Where Are the Jobs? What Do They Pay? 2000 Covered Employment and Wages is an annual publication of the Wyoming Department of Employment that summarizes employment and wage data for employers subject to the Wyoming Employment Security Law (Wyoming Statutes §§27-3-101 through 27-3-704) and Federal civilian workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program.

Administrative data sources are transformed into a statistical data set and are used to construct this report. The Quarterly Contributions Reports (QCRs), also known as Quarterly UI/Workers’ Compensation Summary Reports (Form WYO056), filed by employers with the Wyoming Employment Tax Division, serve as the primary source of administrative data. The QCRs have information about monthly employment,¹ quarterly wages, and Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes. Industry and geographic information are added to these reports to identify economic activity more specifically. The Multiple Worksite Report (MWR), the Industry Verification Form, and Federal data collected by the State supplement QCRs (see Technical Appendix for a more complete description of these reports).² The combination of QCRs and other reports is collectively referred to as the ES-202 report or Covered Employment and Wages program.

Each firm’s location is in the database as a separate record for a specific quarter. In some instances, a firm has multiple records in the database because it has multiple worksites as determined by the Multiple Worksite Report (see Technical Appendix for a more complete discussion of MWRs). In other instances, a firm with multiple worksites has a single record for a specified time period. The number of units can generally be interpreted as the number of firms operating in an industry or geographic location.

The primary objective of this publication is to support local planning and economic development efforts. It also provides information for the administration of employment and training programs. Local economic planners use the information to estimate future demand for schools, roads, and other infrastructure. Banks utilize the information to conduct economic forecasting. Utility companies use the information to determine demand. Insurance companies refer to it when setting rates.³ Private consultants incorporate the information in economic models and projections, while the media use it for various articles and publications about the economy.

Government uses Covered Employment and Wages data for many purposes. Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Insurance (UI) departments compute tax rates based on Covered Employment and Wages data. The Wyoming Business Council uses the data as one basis of its economic performance benchmarks and to advance economic development within Wyoming. Covered Employment and Wages data form the foundation for performance measurement and program evaluation research carried out by Research & Planning (R&P) in response to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. These data are also used to audit other programs within the Department of Employment.

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis uses the data for two main purposes: to calculate the wage and salary component of personal income, and in the calculation of Gross Domestic Product.

As a statistical measure, private and public entities use these data to gauge the economic health of the labor market. While by no means exhaustive, these examples show how Covered Employment and Wages data are used in public and private arenas.

To meet various customer needs, the data in this publication are organized into many different sections, including statewide, region, county, industry, and establishment size (see Table of Contents for a complete list of tables). The following questions can be addressed through this publication:

* Which regions and counties are growing the fastest? This information may be used by businesses looking to expand into Wyoming.

* What industries pay the highest wages?

* Which industries have the most jobs? The least?

Research & Planning has designated the following five regions for the Covered Employment and Wages program:

* Northwest Region - Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie counties

* Northeast Region - Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan, and Weston counties

* Southwest Region - Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton, and Uinta counties

* Southeast Region - Albany, Goshen, Laramie, Niobrara, and Platte counties

* Central Region - Carbon, Converse, and Natrona counties

When a firm is unable or unwilling to report one or all of the places it conducts business in Wyoming, we report the geographic region as Nonclassified.

Data provided to the Wyoming Department of Employment by employers are held in strict confidence pursuant to the Wyoming Employment Security Law. To protect the identity of firms, the agency withholds publication of employment and wage data under the following circumstances: (1) The industry consists of three or fewer reporting units, or (2) A single employer accounts for 80 percent or more of the industry’s employment. Data not meeting the agency’s confidentiality criteria are indicated as ND (Not Disclosable).

Due to the continuous collection of ES-202 data, all numbers are preliminary and subject to revision. Data are considered final within nine months (three quarters) of initial reporting (see Technical Appendix for additional information on quality control). Detailed data may not add up to the total due to nondisclosure and rounding.

Because an employer may be unable or unwilling to report the location of multiple worksites, not all firm locations are reported in the tables. An employer may not make a distinction between worksites due to incompatability with the accounting methods used by the Wyoming Department of Employment.

Not all employers are required to submit wage and employment records. With certain exceptions, employers exempt from the Wyoming Employment Security Law include agricultural production firms, railroads, and the self-employed (see Technical Appendix for a complete list of employer classes exempt from the Wyoming Employment Security Law).

This publication covers Wyoming employment and wages by industry in 2000. It provides detailed regional and county information on the number of employers, employment, payroll, and average wages.

Current quarterly information and historical data to 1989 are available. The table order has changed from previous years. Tables are now referred to by their titles rather than by table numbers.