>What is a benchmark?
>
>Benchmark revisions, which are usually published in early June, are
>a standard part of the payroll survey estimation process. The
>benchmark adjustment is a once-a-year reanchoring of the
>sample-based employment estimates to full population counts,
>available principally through unemployment insurance (UI) tax
>records filed by employers with State Employment Security Agencies.
>By early November of each year, BLS completes preliminary
>tabulations of these universe counts for the first quarter of the
>year and routinely shares that information with the public at the
>time of the issuance of the October Employment Situation news
>release.
>
>my comment: the October Employment situation (October jobs report)
>will be released the first Friday in November, i.e. after the
>presidential election on Nov.2
They've sped up the process, and we'll get the benchmark announcement at 8:30 Friday morning. It's *not* politically motivated; the BLS is still insulated from political pressures.
Doug