Locating HR-Related Data
The resources on this page will help you locate data for your group projects, and will also be useful for both HR-related assignments in this and any other class, or in the future.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the premier government resource for employment and labor-related data. Below are links to a number of data sets that will be useful for this assignment, but this is just a starting point.
- Bureau of Labor StatisticsGeneral BLS data landing page
- JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey)The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) is a monthly survey that has been developed to address the need for data on job openings, hires, and separations. “JOLTS collects data on Total Employment, Job Openings, Hires, Quits, Layoffs & Discharges, and Other Separations. For more information on the JOLTS data elements, see the JOLTS data definitions page.”
- Pay, Benefit, and Compensation DataThe BLS provides quite a bit of data on pay and compensation. The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) may be of particular interest.
Hiring Outcomes and Salary Information
Federal, state, and local governments are required to make certain data available. In some cases, this includes hiring and job-related data. While this type of data can be very difficult to find from private companies, government data can be just as insightful and a useful proxy for this type of private company data as well.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list. These are just examples of the types of government hiring data available. Data may be available for other states and municipalities.
- Federal Hiring Assessments and Selection Outcome DatasetAn Excel export of combined USA Staffing, Monster, Aviator (FAA) Hiring Assessment and Selection Outcome Data from the 24 CFO Act agencies. Make sure to download the data dictionary!
Note: This is currently a link to a Box folder, because the data.gov link is currently not funtioning. - NY State Salary Information for State Authorities"Public authorities are required by Section 2800 of Public Authorities Law to submit annual reports to the Authorities Budget Office that include salary and compensation data. The dataset consists of salary data by employee reported by State Authorities that covers 8 fiscal years, which includes fiscal years ending in the most recently completed calendar year."
- New Jersey - YourMoney Agency Payroll"This dataset contains data for State employees paid through the Centralized Payroll System. The data reflects payroll payments made to the employee for the calendar year through the date indicated."
- Louisville Metro KY - HR Requisition LogFrom Louisville Open Data: A database listing all job requisitions for Metro Government positions handled by the Human Resources Recruitment Division, including current status. This dataset does not include salary info, but it does indicate whether positions are union or non-union.
What is data.census.gov?
data.census.gov is the US Census Bureau's new website to distribute and make available census and survey data. It was launched in 2019 as a replacement for American Factfinder. It is a searchable database of data tables and maps containing information from the following census and survey tools.
- The Decennial Census (2010)
- The American Community Survey (2010-current)
- The Economic Census (since 2012)
- All ACS data, including 2005 to 2009 data, are available in the Census Data API
For a complete list, visit data.census.gov's FAQ page. From that page, click on "data.census.gov" -> "Data available" -> "What data are available in data.census.gov?"
Census Bureau
In addition to the Decennial Census, the U.S. Census Bureau produces the American Community Survey and a number of other related data products.
- U.S. Census BureauThe Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.
- Longitudinal Employer-Household DynamicsLEHD is one of the best Census products for HR-related data. The Job-to-Job Flows are particularly useful.
Employment Discrimination
The EEOC makes public a wealth of employment discrimination-related data.
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) StatisticsFeaturing enforcement and litigation, employment, and Census data, as well as special reports.
Occupational Health and Safety Data
OSHA is the best resource for occupational health and safety-related data.
- Establishment Specific Injury and Illness Data (Injury Tracking Application)Because of FOIA, OSHA has begun to publish establishment-level injury data, dating back to 2016.
Other Sources for HR-Related Data
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)The website of this major U.S. association for HR practitioners provides a wealth of information for its members and for the public. Additional electronic content is available at the ILR Library. Please ask for assistance at the ILR Reference Desk.
- ERI Salary AccessorERI's Salary Accessor allows you to search by occupation, size of company, years of experience, and location. One user at a time. Must be logged in on a library computer by Catherwood staff. Please ask for assistance at the reference desk.