The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes two major monthly employment data series:

• The establishment or payroll survey is based on a survey of approximately 400,000 business establishments accounting for approximately one-third of all jobs in the United States. This series excludes agricultural jobs. In addition to overall payroll figures, the series also shows employment by industry classification.

• The household survey is based on a survey of 60,000 households, including agricultural jobs. The widely quoted unemployment rate is derived from this survey.

There are several differences between the two measures of employment. First, the payroll survey counts jobs, while the household survey counts people employed. So, an individual with two jobs would be counted twice in the payroll survey and once in the household survey. Second, the payroll survey only counts nonfarm wage and salary workers, while the household survey also includes agricultural workers, the self-employed, workers in private households, unpaid family workers, and workers on unpaid leaves. Third, the payroll survey includes employed individuals under age 16, while the household survey excludes them.

The payroll data series tends to show smoother shifts in employment figures and is typically considered the more accurate of the two series. In fact, the payroll data series is one of the key economic statistics that the National Bureau of Economic Research considers when determining whether the economy is expanding or contracting.