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Transparent and Accountable

We are open about our methods and processes so you can have confidence in our products and services. We follow statistical guidelines and only change our methods after careful study and testing. You can contact us at any time through our website, email, phone, or social media channels if you ever have questions or need help understanding our data.

We share methodologies, data, analytical tools, and findings. Transparency builds trust, fosters accountability, and promotes collaboration. We follow global standards of transparency in science and the Generic Statistical Business Process Model.

We take responsibility for our practices and procedures. We justify our results and changes based on research and rigorous review. We are responsive to reviews of our products and processes to help us improve. When we make a mistake, we inform the public on the BLS errata page.

Transparency and Accountability at BLS
Topic	Examples
Methods	We are open about our methods and processes so you can have confidence in our products and services. We provide information on methods, processes, and data quality in our Handbook of Methods. We calculate and publish response rates for all BLS surveys.
Data Releases	We publish a schedule of releases of our statistical products in advance. We describe our release procedures and regularly evaluate our practices to align with our commitment to data security and timely and equal access to data for everyone. We provide immediate access to economic measures upon public release through data tools and the Application Programming Interface (API). We announce changes to concepts, sources, and methods for all official BLS economic measures in advance through notices on the BLS website.
Customer Service	We have answers to your questions. The Frequently Asked Questions page addresses many questions about BLS and our measures. Each BLS program also has a section for commonly asked questions and answers under their “About” menu. We have a team of experts to answer your questions. Don’t hesitate to contact us. You can subscribe to publications. You also can follow us on social media at Bluesky, X, Threads, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. We have BLS speakers available to speak at your conferences and provide informative presentations about the U.S. labor market and economy. We document the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests we receive and respond to. We are responsive to Government Accountability Office (GAO) inquiries.
Data Quality	We inform our users of our data quality. We follow statistical policy directives. We are always verifying findings, assumptions, and changes in all stages of the data lifecycle. We strive for data quality, starting with collection. We do all of this while minimizing cost, respondent burden, and time to get the information to the public.
Planning and Budget	We inform the public about our BLS Strategic Plan (PDF). We provide information about our budget and performance. We are good stewards of taxpayer dollars to ensure accurate, timely, relevant, and objective data. We pursue efficiency through innovation in data collection, new data sources, and survey methods.
External Reviews	Report on Procedures and Practices for the Equitable and Timely Provision of Data to the Public (PDF) Evaluations of BLS Programs. BLS Reports Directed by Congress and the Government Accountability Office

Last modified date: August 28, 2026