The Department of Labor’s internal watchdog is starting a review of the “challenges” the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) faces regarding the collection and reporting of “closely watched economic data.”
Laura B. Nicolosi, assistant inspector general for audit, confirmed in a Sept. 10 letter that the Office of the Inspector General is beginning the process of examining the federal agency’s data gathering practices for the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Producer Price Index (PPI), and monthly employment figures.
According to the letter, officials pointed to the bureau’s recent decision to reduce data collection activities for the CPI and PPI, “two closely watched inflation measures which play a vital role in the U.S. economy.”…