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The Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly sample survey involving about 60,000 households that provides valuable data on (un)employment in the United States. The Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements supplement focuses on individuals whose primary jobs are temporary or expected to last only a limited period of time as well as those with alternative employment arrangements (i.e., working as independent contractors, as on-call workers, through temporary help agencies, or through contract firms). Questions were asked about the two types of employment, contingent and alternative, separately as some individuals fell into both categories, some in one but not the other, and some in neither.

This data collection includes variables related to occupation and industry, enabling data users to identify individuals working in arts- and culture-related fields. These occupations fall under categories such as leisure, hospitality, and agriculture, as well as related industries like arts, entertainment, recreation, design, sports, and media. This encompasses professions such as artists, architects, designers, actors, musicians, and writers. Jobs in some of these occupations are especially likely to be categorized as contingent or alternative, so this information is necessary to fully understand the employment experiences of those in art- and culture-related fields.

Before July 2023, data on contingent and alternative employment arrangements were collected periodically from February 1995 to May 2017. The concepts and definitions used in the supplement are detailed in the Technical Note in the BLS news release. For more information, see the FAQs on contingent and alternative employment arrangements.

NADAC data users should note that this data collection contains data on arts-related occupations. Please read the summary below for details.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey on the topic of Contingent Employment in the United States, which was administered as a supplement to the February 2017 CPS. In addition to administering the basic CPS, interviewers asked the supplementary questions in three-fourths of the sample households.

The CPS, administered monthly, is a labor force survey providing current estimates of the economic status and activities of the population of the United States, for the week prior to the survey. Specifically, the CPS provides estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self- employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment.

The Contingent Work Supplement questions were asked of all applicable persons age 16 years and older. The supplement data is comprised of information on contingent or temporary work that a person did without expecting continuing employment from the particular employer they happened to be working for. Also included is information about each worker's expectation of continuing employment, satisfaction with their current employment arrangement, current job history, transition into the current employment arrangement, search for other employment, employee benefits, and earnings. The occupation and industry information variables in this data collection can help the data users identify individuals who worked in arts and culture related fields. The occupations are listed in categories like "Architecture and engineering occupations" and "Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations," which include professions such as artists, architects designers, actors, musicians, and writers. Industries related to the arts and culture are in the "Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation" category. The supplement questions were not asked of unpaid family workers and persons not looking for work (this includes persons not in the labor force and unemployed persons on layoff who are not looking for work). Demographic variables include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey on the topic of Contingent Employment in the United States, which was administered as a supplement to the February 2005 CPS. In addition to administering the basic CPS, interviewers asked the supplementary questions in three-fourths of the sample households.

The CPS, administered monthly, is a labor force survey providing current estimates of the economic status and activities of the population of the United States, for the week prior to the survey. Specifically, the CPS provides estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self- employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment.

The Contingent Work Supplement questions were asked of all applicable persons age 15 years and older. The supplement data is comprised of information on contingent or temporary work that a person did without expecting continuing employment from the particular employer they happened to be working for. Also included is information about each worker's expectation of continuing employment, satisfaction with their current employment arrangement, current job history, transition into the current employment arrangement, search for other employment, employee benefits, and earnings. The supplement questions were not asked of unpaid family workers and persons not looking for work (this includes persons not in the labor force and unemployed persons on layoff who are not looking for work).

Demographic variables include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey on the topic of Contingent Employment in the United States, which was administered as a supplement to the February 2001 CPS. In addition to administering the basic CPS, interviewers asked the supplementary questions in three-fourths of the sample households.

The CPS, administered monthly, is a labor force survey providing current estimates of the economic status and activities of the population of the United States, for the week prior to the survey. Specifically, the CPS provides estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment.

The Contingent Work Supplement questions were asked of all applicable persons age 15 years and older. The supplement data is comprised of information on contingent or temporary work that a person did without expecting continuing employment from the particular employer they happened to be working for. Also included is information about each worker's expectation of continuing employment, satisfaction with their current employment arrangement, current job history, transition into the current employment arrangement, search for other employment, employee benefits, and earnings. The supplement questions were not asked of unpaid family workers and persons not looking for work (this includes persons not in the labor force and unemployed persons on layoff who are not looking for work).

Demographic variables include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) for May 2004 and a supplement survey on the topic of Work Schedules and Working at Home.

The CPS, administered monthly, is a labor force survey providing current estimates of the economic status and activities of the population of the United States, for the week prior to the survey. Specifically, the CPS provides estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment.

The May 2004 supplemental survey queried respondents on their working hours and shift of work. Other questions asked about hours spent working at home and equipment used, temporary work done without expecting continuing employment from the employer, worker's expectation of continuing employment, satisfaction with their current employment arrangement, current job history, transition into the current employment arrangement, search for other employment, employee benefits, and earnings.

Demographic variables include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a supplemental survey on the topic of cell phone use in the United States, which was primarily administered in February 2004. An additional sample of respondents was given the supplemental survey with the November 2004 CPS.

The CPS, administered monthly, is a labor force survey providing current estimates of the economic status and activities of the population of the United States. Specifically, the CPS provides estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. The CPS is conducted in approximately 56,000-57,000 households.

The Cell Phone supplement contained household-level questions and provides data about household use of regular landline telephones and household use of cell phones. Respondents were specifically asked about the amount of cell phone usage, the number of landlines in the home, the different uses for the landlines (e.g., for computer lines or fax machines), how many members of the household had a working cell phone number, how many cell phones each member of the household had, whether the cell phones were answered by more than one household member, and the number of the calls the household received via cell phone.

Demographic variables include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) for May 2001 and a supplement survey on the topic of Work Schedules and Working at Home.

The CPS, administered monthly, is a labor force survey providing current estimates of the economic status and activities of the population of the United States, for the week prior to the survey. Specifically, the CPS provides estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment.

The May 2001 supplemental survey queried respondents on their working hours and shift of work. Other questions asked about hours spent working at home and equipment used, temporary work done without expecting continuing employment from the employer, worker's expectation of continuing employment, satisfaction with their current employment arrangement, current job history, transition into the current employment arrangement, search for other employment, employee benefits, and earnings.

Demographic variables include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, occupation, and income.