# Issues with 2008 ACS employment variable ESR

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/issues-with-2008-acs-employment-variable-esr/4336>\
**Category:** USA\
**Created:** [October 5, 2021, 3:48am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/issues-with-2008-acs-employment-variable-esr/4336 "2021-10-05T03:48:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Evan\_Kim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Kim](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Evan_Kim)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 3:48am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/issues-with-2008-acs-employment-variable-esr/4336/1 "2021-10-05T03:48:04Z")

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Hi there, first-time poster. I am having issues recreating the FRED all employees, total nonfarm graph (variable name PAYEMS) for years 2005-2019 using the ACS 1-year estimates. I am getting an overinflated employment number for the year 2008 as shown by the graph below:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/ipums/original/1X/643f81395d4e7604d0e1e9f70c3b5386acdf8871.png)

I read that the employment questions on the ACS changed in 2008, and that comparing 2008 ACS estimates for employment is not advised.

[census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/comparing-acs-data/2008](http://census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/comparing-acs-data/2008)

[census.gov/library/working-papers/2007/acs/2007\_Holder\_01](http://census.gov/library/working-papers/2007/acs/2007_Holder_01)

How would I recover the correct employment number for 2008? If this is not possible, how should I treat 2008 going forward?

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**Author:** ![Evan\_Kim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Kim](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Evan_Kim)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/issues-with-2008-acs-employment-variable-esr/4336/2 "2021-10-07T05:24:06Z")

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Bumping this post

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**Author:** ![Grace\_Cooper](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/grace_cooper/32/376_2.png) [@Grace\_Cooper](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Grace_Cooper)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/issues-with-2008-acs-employment-variable-esr/4336/3 "2021-10-07T20:18:59Z")

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It may not be possible to create a consistent graph of unemployment estimates using the ACS 1-year files for the time period you are interested in (2005 - 2019). As you noted, there are comparability issues between 2007-earlier and 2008-later employment estimates, due to changes to the survey questionnaire implemented by the Census Bureau in 2008 (this is noted on the [comparability tab for EMPSTAT (USA)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/EMPSTAT#comparability_section)). You might consider using employment information from the Current Population Survey ([IPUMS CPS](https://cps.ipums.org/cps/index.shtml)) as an alternative or to adjust pre-2008 estimates; there are no [comparability issues for EMPSTAT (CPS)](https://cps.ipums.org/cps-action/variables/EMPSTAT#comparability_section) from 2005 to 2019.