bigdata #localinflation #localprices #statedata #BLS

"We call upon elected officials to respect and preserve the independence of the nation's statistical infrastructure."

#econsky #statistics #data #datascience #federalstatistics #datainfrastructure #federaldata #economicstatistics #officialstatistics #statisticalagencies #infrastructure

Am Econ Assn speaks out about firing the #BLS Commish.

"It is standard practice for statistical estimates to be revised as [better] data become available. These revisions reflect the commitment of statistical agencies to accuracy, transparency, and methodological rigor--not failure or bias."

I will be talking about #BLS on MSNBC with Ali Velshi at noon ET/9 am PT.

It has been the honor of my life to serve as Commissioner of BLS alongside the many dedicated civil servants tasked with measuring a vast and dynamic economy. It is vital and important work and I thank them for their service to this nation.

The initial estimate of job change for a month is based on the growth or loss of jobs at the businesses that have reported their data. Generally, BLS assumes that the employment situation at businesses that had reported is representative of the situation at those that had not yet reported. BLS continues to collect outstanding reports from the businesses in the sample as it prepares a second and then a third estimate for the month. With each subsequent estimate, more businesses have provided their information. In 2012, the average collection rate at the time of the third estimate for a month was 94.6 percent. (See chart 1.)

Why do the jobs numbers get revised?

our markets and policymakers want data NOW but employer data dribbles in over months

1st estimate is based on the 75% of employers who respond promptly

Updates occur as more data rolls in: 95% response rate by final revision 1/N

www.bls.gov/opub/btn/vol...

What to make of POTUS's attempt to fire the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?

Let's run down what knowledgable people are saying...

“The National Association for Business Economics (NABE) strongly condemns the removal of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer and the unfounded accusations leveled against the work of the agency…

A totally apolitical group.

files.constantcontact.com/668faa28001/...

BLS does amazing work to create timely, accurate info about America's working families, a huge public good.

They are there for us & we need to show up for them.

If you are a labor economist or care about workers & employment, follow & join Friends of BLS.
www.friendsofbls.org/join

With government statistics, it's pretty simple. If you liked the February, March, and April numbers, then you have to accept all the next ones, too. They are produced in the exact same way, it's what the computer spits out, based on the inputs provided. You do not get to cherry pick your stats.

Today, President Trump called into question the integrity of the Employment Situation report that the BLS released this morning. He accused BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer of deliberately reporting false numbers to reflect poorly on this administration. This baseless, damaging claim undermines the valuable work and dedication of BLS staff who produce the reports each month. This escalates the President’s unprecedented attacks on the independence and integrity of the federal statistical system. The President seeks to blame someone for unwelcome economic news. The Commissioner does not determine what the numbers are but simply reports on what the data show. The process of obtaining the numbers is decentralized by design to avoid opportunities for interference. The BLS uses the same proven, transparent, reliable process to produce estimates every month. Every month, BLS revises the prior two months’ employment estimates to reflect slower-arriving, more-accurate information. This rationale for firing Dr. McEntarfer is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers. U.S. official statistics are the gold standard globally. When leaders of other nations have politicized economic data, it has destroyed public trust in all official statistics and in government science.

This rationale for firing Dr. McEntarfer is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers. U.S. official statistics are the gold standard globally. When leaders of other nations have politicized economic data, it has destroyed public trust in all official statistics and in government science. BLS operates as a federal statistical agency and is afforded autonomy to ensure the data it releases are as accurate as possible. To politicize the work of the agency and its workers does a great disservice not only to BLS but to the entire federal statistical system which this country has relied on for almost 150 years. We stand firmly behind the BLS, Commissioner McEntarfer, and the data they work hard to produce. Commissioner McEntarfer is a widely-respected economist who has devoted her career to public service. She has an impeccable record. Over ninety percent of U.S. Senators supported her confirmation. We call on Congress to respond immediately, to investigate the factors that led to Commissioner McEntarfer’s removal, to strongly urge the Commissioner’s continued service, and ensure that the nonpartisan integrity of the position is retained. The statement from the President undermines these tenets and politicizes data which cannot and should not be used for political points. The Friends of BLS Co-Chairs: William Beach, Erica L. Groshen and Paul Schroeder The Friends of BLS Steering Committee Members: Tom Beers, Demetra Nightingale, Mary Jo Mitchell, Ken Poole, Steve Pierson, Aaron Sojourner

4. Former BLS commissioners @ericagroshen.bsky.social & William Beach, plus @pbschroeder.bsky.social, of Friends of BLS call on Congress to investigate Erika McEntarfer’s removal, to strongly urge McEntarfer’s continued service and "ensure that the nonpartisan integrity of the position is retained"

