© Copyright 2007 by the Wyoming Department of Employment, Research & Planning
Vol. 43 No. 10
Each year, approximately one-third of employers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) in Wyoming are contacted by mail questionnaire to confirm that they have been assigned to the correct industry category (e.g., Mining, Construction, Manufacturing) based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS; U.S. Census Bureau, 2002). If it is found that an employer has changed primary business activity, a different NAICS code is assigned to reflect that change. This is known as a noneconomic code change. Research staff also review employers’ NAICS codes if the business is sold, becomes incorporated, or otherwise changes ownership. In this manner, Research & Planning continuously ensures that employers are assigned to the correct industry category. However, these noneconomic code changes also make it difficult for data users to make direct comparisons across years when large firms move from one NAICS sector to another.
In a separate initiative to increase data quality, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages unit contacts employers with nonclassified geographic codes in order to place them within appropriate counties. This effort has resulted in a significant decrease in employment in the nonclassified geographic designation, and corresponding employment increases in many counties throughout the state. While the long-run result will be higher-quality data, initially some of the employment increases at the county level may simply be the result of more accurate reporting, rather than actual increases in the number of jobs in those counties.
QCEW data are usually published about six to nine months after the end of the reference quarter. The deadline for employers to file their quarterly unemployment insurance contributions report is one month after the end of the quarter. Then the data must be imaged, edited, and cleaned-up. Despite the time lag, QCEW provides employment and wage data at the county and industry level that is not available from any other source.
Each quarter, QCEW data is revised to reflect the receipt of late reports and corrections from employers. For example, when data for first quarter 2005 were first published in the November 2005 issue of Wyoming Labor Force Trends, total employment was shown as 243,807, but the tables accompanying this article show first quarter 2005 total employment as 242,094, a revision of 1,713 jobs or 0.7%.
References
U.S. Census Bureau. (2002, September 10). 2002 NAICS Codes and Titles. Retrieved December 18, 2003, from http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/naicod02.htm
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by Phil Ellsworth.