Commissioners

Erika McEntarfer

January 2024–August 2025

Appointed by: Joseph R. Biden
Also served under: Donald Trump

Dr. Erika McEntarfer became the 16th Commissioner of Labor Statistics on January 29, 2024. A labor economist with over 20 years of federal service, Dr. McEntarfer previously held positions at the U.S. Census Bureau, the Executive Office of the President, and the Department of Treasury. At the Census Bureau, she led research for the Longitudinal Employer–Household Dynamics program, using linked employer–employee data to expand labor market statistics and strengthen survey design and operations. Before joining BLS, she served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers, where she advised on the labor market recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her academic work has examined job loss, wage rigidity, and the relationships between workers and firms. Her research has been published in the Journal of Labor Economics, American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, and the Journal of Economic Perspectives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Bard College and a Ph.D. in economics from Virginia Tech.

During Dr. McEntarfer’s tenure, BLS operated in a period of heightened public attention. In response, she strengthened the agency’s data dissemination processes and expanded efforts to improve how BLS information is shared with the public. Under her leadership, BLS products became more accessible, transparent, and equitable—reflecting her commitment not only to maintaining rigorous statistical quality but also to ensuring that labor market information is broadly understood and trusted by diverse audiences.

Safeguarding the integrity of the Current Population Survey (CPS) was another central focus of her tenure. Recognizing the vital role of the CPS in measuring the nation’s labor force, she worked to prevent proposed reductions in the sample that would have threatened data quality and continuity. Her actions helped preserve the survey’s reliability, ensuring that policymakers, researchers, and the public can continue to rely on consistent, high quality labor statistics.

Dr. McEntarfer also guided the agency through its relocation from the Postal Square Building in Washington, DC, to the Suitland Federal Center. The move brought significant logistical challenges and required careful leadership during a period of organizational transition and evolving federal return to office expectations. The relocation ultimately positioned BLS alongside the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis within a single, modernized federal campus—strengthening collaboration among the nation’s largest statistical agencies and supporting a more integrated statistical community.

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Last modified date: June 16, 2026