What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update)

Summary

Summary of "What Really Goes On at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update)" The Indicator from Planet Money, NPR | Release Date: August 4, 2025

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1. Introduction: The Significance of Jobs Growth

Hosts Darian Woods and Waylon Wang open the episode by emphasizing the critical role of jobs growth as an economic indicator. They highlight its direct impact on the economy and everyday lives:

Waylon Wang [00:14]: "Jobs growth is one of our favorite economic indicators. It's this really direct measure of how the economy is going in a way that has this tangible, wide reaching effect on everyday people."

2. Recent Controversy at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

The episode delves into a significant controversy where former President Donald Trump publicly questioned the integrity of the BLS:

Darian Woods [00:29]: "But somehow over the last few days, this has also become one of the most controversial indicators. On Friday, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he had directed his team to fire the Commissioner of Labor Statistics."

Erica Henyon, an NPR correspondent, provides context on the situation:

Erica Henyon [00:58]: "Erica McIntar, shake up at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As President Trump took to Truth Social, he said that he is directing his team to fire the head of the commissioner."

The controversy arose following a weak jobs report and significant downward revisions to previous job numbers. Trump alleged that the data was manipulated to influence the 2024 election in favor of Kamala Harris:

Darian Woods [00:58]: "Trump posted that the numbers were rigged and he also accused Erica McIntyre of faking the jobs numbers before the election to boost Kamala Harris chances of winning."

The hosts reassure listeners about the integrity of the BLS:

Darian Woods [00:58]: "We've covered how the Bureau of Labour Statistics has multiple layers of protection from meddling, making that extremely unlikely."

3. Inside the Jobs Data Collection Process

To demystify how jobs numbers are compiled, the show takes listeners behind the scenes at the BLS call center in Florida, featuring Erica Henyon, a BLS agent.

Darian Woods explains the dual-survey system used by the BLS:

Darian Woods [02:04]: "There are two main surveys that go into jobs Friday. One that surveys households for things like unemployment and a second survey of businesses and government agencies. This one is called the establishment survey and this is where you get the jobs numbers."

The establishment survey involves interviewing approximately 130,000 employers monthly, covering about one-third of all non-farm workers in the U.S. While some responses are collected online, a significant portion still relies on phone interviews.

4. A Day in the Life of a BLS Caller

Erica Henyon shares her experiences and techniques in handling the high volume of calls required each month:

Erica Henyon [05:14]: "We call it smiling and dialing. And you just, you call, you collect the data, you thank them, you schedule them forward, and you hang up. And then you just do the next call."

She describes the challenges of meeting quota, especially as respondents become less willing to participate:

Erica Henyon [05:31]: "It has gotten harder over the years, especially after the pandemic. There has been some pushback from different respondents that don't want to report the data because of the political economy the way it is and everything like that."

Despite difficulties, Erica emphasizes the importance of building rapport with respondents to ensure data accuracy:

Erica Henyon [07:03]: "I have a couple respondents that share a birthday, and so I'll make sure I put, like, a note in that they had a birthday or it was their son's birthday party and ask them how everything went kind of thing."

5. The Critical Role of Accurate Jobs Data

The episode underscores how crucial accurate jobs data is for broader economic decision-making:

Erica Henyon [06:10]: "Erica says she tries to get people to stay on the phone by helping them understand why the jobs numbers are so important. These numbers feed into town planning or business decisions about relocation, and also big decisions at the central bank, the Federal Reserve."

Darian Woods connects the data collection to the Federal Reserve's mandates:

Darian Woods [06:28]: "The Federal Reserve has two mandates at the moment. It is really focused on getting price inflation down, but it also has the goal to keep employment high."

Erica further explains the tangible impact of jobs numbers on daily life:

Erica Henyon [06:56]: "I mean, it trickles down to your price of bread, milk and eggs. So it does affect you. You just don't see it."

6. Ensuring Data Accuracy Through Persistent Efforts

The BLS often conducts follow-up calls to ensure data completeness, which can lead to revisions of initial reports:

Waylon Wang [08:08]: "And one reason for those revisions was the Bureau of Labor Statistics finally tracking down those respondents and getting their missing numbers after the deadline for jobs Friday."

Erica Henyon shares her typical workflow and dedication to meeting data collection goals:

Erica Henyon [08:28]: "I still have another eight more calls left and I'm here for like another 45 minutes."

Despite challenges, Erica managed to collect 298 responses before the deadline, illustrating the relentless effort behind the scenes:

Waylon Wang [08:37]: "Erica ended up collecting 298 responses before the deadline, a little less than she'd hoped, but not for a lack of trying."

7. Conclusion: Appreciating the Unsung Workers of the BLS

The episode concludes by acknowledging the hard work of BLS employees like Erica Henyon and the essential role they play in shaping economic understanding and policy.

Darian Woods [09:05]: "So we thank you for doing the hard work, getting those three or 400 calls every single month and getting those numbers out there."

