Notice2026-08383
Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Current Population Survey
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 30, 2026
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentLabor Statistics Bureau
Abstract
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the "Current Population Survey (CPS)." A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 83 (Thursday, April 30, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 83 (Thursday, April 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23310-23311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08383]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Current Population
Survey
AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be
provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial
resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood,
and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be
properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed extension of the ``Current Population
Survey (CPS).'' A copy of the proposed information collection request
can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the
Addresses section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
Addresses section of this notice on or before June 29, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Morgan Scheinin, BLS Clearance Officer,
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9fbf5eae6e9ebf8e6e9ccdbd5d0daf9dbd5ca97ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fbb9b7a8a4aba9baa4ab8e99979298bb999788d59c948d">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Morgan Scheinin, BLS Clearance
Officer, at 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See
ADDRESSES section.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The CPS has been the principal source of the official Government
statistics on employment and unemployment for over 85 years. The CPS is
a monthly sample survey of 60,000 eligible households. The labor force
information gathered through the survey is of paramount importance in
keeping track of the economic health of the Nation. The survey is the
only source of monthly data on total employment and unemployment. The
Employment Situation news release contains data from this survey and is
designated as a Principal Federal Economic Indicator (PFEI). Moreover,
the survey also yields data on the characteristics of people not in the
labor force. The CPS data are used monthly, in conjunction with data
from other sources, to analyze the extent to which, and with what
success, the various components of the American population are
participating in the economic life of the Nation.
The labor force data gathered through the CPS are provided to users
in the greatest detail possible, in conjunction with the demographic
information obtained in the survey. In brief, the labor force data can
be broken down by sex, age, race, ethnicity, marital status, family
composition, educational level, veteran status, certification and
licensing status, disability status, and other characteristics. Through
such breakdowns, one can focus on the employment situation of specific
population groups as well as on general trends in employment and
unemployment. Information of this type can be obtained only through
demographically oriented surveys such as the CPS.
The basic CPS data are also used as an important platform on which
to base the data derived from the various supplemental questions that
are administered in conjunction with the survey. By coupling the basic
data from the monthly survey with the special data from the
supplements, one can get valuable insights on the behavior of American
workers and on the social and economic health of their families.
There is considerable interest in the monthly CPS data among
Government policymakers, legislators, economists, the media, and the
general public. While the data from the CPS are used in conjunction
with data from other surveys in assessing the economic health of the
Nation, they are unique in various ways. Specifically, they are the
basis for much of the monthly Employment Situation report, a PFEI. They
provide a monthly, nationally representative measure of total
employment, including farm work, self-employment, and unpaid family
work; other surveys are generally restricted to
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the nonagricultural wage and salary sector, or provide less timely
information. The CPS provides data on all job seekers, and on all
people outside the labor force, while payroll-based surveys cannot, by
definition, cover these sectors of the population. Finally, the CPS
data on employment, unemployment, and on people not in the labor force
can be linked to the demographic characteristics of the many groups
that make up the Nation's population, while the data from other surveys
often have limited demographic information. Many groups, both in the
government and in the private sector, are eager to analyze this wealth
of demographic and labor force data.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the
Current Population Survey (CPS). This survey collects demographic and
labor force characteristics on individuals and households in the United
States to produce estimates of labor market participation, earnings,
and other labor force characteristics. Households are selected to
ensure a nationally-representative demographic sample, and one
individual from each household is selected to take part in a monthly
Computer Assisted Interview for 8 months during a 16-month period.
Interviewers ask respondents to report all of their labor market
activities for the week prior to the survey.
The labor force information gathered through the survey is of
paramount importance in keeping track of the economic health of the
Nation. The survey is the only source of monthly data on total
employment and unemployment. The Employment Situation news release
contains data from this survey and is designated as a Principal Federal
Economic Indicator (PFEI). Moreover, the survey also yields data on the
characteristics of people not in the labor force. The CPS data are used
monthly, in conjunction with data from other sources, to analyze the
extent to which, and with what success, the various components of the
American population are participating in the economic life of the
Nation.
III. Desired Focus of Comments
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in
comments that:
<bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility.
<bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
<bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected.
<bullet> Minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submissions of responses.
Title of Collection: Current Population Survey (CPS).
OMB Number: 1220-0100.
Type of Review: Extension.
Affected Public: Households.
Annual Number of Respondents: 492,000 (41,000 per month).
Frequency: Monthly.
Total Annual Responses: 492,000.
Average Time per Response: 8.1 minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 66,420 hours.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a
matter of public record.
Signed on April 27, 2026.
Lizabeth McLean,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems, Branch of Policy
Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2026-08383 Filed 4-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P
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