Archive
Employment and wage changes in oil-producing counties in the Bakken Formation, 2007–2011
Employment and wage changes in oil-producing counties in the Bakken Formation, 2007–2011
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bakken Formation is an oil-producing shale formation underneath North Dakota, Montana, and parts of Canada. In recent years, horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques, combined with higher prices for crude oil, have led to rapid increases in oil extraction from shale formations like the Bakken Formation. As of late 2011, North Dakota was the fourth largest oil-producing state, after Texas, Alaska, and California.1 The large increase in oil production has led to growth in employment and wages and has changed the industry profile of employment in the region.
BLS — Data releases from the Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities (IIF) program
Data releases from the Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities (IIF) program
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The IIF program released two data products on April 25, 2013.
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) released its final fatal occupational injury data for 2011, which include detailed data on fatal injuries involving contractors being reported for the first time. A summary of final fatal data from 2011 can be accessed here. More information on the contractor data now available in CFOI can be found here.
The Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII)-Case and Demographics released the first ever report on the details of case circumstances and worker characteristics for cases involving days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR) in six selected industry sub-sectors. The report and additional tables and charts on cases involving job transfer or restriction can be found here.
A Guide to Women’s Equal Pay Rights
A Guide to Women’s Equal Pay Rights (PDF)
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
EQUAL PAY IS A FAMILY ISSUE. Women make up nearly half of the U.S. labor force and are a growing number of breadwinners in their families. More women are also working in positions and fields that have been traditionally occupied by men.When women are not paid fairly, not only do they suffer, but so do their families.
While progress has been made, the pay gap affects all women and is larger among minority women and women with disabilities. Over the course of her lifetime, this pay gap will cost a woman and her family lost wages, reduced pensions and diminished Social Security benefits.
This guide is designed to help working women understand their rights under certain laws that govern equal pay and compensation.
College Enrollment and Work Activity of 2012 High School Graduates
College Enrollment and Work Activity of 2012 High School Graduates
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
In October 2012, 66.2 percent of 2012 high school graduates were enrolled in colleges or universities, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Recent high school graduates not enrolled in college in October 2012 were more likely than enrolled graduates to be working or looking for work (69.6 percent compared with 38.2 percent).
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports
Source: Government Accountability Office
1. Securities And Exchange Commission: Continued Management Attention Would Strengthen Internal Supervisory Controls. GAO-13-314, April 18.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-314
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/653956.pdf
2. Defense Infrastructure: Improved Guidance Needed for Estimating Alternatively Financed Project Liabilities. GAO-13-337, April 18.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-337
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/653911.pdf
3. 911 Services: Most States Used 911 Funds for Intended Purposes, but FCC Could Improve Its Reporting on States’ Use of Funds. GAO-13-376, April 18.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-376
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/653930.pdf
4. Satellite Control: Long-Term Planning and Adoption of Commercial Practices Could Improve DOD’s Operation. GAO-13-315, April 18.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-315
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/654010.pdf
5. Workplace Safety and Health: OSHA Can Better Respond to State-Run Programs Facing Challenges. GAO-13-320, April 16.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-320
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/653800.pdf
6. Status of Funding, Equipment, and Training for the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. GAO-13-367R, March 20.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-367R
Accommodations for workers can help retain institutional knowledge
Accommodations for workers can help retain institutional knowledge
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Providing accommodations to aging workers with disabilities, chronic health problems or reduced work capacity can help employers retain experienced staff who might otherwise leave the workforce prematurely, according to two briefs issued today by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The briefs provide recommendations for state and federal policymakers, employers and health care industry leaders on retaining critical talent. One identifies successful strategies, including supportive policies, for retaining aging health care professionals without sacrificing patient care. The other recommends that employers and policymakers adopt early interventions to prevent disability-related job loss by providing workers with assistive technology and other workplace accommodations.
The briefs summarize assessments and recommendations from two conferences sponsored by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy that gathered experts on aging, disability and employment to discuss the impact of aging on the national workforce and health care systems. The U.S Census Bureau projects that, by 2020, many of the 25 million baby boomers that make up more than 40 percent of the current U.S. labor force will exit, leaving many jobs unfilled and taking decades of accumulated knowledge with them. In addition, as the population ages, the demand for health care services will increase just as many health care workers are facing retirement.
The Employment Situation — March 2013
The Employment Situation — March 2013
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Nonfarm payroll employment edged up in March (+88,000), and the unemployment rate was little changed at 7.6 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment grew in professional and business services and in health care but declined in retail trade.
Employment Situation of Veterans 2012
Employment Situation of Veterans 2012
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time since September 2001–a group referred to as Gulf War-era II veterans–declined by 2.2 percentage points to 9.9 percent in 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The jobless rate for all veterans fell by 1.3 percentage points to 7.0 percent. Twenty-eight percent of Gulf War- era II veterans reported having a service-connected disability in August 2012, compared with 14 percent of all veterans.
