Frequently Asked Questions

What is it?

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures employment and unemployment of all persons over the age of 15 using two different labor force surveys conducted by the United States Census Bureau (within the United States Department of Commerce) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (within the United States Department of Labor) that gather employment statistics monthly. The data reported here is seasonally adjusted (SA) to account for seasonal gains in employment leading up to Christmas.

Why is it important?

• Employment reflects the health of the businesses in the economy. Businesses in a strong economy hire to meet demand for their goods or services which rise with improved economic conditions.

How do we interpret it?

• Rising value levels indicate increasing unemployment. Decreasing value levels indicate the opposite.

Typical historical range

• As of December 31, 2023, +/- 1 standard deviation* of historical month-end values have ranged from 4.00% to 7.41%.¹