Number: RL33164
Title: Understanding Government Employment Data After a Natural or Other Disaster, with Special Emphasis on Hurricane Katrina
Authors: Gerald Mayer, Domestic Social Policy Division 
Abstract: This report describes and compares three sources of government labor force data: (1) the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS), commonly called the household survey, (2) the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey, commonly called the payroll or establishment survey, and (3) the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. The report also examines the potential effect of a natural or other disaster on government estimates of employment and unemployment and considers why these estimates may not fully reflect the job loss caused by a disaster. The report gives special emphasis to Hurricane Katrina. According to news and other accounts, the damage to homes and businesses caused by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma was less severe than the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Nevertheless, where Rita and Wilma caused damage similar to Katrina, the effects on labor force data may be similar. The Appendix provides a reference guide to the sources of data and labor force concepts discussed in the report.
Pages: 17
Date: December 14, 2005