CPS, February 1998 Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure

Current Population Survey,
February 1998: Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure Supplement

ATTACHMENT 3
OVERVIEW

Census Bureau staff conducted the February 1998 Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure Survey as a supplement to that month's Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly labor force survey in which interviews are conducted in approximately 48,000 households across the country. Attachment 9 is a copy of the February 1998 Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure questionnaire.

Attachment 2 comprises a description of the CPS entitled "Overview--Current Population Survey." A description of the February 1998 Displaced Workers and Employee Tenure Survey follows.

Census Bureau staff conducted interviews during the period of February 15-21, 1998. This was a proxy response supplement; that is, a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent him/herself was a household member 15 years of age or older.

All persons eligible for the labor force items were also eligible for the supplement. Persons 20 years of age and older, who lost or left a job in the last three years for selected reasons, were eligible for the first part of the supplement, which consists of the displaced workers items (SD1-SD27, including earnings items SLE1-SLE22 and SCE1-SCE25). Employed persons 15 years of age and older were eligible for the second part of the supplement, which consisted of the employee tenure items (ST1-ST5).

Interviewers received a 2-hour self-study that contained exercises on the basic labor force questions, item-by-item instructions for the supplement, supplement exercises, and practice interviews.

The data processing involved a consistency edit of all supplement items. The consistency edit mainly ensured that the entries within an individual record followed the correct skip patterns; items with off-path entries were blanked whenever appropriate.

The data processing also involved the full allocation, by demographic characteristics, of missing earnings data.

There are two supplement weights associated with the February 1998 Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure supplement. The first weight, PWSUPWGT, should be used to tally the displaced worker items. The second weight, PWTENWGT, should be used for tallying the employee tenure section of the supplement. Use the correct supplement weight for tallying the supplement items.

The values and universe for each variable are defined in the supplement record layout found in Attachment 8.

CPS Labor Force Data The February 1998 CPS file contains 134,413 records. The first 856 characters contain the labor force data for each record. Attachment 7 contains the CPS Basic Items Record Layout,which includes the variable name, character size, location on record, universe, and the values of each basic CPS variable included on the file.

The variable PRPERTYP (located in positions 161-162 on the CPS Basic Items Record Layout) determines the type of person as follows:

The variable HRINTSTA (located in positions 57-58 on the CPS Basic Items Record Layout) determines the interview status of the household.

2 = Type A Noninterview (These records represent households that were eligible for the February 1998 CPS interview but were not interviewed because no one was home, household members were temporarily absent, etc.)

3 = Type B Noninterview (These records represent sample addresses determined to be ineligible for the CPS by virtue of being vacant, demolished, nonresidential, etc.)

By combining the values of PRPERTYP (1-3) and HRINTSTA (2-4), the number of records can be determined.

**Values of PRPERTYP**
	Unweighted Counts
1 = Child	27,213
2 = Adult civilian, 15+	93,509
3 = Adult, Armed Forces	390
The values of HRINTSTA are:
2 = Type A Noninterview	3,799
3 = Type B Noninterview	9,096
4 = Type C Noninterview	406

February 1998 CPS/Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure Supplement File The February supplement data are in locations 857-1053. (See Attachment 8.)

Tallying the February 1998 Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure Supplement File The February 1998 supplement contains two distinct universes. The first universe comprises all persons 20 years of age and older who had been displaced from a job in the past three years. The second universe consists of each household member 15 years of age and older who was employed during reference week.

The variable PRSUPSAT (located in positions 1020-1021 on the supplement record layout) determines the supplement interview status of each person for the displaced workers part of the supplement. PRTENSAT (located in positions 1032-1033) determines the supplement interview status for each person eligible for the employee tenure portion of the supplement:

1 = Not Eligible for Displaced Worker Items
2 = Interview - Displaced Worker Supplement
3 = Noninterview - Eligible for Displaced Workers Items, but not Interviewed

1 = Not Eligible for Job Tenure and Occupational Mobility Items
2 = Interview - Job Tenure and Occupational Mobility Supplement
3 = Noninterview - Eligible for Job Tenure and Occupational Mobility Items, but not Interviewed

Unweighted Counts Attachment 14 is a tally listing of unweighted counts from selected supplement items. Use these totals to ensure that the file is being accessed properly.

Questions should be directed to Marketing Services Office at (301) 763-INFO (4636).

Current Population Survey, February 1998: Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure Supplement

ATTACHMENT 3 OVERVIEW

Current Population Survey,
February 1998: Displaced Worker and Employee Tenure Supplement

ATTACHMENT 3
OVERVIEW