CPS Work Experience Supplement (KX) Section listing 1. Survey definition 2. Flat files listed in the survey directory. 3. Series file, data file, and mapping file definitions and relationships 4. Series file format and field definitions 5. Data file format and field definition 6. Mapping file formats and field definitions ================================================================================ Section 1. Survey definition ================================================================================ The data presented in this news release were collected in the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Data from the CPS are used to obtain the monthly estimates of the nation's employment and unemployment levels. The ASEC, conducted in the months of February through April, includes questions about work activity during the prior calendar year. For instance, data collected in 2025 refer to the 2024 calendar year. Because the reference period is a full year, the number of people with some employment or unemployment greatly exceeds the average levels for any given month, which are based on a 1-week reference period, and the corresponding annual average of the monthly estimates. As shown below, for example, the number of people experiencing any unemployment during the year was about twice the number who were unemployed in an average month during the year. People who worked. In the 2025 supplement, people are considered to have worked if they responded "yes" to either the question "Did you work at a job or business at any time during 2024?" or "Did you do any temporary, part-time, or seasonal work even for a few days during 2024?" Unemployed people. People who worked during the year but not in every week are counted as unemployed if they also reported looking for work or being on layoff from a job during the year. Those who reported no work activity during the year are considered unemployed if they responded "yes" to the question "Even though you did not work in 2024, did you spend any time trying to find a job or on layoff?" Work-experience unemployment rate. The number of people unemployed at some time during the year as a proportion of the number of people who worked or looked for work during the year. The CPS provides comprehensive labor force information about work experience of the population, including age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, educational attainment, occupation, and industry. This information (including annual average estimates published in tables 1 through 4 of the annual Work Experience of the Population news release) is available online at https://www.bls.gov/news.release/work.htm. Monthly and annual average information is also available in the Labor Force Statistics (LN) database (https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/ln/). If you have questions about these data, please contact us via email at CPSInfo@bls.gov ================================================================================== Section 2. Flat files listed in the survey directory ================================================================================== The following CPS Work Experience Supplement files are on the BLS internet in the sub-directory https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/kx/: kx.ages - Age codes mapping file kx.educ - Education level codes mapping file kx.data.1.AllData - Data file codes mapping file kx.fknd - Kind of family codes mapping file kx.fnlf - Number of family members in labor force codes mapping file kx.footnote - Footnote codes mapping file kx.fpov - Family poverty level codes mapping file kx.ftyp - Family type codes mapping file kx.hnum - Number of people in household codes mapping file kx.hrwk - Full-time worker/part-time workers codes mapping file kx.lcow - Class of worker codes mapping file kx.lern - Whether low earner codes mapping file kx.lfst - Labor force status codes mapping file kx.orig - Hispanic or Latino ethnicity kx.pcts - Percent and rate codes mapping file kx.ppov - Below/above poverty level codes mapping file kx.prel - Householder role codes mapping file kx.prsn - Involuntary/Voluntary part-time workers codes mapping file kx.ptyp - Related/unrelated family codes mapping file kx.race - Race codes mapping file kx.series - All series and their beginning and end dates codes mapping file kx.sexs - Sex codes mapping file kx.splu - Spells of unemployment codes mapping file kx.tdat - Type of data codes mapping file kx.txt - General information codes mapping file kx.wklf - Total who worked or looked for work codes mapping file kx.wkun - Length of unemployment codes mapping file kx.wkwk - Length of worked during the year codes mapping file kx.xocc - Job industry codes mapping file ================================================================================= Section 3. Series file, data file, and mapping file definitions and relationships ================================================================================= The flat files are organized such that data users are provided with the following set of files to use in their efforts to interpret data files: a) a series file (only one series file per survey) b) mapping files c) a data file The series file contains a set of attribute codes which, together, serve to uniquely identify a single time series. The series file also contains the following series-level information: a) series title b) characteristics of the series corresponding to values in the mapping files c) the period and year corresponding to the first data observation in the data file d) the period and year corresponding to the most recent data observation The attribute mapping files are definition files that contain explanatory text descriptions that correspond to each of the various attributes associated with the database and referenced in the series file. The data file contains one line of data for each observation period