Supporting Statement - Section B

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SUPPORTING STATEMENT
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
Public Employment & Payroll Forms
(Forms E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-5, E-6, E-7, E-8, E-9, E-10)
OMB Control No. 0607-0452
Part B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods
1.

Universe and Respondent Selection
For the 2015 and 2016 annual surveys, data are collected for all 50 state
governments and for a sample of local governments, including general-purpose
governments (counties, municipalities, and townships), school districts, and special
districts. For 2014, survey forms were mailed to 16,326 government entities.
The samples for the 2015 and 2016 annual surveys were selected based on the 2012
Census of Governments, with births added and deaths removed since the 2012
Census. Sample counts at the parent government level by type of local governments
for the 2015 and 2016 surveys are similar to the counts for the 2014 survey cycle.
For the 2017 Census of Governments, data are collected for all 50 state governments
and all local governments in the United States. There is no sampling for 2017. We
expect to mail survey forms to approximately 99,442 government entities with a
preliminary universe of 90,107 governments.

Type of Local Government
Counties
Municipalities
Townships
School Districts
Special Districts
Total

Estimate of Sample
1,387
2,964
577
2,306
3,089
10,323

2012 Universe
3,025
19,526
16,366
13,566
37,697
90,180

Historically, the unit response rate for the Public Employment & Payroll program
has been in the 75-85 percent range. The unit response rate for the 2012 Census of
Governments – Employment was 77.0%, while the unit response rate for the 2013
Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll was 81.4%.
2.

Procedures for Collecting Information
The 2017 Census of Governments: Employment is a census of all governments in
the United States. There is no estimation.

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The 2015 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll and 2016 Annual Survey
of Public Employment & Payroll are both based on a sample. The sample is
designed and selected to include governments that comprise the bulk of employment
and payroll activity. All units in the District of Columbia and Hawaii are selected
with certainty. Units in the other states are selected without replacement with
probability proportional to the size (PPS) of the unit. Some units have a size so
large that they end up being selected with certainty. Units in the PPS portion of the
sample were sub-sampled below a cutoff for cities, townships, and special districts.
For births in the annual survey years, the Census Bureau takes all general-purpose
governments and schools with certainty and selects a stratified simple random
sample of special district governments. For the 2014 sample, the Census Bureau
selected a stratified simple random sample of governmental units that had no activity
(no employees or payroll) in 2012.
The Census Bureau will prepare estimates by state for local government
employment and payrolls (full-time employment, full-time payroll, part-time
employment, and part-time payrolls) and by government function in sample years.
For national level totals, the Census Bureau will prepare estimates of total local
government employment and payrolls by government function (e.g., elementary and
secondary education, higher education, police protection, fire protection, etc.).
Model-assisted methods will be used to determine state-by-type of governmental
totals. Small-area estimation methods will be used to determine functional
estimates.
3.

Methods to Maximize Response
The Public Sector area consults with, and presents to, various public and
professional groups that use the data. These groups endorse survey efforts and
encourage participation by their members. Survey publicity appears in state
organization publications distributed to member governments.
Survey procedure includes the original request questionnaire, packaged alongside an
electronic reporting flyer (Attachment 3), a request letter (attachment 5), an
endorsement flyer (Attachment 6), and an elected officials flyer (Attachment 7). The
endorsement flyer details the importance, purpose, and modes for responding to the
survey. The elected officials flyer highlights the need to include all paid elected or
appointed officials on the questionnaire.
Approximately a week after the original request questionnaire is mailed, it is
followed by a reminder postcard (Attachment 8). Approximately three weeks after
the original request questionnaire, a reminder letter (Attachment 9) is sent. Staff
conduct telephone follow-up to determine if appropriate individuals have received
mail correspondence, to encourage response, and to obtain additional information
about reported data.
Central collection arrangements with 46 state governments and for school systems in
four states ensure 100 percent response rates for units included in those responses.

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Alternative ways for reporting data are available for respondents. Data may be
reported by paper form, electronic files, over the Internet, or by telephone.

4.

Tests of Procedures or Methods
The Census Bureau used these questionnaires successfully in the last Census of
Governments, and the employment and pay portion successfully in the Annual
Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. The Census Bureau has used the basic
definitions and reporting instructions since the 1957 Census of Governments.
Ongoing contact with survey respondents indicates that present methods of data
collection are effective.
The Census Bureau conducted cognitive testing in early 2011 on the 2012 form
changes to ensure government representatives understood the questions being asked
on the forms. The cognitive testing also gave survey analysts a better understanding
of the data available and terminology used by government representatives.
For 2012 and prior, form E-6 was sent to all local school systems regardless of function.
As a result of cognitive testing and the Quality Improvement Program (QuIP) trips
in June 2012, two new forms were introduced for the 2013 Annual Survey of Public
Employment & Payroll. The E-8 form was designed for elementary and secondary
school systems; the E-10 for college and other postsecondary education school systems.
The E-6 now is only sent to governmental units which may have both functions of
education. The units receiving the new form are receiving a shorter form in place of
the existing E-6.

5.

Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection
Statistical procedures:
Bac Tran
Chief, Public Sector Sample Design and Estimation Branch
Economic Statistical Methods Division
U.S. Census Bureau
(301) 763-1937
Data collection and analysis:
Paul Villena
Chief, Employment Statistics Branch
Economy-Wide Statistics Division
U.S. Census Bureau
(301) 763-7286

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List of Attachments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

2015 Forms E-1 through E-10 and selected screenshots
Letter of Support from BEA
2015 Electronic Reporting Flyer
2015 Central Collection Letter
2015 Director’s Letter and Division Chief’s Letter
2015 Endorsement Flyer
2015 Elected Officials Flyer
2015 Reminder Postcard
2015 Reminder Letters