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BumRushDaShow

(160,069 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2025, 12:30 PM Wednesday

Labor Department watchdog opens probe of BLS jobs, inflation data collection

Source: CNBC

Published Wed, Sep 10 2025 10:51 AM EDT Updated 17 Min Ago

The Labor Department’s internal watchdog said Wednesday it has opened an investigation into how jobs and inflation data is collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The probe by the department’s Office of Inspector General comes as BLS is under pressure from the Trump administration, which has pointed to recent downward revisions to employment data to argue that the agency’s data cannot be trusted.

President Donald Trump fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer in August, accusing her of being motivated by politics hours after her agency released a weak monthly jobs report.

The inspector general is a nonpolitical appointee whose office is independently staffed and legally insulated from interference by the Labor secretary or other political appouintees. The office is currently being led by acting deputy Inspector General Michael Mikulka, according the Labor Department’s website.

In a letter sent Wednesday morning, the watchdog said it “is initiating a review of the challenges” that BLS “encounters collecting and reporting closely watched economic data.”

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/trump-bls-jobs-data-labor.html

Link to LETTER (PDF) - https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2025/09/10/BLS_Engagement_Letter.pdf

6 replies

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Highlight:

Labor Department watchdog opens probe of BLS jobs, inflation data collection (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Wednesday OP

Maybe staff wanting to stay employed ? republianmushroom Wednesday #1

What question are you answering? It's not in the title or the OP's commentary Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #2

Here we go durablend Wednesday #3

The Sharpie brigade. twodogsbarking Wednesday #4

Good. Sounds like the watchdog has suspicions. or does this happen every year? nt wiggs Wednesday #5

My understanding is that this data is peer reviewed by non-gov't entities SpankMe Wednesday #6

republianmushroom

(21,364 posts)

1. Maybe staff wanting to stay employed ?

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2025, 12:42 PM

Wednesday

Bernardo de La Paz

(58,329 posts)

2. What question are you answering? It's not in the title or the OP's commentary

Reply to republianmushroom (Reply #1)

Wed Sep 10, 2025, 01:05 PM

Wednesday

There are at least two different questions that could have your answer.

Maybe staff wanting to stay employed ?

What question are you answering?

durablend

(8,502 posts)

3. Here we go

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2025, 01:09 PM

Wednesday

"Don't like the data? Fire the people putting it out and come up with your own!"

twodogsbarking

(15,729 posts)

4. The Sharpie brigade.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2025, 01:50 PM

Wednesday

wiggs

(8,402 posts)

5. Good. Sounds like the watchdog has suspicions. or does this happen every year? nt

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2025, 03:59 PM

Wednesday

SpankMe

(3,596 posts)

6. My understanding is that this data is peer reviewed by non-gov't entities

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2025, 05:12 PM

Wednesday

Economists, universities, business groups, trade organizations and other entities have access to the same raw data and can confirm and otherwise corroborate (or refute) BLS numbers. It would be almost impossible for jobs and inflation data to be distorted too much without raising a flag.

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