Under the National Compensation Survey (NCS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) conducts ongoing surveys of compensation and job characteristics. Data collected by the NCS is used to produce Employment Cost Trends, including the Employment Cost Index (ECI) and Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC), employee benefits data, and data used by the President's Pay Agent.
Through 2011, the BLS used the Locality Pay Survey (LPS) and the ECI to deliver data required by the President's Pay Agent to comply with the requirements of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA). The final approved budget for FY2011 called for an alternative to the LPS component of the NCS, and the BLS introduced a new approach that uses data from two current BLS programs  the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey and ECI program. In the new approach, OES data provides wage data by occupation and by area, while ECI data are used to specify grade level effects. The new approach is also being used to extend the estimation of pay gaps to areas that were not included in the LPS sample and this data has been delivered to the Pay Agent.
US Code:
5 USC 5318
Name of Law: The Ethics Reform Act of 1989
US Code:
29 USC 2b
Name of Law: Studies of Productivity and Labor Costs in Industries
US Code:
5 USC 5304
Name of Law: The Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990
The NCS sample starting in FY 2011 was reduced 64%, to reflect loss of the LPS sample and some cuts to the ECI sample. In 2011, the implementation of the alternative to the LPS resulted in a loss of 20,400 establishments from the sample. The ECI sample lost 4,000 establishments (approximately a 25% sample loss.) In 2011, the BLS published 323 indexes and 278 levels quarterly, using a sample of 11,400 establishments and 50,500 occupations. The NCS sample of 11,400 establishments has collection done for both wage and benefits and is on a quarterly data collection cycle. The private industry sample from FY 2013 forward is going to a 3 year collection cycle from the previous 5 year collection cycle. This makes 1/3 of the private industry sample, initiations schedules every year, adding some respondent burden but for a shorter time period.
All current NCS data series are NAICS and SOC based. NCS began the transition to SOC 2010 codes and definitions with the collection of data in May of 2010.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form e-update Screens NCS E-Update Screens
Note to Reviewer (1220-0164) to address terms of clearance.doc
NCS Part A 4-30-2012.docx
Chapter 8 - BLS Handbook of Methods.pdf
National Compensation Survey (Private Industry Sample)