Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Commissioner’s Corner 2010 Archives

New Website Address

"The Commissioner's Corner" has moved. Please see the latest postings at blogs.bls.gov/blog/.

Commissioner's Corner Archive

Commissioner's Corner 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009

2010

 

Keith Hall was Commissioner from January 2008 to January 2012.

 

December 7, 2010

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently completed work on a 5-year strategic plan.

Our last strategic plan was developed in 1996 in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act. However, in past years, the Bureau’s strategic plan was considered to be within the Department of Labor (DOL) strategic plan. While we are part of the Department, our mission is very different from DOL and its other Bureaus.

As an independent statistical agency, BLS serves its customers and stakeholders by providing products and services that are objective, timely, accurate, and relevant. We follow OMB policies that ensure our production of these critically important statistics, and our analysis and dissemination of those statistics, occur free of political influence.

We felt it was time once again to develop our own strategic plan that recognizes the unique nature of what we do. It reflects extensive input from agency customers and other external stakeholders.

The plan details how BLS will meet the information needs of a rapidly changing U.S. and global economy by continuously improving our products and services, investing in our work force and modernizing our business process.

Below you will find a link to the strategic plan, which outlines how we will meet the challenges and opportunities we face.

Also, here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the November employment situation news release.

 

November 9, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the October employment situation news release.

 

October 8, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the September employment situation.

 

September 3, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the August employment situation.

 

August 6, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the July employment situation, which he delivered before the Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC).

 

July 15, 2010

Following is a link to a presentation on "The Future of Data Collection, Access and Dissemination." Along with Associate Commissioner Michael Horrigan (Office of Prices and Living Conditions), Commissioner Hall gave the presentation at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America during April 2010 in Dallas, TX.

Commissioner Hall was part of a panel that discussed the challenges and opportunities in data collection, access and dissemination.  Other panel members included, Dr. Steve Landefeld, Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis; Dr. Robert Groves, Director of the Census Bureau; Dr. Nancy Potok, Deputy Under Secretary for the Economics and Statistics Administration, Department of Commerce; and John Thompson, President of The National Opinion Research Center (NORC).

  • The Future of Data Collection, Access and Dissemination

Also, here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the June employment situation.

 

June 4, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the May employment situation.

 

May 21, 2010

We've released another new product!! Focus on Prices and Spending is a series of BLS reports that include data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Producer Price Index (PPI), International Price (IPP), and Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) programs. These quarterly reports supplement the regular monthly (or annual in the case of the Consumer Expenditure Survey) press releases produced by each program and highlight recent trends in inflation and spending in the U.S. economy.

Recently released reports for the first quarter of 2010 include the following:

  • Consumer Expenditure Survey (PDF)
  • Consumer Price Index (PDF)
  • Producer Price Indexes (PDF)
  • Import and Export Prices (PDF)

In recent months, we've also published some additional items of interest.

First, a short article from the Employment and Unemployment Statistics program examining the number of unemployed persons per job opening during recessions.

Second, fact sheets highlighting injuries and employment in the oil and gas industry.

Finally, the following chartbook explores how key labor market and other national economic measurements compare across countries.

 

May 7, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the April employment situation, which he delivered before the Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC).

 

April 2, 2010

Spring is in the air!! And, more good news, BLS has recently published some new items.

First, a short article from the Business Employment Dynamics program examines the impact of the current recession on small and large firms.

Second, a new issue of Program Perspectives takes a closer look at paid sick leave benefits, including both the percentage of employees with access to paid sick leave benefits and employer costs for sick leave.

Finally, BLS just conducted its very first web chat on today's employment situation release. If you missed the chat this morning, you can view a transcript of the discussion. And here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the March employment situation.

 

March 8, 2010

A few notable BLS publications of recent months may be of interest. If you haven't seen them yet, click on the links.

First, one that combines data from BLS, the Census Bureau, and the Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy in an analysis of recent job losses in the trucking industry.

Second, the number of major work stoppages, number of workers involved, and number of lost workdays in 2009 were all record lows in a data series that begins in 1947. This "Editor's Desk" feature has a chart, and a link to the related news release.

Finally, Happy Birthday to the Consumer Expenditure survey, which has been working to record changes in consumer spending patterns for three decades. This webpage has charts showing the changes in consumer spending for food, shelter, gasoline, vehicles, apparel, and other consumer basics since the 1980s.

Also, here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the February employment situation.

 

March 3, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the January employment situation.
 

 

January 8, 2010

Here is a link to Keith Hall's statement on the December employment situation.
 

 

Last Modified Date: December 7, 2010