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...defined precise latitude longitude coordinates, called "geocodes." In any geocoding system involving businesses, the key is to have accurate physical location addresses. (1)
This article discusses the background of the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, the definition of geocoding, and its current and potential uses. It provides examples of existing applications using labor market information and new ways of presenting these data. The article highlights an earlier pilot project that obtained and used geocodes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics business establishment list. Finally, the article profiles future uses, and explains how BLS plans to continue its efforts of geocoding business establishments from the QCEW.
The QCEW
The QCEW program is a by-product of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system and is managed in a Federal/State cooperative environment. This program releases comprehensive tabulations of employment and wage information for workers covered by State UI laws and Federal workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program. BLS provides policies, standards, and funding, whereas States and the District of Columbia collect, edit, tabulate, and publish the data.
The QCEW program serves as a near business census and constitutes the only set of monthly employment and quarterly wage information. The QCEW program already provides economic data by the six-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) at the national, State, Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), and county levels in the Federal statistical system. This quarterly census is published within 6 months after each calendar quarter.
Every quarter, under the laws of each State, businesses are required to report the number of employees for all 3 months, total wages, taxable wages, UI taxes, and administrative data, such as physical location addresses. After these UI reports are collected and entered by the State UI department, they are passed to the State QCEW program for the reviewing, editing, and publishing stages. These data also are used for the QCEW business register.
In addition to the UI reports, BLS funds two other collections to support the needs of its users. The first is the Annual Refilling Survey (ARS) that, over a 3-year period, contacts all businesses to update or complete industry information (NAICS codes) and addresses. This is the primary method for updating physical location addresses within the QCEW business register. The second is the quarterly Multiple Worksite Report (MWR) that collects data for each individual establishment of a multi-unit business. The combination of information from these three sources makes up the resulting QCEW program. The program's comprehensiveness results in precise business and employment data with substantial industry and geographic detail.
Data from the QCEW serve as an important input to many BLS programs as well as other Federal and State programs. These data are used as a benchmark for the Current Employment Statistics and Occupational Employment Statistics. The QCEW also is used by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for gross domestic product (GDP) and personal income estimates.
Geocoding
Geocoding is the process of adding geographic information, such as latitude and longitude, to a file or database for use in a geographic information system (GIS). A GIS is a set of activities that involve the use of computer programs and staff to capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display spatial information; often in the form of maps.
Geocoding uses either a point...
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