SIPP_Attachment_J_2024 OMB_SIPP Labor Force Brochure

Employment
and Labor Force

Why Measure Employment and
the Labor Force?
Since America’s founding, the labor force
has been fundamental to our country’s
development and success. Therefore, it is
impossible to measure the true well-being of
the country without measuring all aspects of
the labor force and employment.

Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

In order for the country to know what is
needed—how folks are doing and where they
need help—we must conduct surveys such as
the SIPP to produce that information.

How the Census Bureau Protects
Your Family’s Information.

Because our country is so populous (over
300 million people), we can only survey a
scientific sample of the whole population.
Thus, your answers to this survey represent
thousands of Americans!

The U.S. Census Bureau is required by federal
law to protect the information you provide.
All personally identifiable information about
your household is removed during processing,
so that the information you provide can be
used to inform policies and programs without
compromising your right to privacy.

Americans work hard every day, striving
to overcome difficulties and better their
life circumstances. By studying both our
successes and setbacks, we can help our
nation make informed decisions. By law, all
personal information collected for this study
is kept strictly confidential.
Thank you for participating in this survey,
and for helping to represent our nation’s
most important asset…

People Just Like You.

Mission and Purpose
Data from the Survey of Income and Program
Participation (SIPP) are used to evaluate:

• Changes in income.
• Movement into and out of government
assistance programs.

• Changes in family composition and social

conditions for individuals and households.

• Changes in health, health insurance

coverage, and access to health care for
people and families.

More information on the SIPP can be found at
.

The U.S. Census Bureau reviewed this data
product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential
information and approved the disclosure
avoidance practices applied to this release.
CBDRB-FY22-POP001-0110.

Issued September 2022
Connect with us
@uscensusbureau

Working Mothers

Employment

Unemployment

• In 2019, 68 percent of men and 58

• In 2019, women with children under the age

• Most U.S. workers (90 percent) held one

• About 38 percent of women with children

percent of women over the age of 14
were employed.
job at a time. The remaining 10 percent
simultaneously held at least two jobs.

of 18 accounted for 26 percent of all women
but 33 percent of all employed women.
under the age of 18 were jobless for at least
1 week.

• Caretaking was the most common reason

for joblessness among women with children
under the age of 18.

Self-Employment
• Among U.S. workers in 2019, 15 percent of
men and 11 percent of women were
self-employed.

In Percent, Reason for Joblessness by
Age of Children in 2019

(Respondents aged 15+ jobless for at least a week)

• Individuals with a professional or doctoral

All respondents
Women with
children aged 6
to 17 only
Women with at
least one child
under age 6

degree had the highest rates of selfemployment.

Pregnancy

1
2
13

Caretaking

In Percent, Self-Employment Rates by
Educational Attainment in 2019
(Workers aged 15+)

Less than high school
graduate

12.8

High school graduate

12.1

Some college

Unable to find work
or on layoff
Retired, going to
school, or other

12.5

Bachelor's degree

13.6

Master's degree

13.8

Professional school
degree
Doctoral degree

17.9

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Survey of Income and
Program Participation.

• About 13 percent of unemployment

spells can be attributed to individuals
voluntarily leaving their jobs.

• About 33 percent of unemployment

spells can be attributed to individuals
involuntarily separating from a job, such as
through layoff or a business closing.

• Typically, the longer an unemployment

spell lasts, the more likely an individual is
to receive unemployment insurance.

43

Unemployment Insurance Receipt by
Duration of Unemployment Spell in
2017–2019

18
20
7

(Respondents aged 15+ unemployed
for at least a week)
18.6

9
13
8

16.0
68
30
24

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Survey of Income and
Program Participation.

20.5

lasted for an average of 17 weeks, where
about two-thirds of unemployment spells
lasted 14 weeks or less.

9
61

Injury, health condition,
or disability

• Between 2017 and 2019, unemployment

Statistics from surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error.
For further information on the source of the data and accuracy of
the estimates, including standard errors and confidence intervals, see

11.9

5.7

1–4
weeks

5–14
weeks

15–26
weeks

27–52
weeks

Note: Limits on duration of unemployment insurance (UI)
receipt differ by state, but in most states, the maximum
number of weeks is 26, and in all states it is at least 12 weeks.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Survey of Income and
Program Participation.