Why It Matters
Survey response rates for the monthly Jobs Report have declined steadily over the past decade, creating a direct risk to the quality of data that guides trillion-dollar policy decisions. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), in its June 2026 report "Federal Statistics: Stakeholders Said Jobs Report Generally Meets Their Needs, but Opportunities Exist to Improve Data Quality," documented how fewer Americans responding to the household and establishment surveys that feed the Jobs Report threatens the reliability of employment data. Economic policymakers, businesses, and investors depend on accurate monthly employment figures to inform Federal Reserve interest-rate decisions, corporate hiring plans, and broader economic policy. When the underlying data weakens, so does the foundation for decisions built upon it.
The Big Picture
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Situation report, commonly known as the Jobs Report, rests on two surveys: one of households and one of employers. The Census Bureau conducts the household survey on behalf of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Together, they produce the monthly figures that shape economic policy and business strategy.
From October 2015 through September 2025, survey response rates declined consistently, a ten-year slide that poses a direct risk to data quality. When fewer people respond to surveys, the remaining respondents may not represent the full population, widening the margin for error in the estimates produced. Stakeholders with jobs data expertise acknowledged that the report generally meets users' needs. Yet they also flagged a persistent problem: occasional large revisions to the data can make it less useful for informing timely decisions.
The GAO interviewed 14 stakeholders selected to provide expert perspectives on data quality and options for improvement. The agency reviewed the Bureau of Labor Statistics' performance goals for data quality, relevant government and academic studies, and agency documentation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics met its goals for data precision and the size of revisions from fiscal years 2020 through 2025, though the agency relaxed one goal during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The GAO identified a critical gap: the elimination of three advisory committees in 2025 created gaps in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' ability to obtain regular user and technical feedback on the Jobs Report. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have a plan to address these gaps. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has not released its assessments of the establishment survey due to limitations, including challenges linking the survey data with more comprehensive sources. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, has jurisdiction over BLS oversight and labor statistics policy.
The Bottom Line
The GAO made three recommendations to the Department of Labor. For Recommendation 1, concerning the advisory committee gap, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provided information about existing channels to obtain external input but did not commit to developing and implementing a plan to address gaps in regular external input. The Bureau of Labor Statistics agreed with Recommendations 2 and 3. The agency's new nonresponse bias study is expected to be published by the end of 2026, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics plans to publish a paper describing its current methodology for assessing sources of statistical error and the methodology's limitations.
Beyond internal reforms, stakeholders, researchers, and Bureau of Labor Statistics officials identified incorporating administrative data from private and other government sources, such as unemployment insurance data, as an option to help mitigate lower survey response rates. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is also working to add an online response option to the Jobs Report surveys. The planned online response method for the household survey is intended to increase response rates and lower data collection costs. However, recent funding constraints may delay full implementation of the planned online response method for the household survey.
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