The Employment Situation — February 2013
The Employment Situation — February 2013
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000 in February, and the unemployment rate edged down to 7.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in professional and business services, construction, and health care.
Average Food Prices: a snapshot of how much has changed over a century
Average Food Prices: a snapshot of how much has changed over a century
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
In January 1913, when the U.S. Department of Labor was formed, the buffalo nickel would soon replace the Liberty Head nickel, women were protesting for the right to vote, and a family could buy a pound of potatoes for less than two cents. Fast forward 100 years to January 2013, when the U.S. Department of Labor is a century old, credit cards and online purchases are the more common forms of payment than the cash purchases of 1913, a record number of women are elected to Congress, and a pound of potatoes now costs 62 cents. These historic comparisons show how much has changed in the United States, and food prices have changed as well.
To examine prices over time, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has Consumer Price Index (CPI) data going back to January 1913 and a few average prices going back to at least that far.1 This article summarizes some average food prices over the last century. Table 1 lists selected food average prices a century apart.
Regional and State Unemployment—2012 Annual Averages
Regional and State Unemployment—2012 Annual Averages
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
In 2012, annual average unemployment rates declined in 46 states and the District of Columbia, rose in 2 states, and were unchanged in 2 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment- population ratios increased in 26 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 18 states, and were unchanged in 6 states. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.8 percentage point from the prior year to 8.1 percent, and the national employment-population ratio edged up to 58.6 percent.
Monthly Labor Review — February 2013
Monthly Labor Review — February 2013
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
| Recent college graduates in the U.S. labor force: data from the Current Population Survey Thomas Luke Spreen Summary | Full text in PDF Hispanic/Latino fatal occupational injury rates State labor legislation enacted in 2012 |
Coal: A key player in expanded U.S. energy exports
Coal: A key player in expanded U.S. energy exports
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
In a November 2012 report that received significant attention in the media, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted that the United States will be nearly energy self-sufficient by the year 2035.1 Justifications for this claim include reports of declining oil consumption, the unlocking of natural gas resources through new technologies, and overall increases in U.S. energy production.2 As natural gas becomes more inexpensive and renewable energy sources continue to increase in usage, the energy mix in the United States (and other countries) is expected to change. The IEA estimates that 40 percent of world electricity generation was fueled by coal in 2011.3 Coal is the only major energy source for which the United States demonstrates a trade surplus.4 In 2011, the last calendar year for which data are available, the United States exported more than $16 billion worth of coal, while importing only slightly less than $3 billion in coal. Furthermore, coal is expected to remain one of the largest fuel sources in worldwide energy consumption for at least the next two decades. Second only to oil in meeting the energy needs of the world, coal generates more electricity for the United States and the world than any other single fuel.
With the key role that coal currently plays in the U.S. trade balance, and is expected to play in the future, it is interesting to look at recent volatile export price movements of this important U.S. resource.
US Department of Labor releases toolkit to help businesses combat child and forced labor in global supply chains
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs today introduced Reducing Child Labor and Forced Labor: A Toolkit for Responsible Businesses, the first guide developed by the U.S. government to help businesses combat child labor and forced labor in their global supply chains.
"Encouraging businesses to reduce child and forced labor in their supply chains helps advance fundamental human rights that are at the core of worker dignity, whether here in the U.S. or abroad," Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said in a video message announcing the toolkit.
The free, easy-to-use toolkit was unveiled during an event at Labor Department headquarters for representatives of government, industry, labor and civil society organizations that are at the forefront of efforts to prevent labor abuses in the production of goods. Speakers included Carol Pier, acting deputy undersecretary of ILAB; Eric Biel, acting associate deputy undersecretary of ILAB; and David Abramowitz, vice president of policy and government relations at Humanity United.
The toolkit highlights the need for a social compliance program that integrates a company’s policies and practices to ensure that the company addresses child labor and forced labor throughout its supply chain. It provides practical, step-by-step guidance on eight critical elements that will be helpful for companies that do not have a social compliance system in place or those needing to strengthen existing systems. An integrated social compliance system includes: engaging stakeholders and partners, assessing risks and impacts, developing a code of conduct, communicating and training across the supply chain, monitoring compliance, remediating violations, independent review and reporting performance.
Patterns of homeownership, delinquency, and foreclosure among youngest baby boomers
Patterns of homeownership, delinquency, and foreclosure among youngest baby boomers
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The recent decline in the housing market was preceded by strong growth for over a decade. From the fourth quarter of 1995 to the fourth quarter of 2005, homeownership rates increased from 65.1 percent to 69.0 percent. In the 1990s and early 2000s, mortgage originations grew six-fold, from $459 billion in 1990 to $2.9 trillion in 2005. Over this same period, mortgage delinquency rates (around 4.5 percent) and foreclosure rates (around 1.2 percent) remained low between 2000 and 2005.
