Addition of Questions to the Current Population Survey – Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) requests an emergency 180-day approval of an emergency Information Collection Request (ICR) to add five questions to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to collect data on the effects of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the attempts to constrain the spread of the illness. These CPS data will be collected monthly for 180 days. If BLS decides that the questions should remain in the CPS for a period longer than 180 days, a formal extension of this clearance will be sought through a revision to the currently approved Basic Labor Force: OMB Control Number 1220-0100 (which expires on January 31, 2021). These questions will allow policy makers to evaluate how the impacts of COVID-19 on the job market are changing over time. In addition, these data will be tied to the key measures produced by the CPS, including the national unemployment rate and the labor force participation rate. These are among the first labor market indicators to appear each month, so having these questions on COVID-19 included in the CPS will provide a timely picture into the impact of the illness. Economic data will be used to inform policy decisions related to Americans affected by the pandemic.

The latest form for Addition of Questions to the Current Population Survey – Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) expires 2020-10-31 and can be found here.