Production credits acknowledge the contributions of various team members, ensuring the episode's quality and accuracy.

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Key Takeaways:

• Jobs growth is a vital economic indicator with widespread implications.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics employs rigorous methods to ensure data accuracy, despite facing political pressures.
• BLS agents like Erica Henyon play a crucial role in data collection through persistent and personable outreach.
• Accurate jobs data informs major economic decisions, including those made by the Federal Reserve.
• The integrity and reliability of economic indicators are upheld by dedicated professionals within the BLS.

Notable Quotes:

• Darian Woods [00:14]: "Jobs growth is one of our favorite economic indicators. It's this really direct measure of how the economy is going in a way that has this tangible, wide reaching effect on everyday people."
• Erica Henyon [06:56]: "I mean, it trickles down to your price of bread, milk and eggs. So it does affect you. You just don't see it."

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This detailed summary captures the essence of the episode, offering insights into the inner workings of the BLS, the challenges faced by its employees, and the broader significance of their work in the economic landscape.

Transcript

[Erica Henyon]

NPR.

[Darian Woods]

This is the Indicator from Planet Money. I'm Darian Woods.

[Waylon Wang]

And I'm Waylon Wang. Here at the indicator. Jobs growth is one of our favorite economic indicators. It's this really direct measure of how the economy is going in a way that has this tangible, wide reaching effect on everyday people.

[Darian Woods]

But somehow over the last few days, this has also become one of the most controversial indicators. On Friday, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he had directed his team to fire the Commissioner of Labor Statistics.

[Erica Henyon]

Erica McIntar, shake up at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As President Trump took to Truth Social, he said that he is directing his team to fire the head of the commissioner. And now this bizarre firing or soon to be firing. What do we know now?

[Darian Woods]

WILLIAM Riachowski, Deputy BLS Commissioner, is acting until a replacement can be appointed. This was all after a weak jobs report and major downward revisions to the number of new jobs reported for the previous few months. Trump posted that the numbers were rigged and he also accused Erica McIntyre of faking the jobs numbers before the election to boost Kamala Harris chances of winning. We've covered how the Bureau of Labour Statistics has multiple layers of protection from meddling, making that extremely unlikely. Now we at the Indicator always try to understand, really understand what's going on with economic indicators, even to the extent of going backstage with these bespectacled bureaucrats and eavesdropping on their conversations. Back in 2022, we did just this to learn how the jobs numbers are put together.

[Waylon Wang]

Today on the show behind the Scenes of Jobs Friday, we listen in as tightly held secrets that could move markets are whispered over the phone to a Florida call center.

[Darian Woods]

There are two main surveys that go into jobs Friday. One that surveys households for things like unemployment and a second survey of businesses and government agencies. This one is called the establishment survey and this is where you get the jobs numbers. And and every month the establishment survey interviews about 130,000 employers. It covers about a third of all non farm workers in the country. Some employers complete the survey online, but a lot of it is done the old fashioned way over the phone.

[Erica Henyon]

Hi Darian, it's Erica henyon with the U.S. department of Labor. How are you doing this afternoon?

[Darian Woods]

I'm doing very well. How are you? How are you today?

[Erica Henyon]

I'm doing okay.

[Waylon Wang]

Erica Henyon is an agent for the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Department of Labor. She is one of about 300 people working the phones to paint that big picture of jobs in America. Erica used to work as a bakery manager, so she's no Stranger to chatting with people.

[Erica Henyon]

And I will attribute that to my mother. She's a hairdresser, so she's been a person who's always talked to people. And so I've just been around that.

[Darian Woods]

I mean, hairdressers know everything, Waylon.

[Waylon Wang]

Yeah, they do. I mean, I have spilled many a secret to my hairdresser.

[Darian Woods]

And this chit chatting is really important because when we spoke, Erica was aiming to make fun of 400 calls for the month with people who don't necessarily want to answer them.

[Erica Henyon]

It gets stressful towards the end because you're like, I want to make those numbers. A lot of businesses, when they, they call and we talk to them, they're not going to do it because it's not mandatory.

[Waylon Wang]

The more people who pick up the phone, the more comprehensive the survey is and the more accurate the Jobs Friday numbers will be.

[Darian Woods]

While I'm on the line, Erica calls up a professional employer organization in Arizona. This is a kind of company that shares hiring with small businesses.

[Erica Henyon]

It's Erica, the US Department of Labor. How are you doing today? Doing good. I think I know your voice by now when you call. I know it's been a while for us.

[Waylon Wang]

The way the survey works is that the same business will get a call each month for anywhere between two and four years. That way, they're already familiar with how the survey works when Erica dials them.

[Erica Henyon]

And so for that pay period that included May 12, then how many total employees work to receive pay? 80 went up. Another person. Yay. We'll take it. It doesn't happen very often lately, so we'll take it.

