What is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
Answer: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

BLS data must satisfy a number of criteria, including relevance to current social and economic issues, timeliness in reflecting today’s rapidly changing economic conditions, accuracy and consistently high statistical quality, and impartiality in both subject matter and presentation.

Is that a reliable source?

Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL-16-1096
8:30 a.m. (EDT) Friday, June 3, 2016

Technical information:
Household data: (202) 691-6378 * cpsinfo@bls.gov * Current Population Survey (CPS)
Establishment data: (202) 691-6555 * cesinfo@bls.gov * Employment, Hours, and Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics survey (National) Home Page

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov


THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- MAY 2016


The unemployment rate declined by 0.3 percentage point to 4.7 percent in May, and
nonfarm payroll employment changed little (+38,000), the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported today. Employment increased in health care. Mining continued
to lose jobs, and employment in information decreased due to a strike.