After 2005, these patterns reversed, with homeownership rates falling and delinquency and foreclosure rates rising. Recent data show homeownership rates fell to 66 percent by the fourth quarter of 2011. Delinquency rates rose to 9.4 percent in 2009 and foreclosure rates rose to 4.6 percent in 2010.
This analysis considers the patterns of homeownership, delinquency, and foreclosure over this turbulent period in the housing market for a cohort of Americans born in the years 1957 to 1964, the latter years of the "baby boom" that occurred in the United States from 1946 to 1964. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79), this article shows the patterns of homeownership over a 20-year period, from 1988 through 2008. Respondents were ages 23 to 31 at the start of this period and ages 43 to 51 at the end. In addition, it examines transitions in homeownership between 2008 and 2010, as well as patterns of delinquency and foreclosure over the period from 2007 to 2010.
BLS Publications and Information Services — 2012 Annual Summary
BLS Publications and Information Services — 2012 Annual Summary
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
At BLS we gauge our impact and effectiveness by looking at: 1) the number of customers we reach; 2) the intensity and extent of their usage of BLS data and information, and; 3) their feedback.
Spotlight on Statistics: Media and Information
Spotlight on Statistics: Media and Information
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Media is a word that means many things, but generally refers to methods of storing and communicating information to large audiences. The media has been transformed significantly in recent decades as technological innovations have enabled more people in more places to obtain and share ever-increasing amounts of information easily and rapidly. At the same time, methods of communication that were common as recently as a decade or two ago have declined sharply. This edition of Spotlight on Statistics features a broad array of information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on various aspects of the media, defined either as an industry sector or a set of occupations involving communication.
Monthly Labor Review — Special Edition: Green Jobs
Monthly Labor Review — Special Edition: Green Jobs
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
| BLS green jobs overview Dixie Sommers Summary | Full text in PDF The Green Goods and Services survey: collection and results The Green Goods and Services Occupational survey: initial results Green technologies and practices: a visual essay Workplace safety and health profiles of occupations with green technology jobs |
Union Members 2012
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
In 2012, the union membership rate–the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of a union–was 11.3 percent, down from 11.8 percent in 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions, at 14.4 million, also declined over the year. In 1983, the first year for which comparable union data are available, the union membership rate was 20.1 percent, and there were 17.7 million union workers.
The data on union membership were collected as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 households that obtains information on employment and unemployment among the nation’s civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.
Mine Safety — MSHA to publish pattern of violations final rule
MSHA to publish pattern of violations final rule
Source: Mine Safety and Health Administration
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a final rule to strengthen safety in the nation’s most dangerous mines. The rule, which revises the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s pattern of violations regulation in 30 Code of Federal Regulations Part 104, has been submitted to the Federal Register for publication. It will ensure that mine operators monitor and address the most hazardous safety problems in their mines. It also strengthens MSHA’s hand to respond to dangerous mining conditions, and improve safety and health for mining’s most important resource — the miner.
"The tragedy at the Upper Big Branch Mine should not be forgotten. It exacted a terrible toll on the nation, coal miners’ families and coal companies. Over the last three years, the Labor Department has undergone a serious and comprehensive evaluation of mine safety practices, and that has led to reforms to protect America’s miners. The rule we are announcing today will hold mine operators accountable when they disregard life-saving safety measures," Secretary Solis said.
"This final rule represents one of MSHA’s highest priority regulatory initiatives and one that addresses Congress’ intent that this regulation encourage chronic violators to comply with the Mine Act and MSHA’s health and safety standards," said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "We think that this final rule will help prevent another tragedy such as occurred at the Upper Big Branch Mine. It promotes consistency in applying the POV notice as an enforcement tool, provides for a more open and transparent process, emphasizes operators’ responsibility to comply with safety and health standards and monitor their own compliance, and more effectively achieves the statutory intent of the Mine Act."
Under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, MSHA is required to issue a POV notice to any mine operator that demonstrates a disregard for the health and safety of miners through a pattern of significant and substantial violations. An S&S violation is one that contributes to a safety or health hazard that is reasonably likely to result in a reasonably serious injury or illness.
The POV final rule, which is also responsive to several recommendations made by the Labor Department’s Office of the Inspector General in a September 2010 report, strengthens MSHA’s ability to deal with the nation’s most dangerous, troubling mines and mine operators. It places the agency in a better position to identify operators that demonstrate a disregard for the health and safety of miners and have not responded to other enforcement measures.