[Darian Woods]

Erica asks a few more questions, the same she'll ask every employer how many of their staff are women, how many are in non supervisory roles, Total payroll costs for everybody and the total hours were.

[Erica Henyon]

Just want me to put in a little note for the statisticians as to the reason for that increase.

[Darian Woods]

And Erica jots down notes for why this company's employees were working more hours this month.

[Erica Henyon]

You have a very happy Memorial Day, and I'll check back with you in June. Okay. All right. Thank you. You too. Have a good one.

[Darian Woods]

Okay, so if this is representative of the rest of the economy, then we're doing pretty good in the labor market.

[Erica Henyon]

Yep. I will take any little bit of increase that I can see. Definitely. I'm relieved that it's another business that I can check off my list. And then I just put my nose to the grindstone and call the other 399 cases that I have.

[Darian Woods]

399.

[Erica Henyon]

We call it smiling and dialing. And you just, you call, you collect the data, you thank them, you schedule them forward, and you hang up. And then you just do the next call. And then all of a sudden you look up and it's lunchtime and you're like, where did the morning go?

[Darian Woods]

Has it gotten easier or harder to get people to respond over the years?

[Erica Henyon]

It has gotten harder. It has gotten harder over the years, especially after the pandemic. There has been some pushback from different respondents that don't want to report the data because of the political economy the way it is and everything like that. There has been some pushback. There is some distrust there. And I've actually had a few people that have yelled at me and screamed at me, and then they called me back and apologized because they realized that they took it out on the wrong person. I'm their outlet. I am the person that they can physically talk to about the government.

[Waylon Wang]

Well, I'm glad they at least apologized, but it's like, maybe they should call their congressperson instead of yelling at Erica.

[Darian Woods]

Yeah, absolutely. Call your congressperson.

[Waylon Wang]

Erica says she tries to get people to stay on the phone by helping them understand why the jobs numbers are so important. These numbers feed into town planning or business decisions about relocation, and also big decisions at the central bank, the Federal Reserve.

[Darian Woods]

So remember that the Federal Reserve has two mandates at the moment. It is really focused on getting price inflation down, but it also has the goal to keep employment high, to keep jobs high. And for those jobs numbers, the chair of the Federal Reserve and his colleagues rely on the numbers spoken to people like Erica in a Florida call centre.

[Erica Henyon]

I mean, it trickles down to your price of bread, milk and eggs. So it does affect you. You just don't see it.

[Darian Woods]

And along with explaining why the jobs report matters, Erica also makes sure to build a strong relationship with the people that she calls.

[Erica Henyon]

I have a couple respondents that share a birthday, and so I'll make sure I put, like, a note in that they had a birthday or it was their son's birthday party and ask them how everything went kind of thing.

[Darian Woods]

So nice.

[Erica Henyon]

I've helped some people actually plan vacations to Florida because they've asked. They've been wanting to visit the area, and I'll help them find restauran locals like to eat at.

[Waylon Wang]

So let me get this straight. Erica's like an event planner. She remembers birthdays and special occasions. She's like a travel agent.

[Darian Woods]

There are many jobs wrapped into this one interviewing job. It's incredible. Erica also gets tips about specific industries from people like a hairdresser mother.

[Erica Henyon]

I'm like, mom, I'm like, salons. When should I not call a salon? And I try and take that into account. And I take some advice from her that Tuesdays are her busiest day. So then I might not call them on a Tuesday to follow up with them.

[Darian Woods]

Erica's soft skills are critical for getting hard numbers correct. Sometimes you hear a string of months with good jobs numbers, but then they're later advised to be not as stellar. Other times it's the opposite. There's been some high profile revisions recently.

[Waylon Wang]

And one reason for those revisions was the Bureau of Labor Statistics finally tracking down those respondents and getting their missing numbers after the deadline for jobs Friday.

[Darian Woods]

But to get ahead of the clock, Erica does one other call this one to a corporate office in California.

[Erica Henyon]

How many total employees work to receive pay? That would be 506 employees.

[Darian Woods]

And I feel like it's about time for me to leave Erica to continue with her work.

[Erica Henyon]

I still have another eight more calls left and I'm here for like another 45 minutes.

[Waylon Wang]

Erica ended up collecting 298 responses before the deadline, a little less than she'd hoped, but not for a lack of trying. She said there was one day where she squeezed in a massive 115 calls.

[Darian Woods]

Well, we at the Indicator are always looking out for those job numbers. So we thank you for doing the hard work, getting those three or 400 calls every single month and getting those numbers out there.

[Erica Henyon]

Well, thank you.

[Darian Woods]

Special thanks to Nicholas Johnson at the Bureau of Labor Statistics who really helped to make this whole episode possible. For more, check out Friday's episode on our sister show, Planet Money. This episode was produced by Julia Ritchie and Jess Kung. It was fact checked by Ciero Juarez and Corey Bridges, editing by Viet Le and Cake and Cannon. The indicator is a production of NPR.