Bureau of Labor Statistics home page

Description

Describes the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the field of labor economics and statistics. The bureau collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates sensitive economic and statistical data to the American public, Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. Includes links to information about major BLS programs, BLS data, BLS regional offices, BLS contacts, and comments and suggestions.

"As a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) web site presents up-to-date U.S. economic statistical information in a comprehensive and clearly organized format. Information is arranged under broad categories such as "Inflation and Spending" and "International Statistics." The latest numbers for the Consumer Price Index, unemployment rate and the Producer Price Index are prominently positioned on the home page. The BLS site provides past and current statistics for the U.S. economy as a whole, but individual state economic data can be obtained easily by clicking the state on a color-coded map. The gem of this web site is the "Economy at a Glance" section. A handy tool bar on the home page provides quick links to this section as well as 1999 MARSBEST winners Occupational Outlook Handbook and FEDSTATS. Overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics site is a one-stop web resource for finding current U.S. economic data."--Reviewed March 8, 2001 "Best Free Reference Web Sites 2001," RUSA Quarterly, Fall 2001. Comp. by the MARS Best Free Websites Committee, RUSA, ALA.