pertaining to a specific time series. Each line contains a reference to the following: a) a series identification code b) year in which data are observed c) period for which data are observed (A01 indicates annual estimate) d) value e) footnote code (if available) All data series in the kx database are yearly estimates that are collected for a single month, typically August. ================================================================================= Section 4. Series file format and field definitions ================================================================================= Series File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used in the kx.series file. Note that the Field Numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by spaces; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. Field #/Data Element Length Value (Example) 1. series_id 19 KXU0100000000000094 2. seasonal 1 U 3. footnote_codes 1 (blank) 4. lfst_code 2 01 5. series_title 250 Civilian noninstitutional population - 16 years and over, 50 to 52 weeks, Worked during the year 6. ages_code 3 001 7. clas_code 2 00 8. educ_code 2 00 9. fknd_code 2 00 10. fnlf_code 2 00 11. fpov_code 2 00 12. ftyp_code 2 00 13. hnum_code 2 00 14. hrwk_code 2 00 15. indy_code 2 00 16. lcow_code 2 00 17. lern_code 2 00 18. lfst_code 2 00 19. orig_code 2 00 20. pcts_code 2 00 21. ppov_code 2 00 22. prel_code 2 00 23. prsn_code 2 00 24. ptyp_code 2 00 25. race_code 2 00 26. sexs_code 1 0 27. splu_code 2 00 28. tdat_code 2 00 29. wklf_code 2 03 30. wkun_code 2 00 31. wkwk_code 2 02 32. xocc_code 2 0000 33. begin_year 4 2010 34. begin_period 3 A01 35. end_year 4 2025 36. end_period 3 A01 The series_id (KXU0100000000000094) can be broken out into: Code Value survey abbreviation = KX seasonal (code) = U last 16 unique = 0100000000000094 All data series in the kx database are yearly estimates that are collected for a single month, typically August, and are not adjusted for seasonal variation (seasonal code = U, unadjusted for all series). Note that the series_id code cannot be decoded into meaningful components. The kx database has too many attributes to assign each position of the series_id code to a specific attribute value. You must use the kx.series file (which includes descriptive titles) to determine the attributes that define a specific series. ================================================================================== Section 5. Data file format and field definitions ================================================================================== Data File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define the data file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by spaces; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. The kx data file is one file: kx.data.1.AllData The data file contains one line of data for each observation period pertaining to a specific time series. Each line contains a reference to the following: a) a series identification code b) year in which data are observed c) period for which data are observed (A01 indicates annual estimate) d) value e) footnote code (if available) Field #/Data Element Length Value (Example) 1. series_id 19 KXU0100000000000094 2. year 4 2025 3. period 3 A01 4. value 12 148635 5. footnote_code 1 (blank) ================================================================================ Section 6. Mapping file formats and field definitions ================================================================================ Mapping File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define each mapping file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Mapping files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. File Name: kx.ages Attribute mapping file identifying age all kx database series refer to people 18 years and over Field #/Data Element Length Value (Example) 1. ages_code 2 01 2. ages_text 100 18 years and over File Name: kx.educ 1. educ_code 2 01 2. educ_text 100 Less than a high school diploma File Name: kx.fknd 1. fknd_code 2 01 2. fknd_text 100 Married-couple families File Name: kx.fnlf 1. fnlf_code 2 01 2. fnlf_text 100 With only 1 family member in labor force File Name: kx.fpov 1. fpov_code 2 01 2. fpov_text 100 Family below poverty level File Name: kx.ftyp 1. ftyp_code 2 01 2. ftyp_text 100 Primary family File Name: kx.hnum 1. hnum_code 2 01 2. hnum_text 100 One person in household File Name: kx.hrwk 1. hrwk_code 2 01 2. hrwk_text 100 Usual full-time workers (Usually worked 35 hours or more per week ) File Name: kx.lcow 1. lcow_code 2 01 2. lcow_text 100 Wage and salary workers File Name: kx.lern 1. lern_code 2 01 2. lern_text 100 No low earner File Name: kx.lfst 1. lfst_code 2 01 2. lfst_text 100 Civilian noninstitutional population File Name: kx.orig 1. orig_code 2 01 2. orig_text 100 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity File Name: kx.pcts 1. pcts_code 2 01 2. pcts_text 100 Percent of the population File Name: kx.ppov 1. ppov_code 2 01 2. ppov_text 100 Below poverty level File Name: kx.prel 1. prel_code 2 01 2. prel_text 100 Husband File Name: kx.prsn 1. prsn_code 2 01 2. prsn_text 100 Involuntary part-time workers File Name: kx.ptyp 1. ptyp_code 2 06 2. ptyp_text 100 Related family File Name: kx.race 1. race_code 2 01 2. race_text 100 White File Name: kx.sexs 1. sexs_code 1 1 2. sexs_text 100 Men File Name: kx.splu 1. splu_code 2 02 2. splu_text 100 With 2 spells or more of unemployment File Name: kx.tdat 1. tdat_code 2 01 2. tdat_text 100 Percent or rate File Name: kx.wklf 1. wklf_code 2 01 2. wklf_text 100 Total who worked or looked for work (with labor force activity) File Name: kx.wkun 1. wkun_code 2 01 2. wkun_text 100 Looked for work File Name: kx.wkwk 1. wkwk_code 2 01 2. wkwk_text 100 Did not work during the year File Name: kx.xocc (You confirmed length = 4) 1. xocc_code 4 0001 2. xocc_text 100 Management, professional, and related occupations