Labor Department Watchdog Probes BLS After Record Jobs Data Revision And Trump’s Ouster Of Commissioner

The Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General has opened a probe into how the Bureau of Labor Statistics collects and reports jobs and inflation data after record revisions to employment figures, according to CNBC. The investigation follows the Trump administration’s firing of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer in August, hours after a weak jobs report. The inspector general, a nonpolitical appointee, leads an office that operates independently and is currently headed by acting Deputy Inspector General Michael Mikulka. In a Wednesday letter, the watchdog said it is launching a review of the challenges the BLS faces in collecting and reporting economic data. The OIG launched the probe after the BLS reduced data collection for the consumer price index and producer price index. The move has raised concerns about the integrity of economic statistics relied upon by investors and policymakers, while Trump and allies argue the revisions show the data is unreliable.