# Error in data description page of empstat? **URL:** \ **Category:** CPS\ **Created:** [November 5, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/error-in-data-description-page-of-empstat/1998 "2017-11-05T19:09:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![IPUMSproject](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a87d85/32.png) [@IPUMSproject](https://forum.ipums.org/u/IPUMSproject)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/error-in-data-description-page-of-empstat/1998/1 "2017-11-05T19:09:00Z")
I think I might have found another error at IPUMS-CPS. According to data description page (screenshot: [http://prntscr.com/h6lrmi](http://prntscr.com/h6lrmi)), the variable “empstat” is either 21 or 22 for years like 76,77,78… “An ‘X’ indicates the category is available for that sample” However, when I actually look at the data, they are 20. So, if I do keep if empstat==21 | empstat==22 then only data from 1989 are left. Could you please if this is an error? If it’s not an error, please tell me what I am thinking wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Michelle\_Pratt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/michelle_pratt/32/194_2.png) [@Michelle\_Pratt](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Michelle_Pratt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/error-in-data-description-page-of-empstat/1998/2 "2017-11-06T22:13:00Z")
I do not believe what you are seeing is an error. In 1984 and from 1989 - 1993, EMPSTAT can take on a value of 20 ("“unemployed”). In those years, as well as all other years, EMPSTAT can take on a value of 21 or 22, in which a separate CPS variable specifying whether an unemployed person had worked before or was looking for a first job was used to distinguish between “experienced” and “inexperienced” unemployed persons in IPUMS-CPS. From your most recent extract, it looks like your data are in line with this description.