U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics decides not to plan any further cuts to employment survey sample sizes

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said in Friday's jobs report that it no longer plans to cut sample sizes for key labour market surveys because of a recently passed continuing resolution that ‘allows the BLS to use Current Population Survey (CPS, also known as the Household Survey) funds at a faster rate. ’BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer first announced plans to cut sample sizes in June of this year, citing budget constraints and declining response rates that make surveys more expensive and difficult to conduct. The plan would reduce the number of households by 5,000 starting in early 2025, bringing the total to 55,000.The BLS received about $700 million in grants for the fiscal year that just ended in September. Advocacy group Friends of BLS and former White House economists recently urged lawmakers to add about $20 million to the appropriation for fiscal year 2025, but current House and Senate proposals fall far short of that request. The short-term appropriations bill passed in September will keep the government running through December and includes $6 million in support for CPS. million in support.