#datascience #federalstatistics #datainfrastructure #federaldata #economicstatistics #officialstatistics #statisticalagencies #economicdata #CPI #unemployment #employment #JobsDay #inflation #jobs #jobsday #productivity #markets #infotech #labor #labormarket #economics #regionaldata #bigdata

@copafs.bsky.social @nabe-econ.bsky.social @asa-scipol.bsky.social @aaronsojourner.org @nickhartphd.bsky.social @jedkolko.bsky.social @justinwolfers.bsky.social @betseystevenson.bsky.social @michaelrstrain.bsky.social @cossa.bsky.social @apduorg.bsky.social

We call on Congress to respond immediately, to investigate the factors that led to Commissioner McEntarfer’s removal, to strongly urge the Commissioner’s continued service, and ensure that the nonpartisan integrity of the position is retained.

Join the Friends of BLS!
#econsky #statistics #data

The Friends of #BLS protest the firing of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer.

The rationale for firing her is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers.

@markzandi.bsky.social @dianeswonk.bsky.social @jc-econ.bsky.social @pkrugman.bsky.social

@jedkolko.bsky.social @nickhartphd.bsky.social
@davidmwessel.bsky.social @denicewross.bsky.social @tombeersphoto.bsky.social @apduorg.bsky.social @copafs.bsky.social @nabe-econ.bsky.social @cossa.bsky.social @justinwolfers.bsky.social @betseystevenson.bsky.social @erikbryn.bsky.social

#productivity #markets #infotech #finance #labor #labormarket #economics
#regionaldata #bigdata #localinflation #localprices #statedata #BLS #BEA #Census #ERS #SOI #NASS #NCSES #ORES #EIA #NCES #NCHS #BJS #BTS
@paulschroder.bsky.social @bencasselman.bsky.social @hansilowang.bsky.social

#statistics #data #datascience #datainfrastructure #federaldata #economicstatistics #officialstatistics #statisticalagencies #infrastructure
#economicdata #CPI #unemployment #employment #GDP #JobsDay #monetarypolicy #inflation #jobs #jobsday

Please see the status report we released this morning as part of our project to assess the health of the federal statistical agencies. | Steve Pierson Please see the status report we released this morning as part of our project to assess the health of the federal statistical agencies. The report takes stock of the 2025 developments to date affecting...

Data nerds: Bookmark this timely status report!

“[W]e have witnessed reductions in...federal statistical data...Despite our grave concerns…we are confident that data users can trust the #federalstatistics ... still being released.”

#econsky @aaronsojourner.org
www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-...

US economic data quality a worry, authorities not acting urgently enough, experts say Risks to the quality of official U.S. economic data - long seen as the gold standard - are worrying 89 of 100 top policy experts polled by Reuters, with most also concerned that the authorities are not addressing the issue urgently enough.

"I can't help but worry some deadlines are going to be missed and undetected biases or other errors are going to start creeping into some of these reports just because of the reduction in staff," said @ericagroshen.bsky.social, senior economic advisor at #CornellILR. www.reuters.com/business/us-...

Federal data has been disappearing under Trump There’s been a “targeted, surgical removal of data sets, or elements of data sets, that are not aligned with the administration’s priorities,” said Denice Ross at the Federation of American Scientists...

#CornellILR's @ericagroshen.bsky.social predicts that w/ ongoing funding cuts, BLS may have to stop publishing reports like the American Time Use Survey, national longitudinal surveys, occupational injuries & illnesses and the Job Openings & Labor Turnover Survey. www.marketplace.org/story/2025/0...

@cossa.bsky.social @davidmwessel.bsky.social

@cossa.bsky.social @davidmwessel.bsky.social @justinwolfers.bsky.social @betseystevenson.bsky.social @jedkolko.bsky.social

#data #economy #datascience #federaldata
#bls #census #bea #CSOTUS #datainfrastucture
@aaronsojourner.org @asa-scipol.bsky.social @apduorg.bsky.social @copafs.bsky.social
@crampell.bsky.social @chrisrugaber.bsky.social @bencasselman.bsky.social @mollysmith.bsky.social

Re #federalstatistics: New Chief Statistician of the US-Mark Calabria on 7/10/25.
Karin Orvis remains as an OMB branch chief in OIRA, which reviews & coordinates regs, info collections, #statistics & privacy policy.
Nick Hart (The Data Foundation) says:
www.einnews.com/pr_news/8305...
#econsky

The Federal Reserve uses BLS data when choosing to raise or lower interest rates. Retirees' Social Security benefits are adjusted based on the consumer price index. A mistake of a tenth of a % point could result in overpayments or underpayments of a billion dollars, says @ericagroshen.bsky.social.