Federal Reserve Economic Data

Workers leave employment largely for two reasons: forced layoffs and voluntary quits.

In the past, the FRED Blog has used JOLTS business survey data from the BLS to analyze these flows. In May, FRED added another set of related household survey data compiled by Kathrin Ellieroth and Amanda Michaud (E-M), which provides a complementary perspective.

Our FRED graph above shows employee layoffs (blue lines) and quits (orange lines) from both these sources. It displays data since January 2016 for readability, but the datasets go back farther than that.

• JOLTS data are the dashed lines.
• E-M data are the solid lines.

Here’s an important distinction: The JOLTS data include employer-to-employer transitions, when workers move from one job to another without being unemployed in between. The E-M data include quits and layoffs that result in non-employment. One key difference is that the E-M data allow for observing where people will go following a layoff or quit: unemployment or non-participation. This can help researchers explain labor supply decisions of individuals and their contribution to unemployment.

How this graph was created: Search FRED for and select “Monthly Transition Rate of All U.S. Workers From Employment to Non-Employment Due to a Layoff” (from the E-M dataset). In the “Edit Graph” panel, use the “Add Line” tab to search for and select the other three series: “Monthly Transition Rate of All U.S. Workers From Employment to Non-Employment Due to a Quit” (also from the E-M dataset) and “Layoffs and Discharges: Total Nonfarm” and “Quits: Total Nonfarm” (from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics). Be sure to click “Add data series” each time. Finally, use the “Format” tab to change line colors and textures.

Suggested by Diego Mendez-Carbajo, Kathrin Ellieroth, and Amanda Michaud.

The FRED Blog has used county-level data to show where poverty is more prevalent in the US. Today, we use FRED’s recent addition of Census data to discuss the types of families more likely to experience poverty.

The FRED graph above shows the percent of families living below the poverty threshold, sorted into three categories, from lowest poverty to highest poverty: married-couple families (blue line), single-parent families with a male householder (red line), and single-parent families with a female householder (green line).

The data show stark differences in the poverty status of US families. Single-parent households can be between 3 and 6 times more likely to experience poverty than households where both parents are present. This can be explained by the potential ability of married-couple families to combine their two incomes and share childcare responsibilities, which are a handicap to steady participation in the labor market.

The graph also shows clear gender differences among single-parent households living below the poverty threshold. Female single parents are 2 times more likely to experience poverty than male single parents. This can be explained by gender gaps in labor force participation rates, occupations and income, and sharing of childcare responsibilities.

To learn more about this topic, read the US Census report “Poverty in the United States: 2022” by Emily A. Shrider and John Creamer.

How this graph was created: Search FRED for and select “Poverty Status of Families by Type of Family: Married-Couple Families With Children Under 18 Years, Below Poverty Threshold.” From the “Edit Graph” panel, use the “Add Line” tab to search for and select “Poverty Status of Families by Type of Family: Families With a Male Householder, No Spouse Present, With Children Under 18 Years, Below Poverty Threshold.” Repeat the last step to add ”Poverty Status of Families by Type of Family: Families With a Female Householder, No Spouse Present, With Children Under 18 Years, Below Poverty Threshold.”

Suggested by Diego Mendez-Carbajo.