Supporting Statement_section_b

4

Department of Commerce

U.S. Census Bureau

OMB Information Collection Request

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 Number 0607-0452

Part B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Universe and Respondent Selection

For the 2019, 2020 and 2021 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 2016, survey forms were mailed to 16,357 government entities.

The samples for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 annual surveys will be selected based on the 2017 Census of Governments, with births added and deaths removed since the 2017 Census. Sample counts at the parent government level by type of local governments for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 surveys are anticipated to be similar to the counts for the 2016 survey cycle.

Type of Local Government	Estimate of Sample
Counties	1,393
Municipalities	2,978
Townships	578
School Districts	2,463
Special Districts	3,115
Total	10,527

Historically, the unit response rate for the Public Employment & Payroll program has been in the 75-80 percent range. The unit response rate for the 2016 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll was 79.2 percent.

2. Procedures for Collecting Information

The 2019, 2020 and 2021 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll are based on a sample. The sample is designed and selected to include governments that comprise the majority of the employment and payroll activity. All units in the District of Columbia and Hawaii are selected with certainty. A two-stage sample was designed to produce state-by-type of government estimates with a relative standard error of three percent or less for FTE employees and total payroll at the national level. In the first stage, the sample design is stratified probability proportional to size (PPS) of the local governments. In the second stage, a modified cut-off sample method was used to reduce the number of small townships and special districts included in the final sample.

The Census Bureau will prepare estimates by state for local government employment and payrolls (total full-time employment, total full-time payroll, total full-time equivalent employment, total part-time employment, total part-time payrolls, and total part-time hours) and by state and government function in sample years. Hybrid estimate methods will be used to determine state-by-type of governmental totals. There are three methods in the hybrid approach. First, the Horvitz-Thompson (HT) estimator is a weighted sum of the sample data. Second, the Empirical Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (EBLUP) estimator is used with a robust estimation approach that includes 2017 data as covariates. Third, the synthetic estimator is based on a Decision-Based estimator of the state total and the assumption that employment in the sample year is proportional to employment in the 2017 Census year for the same state and function.

3. Methods to Maximize Response

The Census Bureau 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 procedures include a request letter, reminder letter and follow up letters (attachments 3-9), as well as an elected official flyer (Attachment 10). The elected official flyer highlights the need to include all paid elected or appointed officials on the questionnaire.

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, 17 large local governments, and four states for school systems ensure 100 percent response rates for units included in those responses.

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

4. Tests of Methods

The Census Bureau used these questionnaires successfully in the most recent Census of Governments, and Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Survey respondents provide informal feedback through continuing contact.

5. Contacts

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:

Raemeka Mayo

Assistant Division Chief, Public Sector Programs

International Trade Management Division

U.S. Census Bureau

(301) 763-4688

List of Attachments

1. 2019 Forms E-1 through E-10 and selected screenshots

2. Letter of Support from BEA

3. 2019 Initial Letter

4. 2019 Initial Letter – Central Collection

5. 2019 Initial Letter – Multi-Functional Agency

6. 2019 Due Date Reminder

7. 2019 Due Date Reminder - Multi-Functional Agency

8. 2019 Follow Up Letter

9. 2019 Follow Up Letter - Multi-Functional Agency

10. 2019 Elected Officials Flyer