1994-present, CPS: derived from wage, weekpay, phersul1, otcamt, otrec, peernhro
Covers only hourly workers who report hourly rate of pay
Includes nonhourly workers whose usual hours vary
Adjustments for top-coding, trimming of outliers
Includes overtime, tips, commissions for nonhourly and hourly
Dollars per hour, for hourly and nonhourly workers
Derived from weekpay_noadj and tc_weekpay
Original top-code: 1973-88: 999; 1986-97: 1923; 1998-: 2884.61
Separate imputations for men and women
Original top-code values replaced with Pareto-distribution implied mean above top-code
Includes overtime, tips, commissions
Dollars per week for nonhourly and hourly workers
Same as hoursu1, except for those whose usual hours vary at main job
Only available 1994-present ORG
1994-present: CPS pwfmwgt
1984-1993: Unicon famwgt
Family weight, based on head of family
1994-present: CPS hwhhwgt
1989-1993: Unicon hhwgt
Household weight, based on head of household
1979-1993 Unicon: ernwgt
1994-present CPS: pworwgt
To obtain approximate US population with full year of data,  divide orgwgt by 12
Sum to civilian, non-institutional population in each month
Only for information collected only in ORG
1998-present: cmpwgt
1973-1997: finalwgt
Used by EPI for most labor force statistics
Combination of finalwgt and pwcmpwgt, but defined only for age > 16
Sum to civilian, non-institutional population age > 16 in each month
1998-present CPS: pwcmpwgt
Use to replicate BLS statistics
Available only 1998-present
1994-present CPS: pwsswgt
1976-1993 Unicon: wgt
1973-1981 Unicon May: wgtfnl
1994-present: CPS prfamtyp
1984-1993: Unicon famtyp
Type of family
1994-present: CPS hrhtype
1984-1993: Unicon hhtype
Type of household
1994-present CPS: puslfprx
Only available 1994 - present
Labor force information collected by self or proxy
1998-present: CPS occurnum
Person ID unique within year, month, hhid
1994-present: CPS famnum
1984-1993: Unicon famnum
Family ID unique within year X month X hhid
1998-present: CPS qstnum
1994-1997: derived from year month statefips hrhhid huhhnum hrsample hrsersuf
1984-1993: derived from year month hrhhid
Household ID unique within year and month
Used for joining EPI extracts to Unicon data
1973-1993: Unicon: recnum
Used for joining EPI extracts to BLS/Census raw data
1994-present: CPS pulineno
1973-1993: Unicon lineno
1994-2004m4: CPS household number
1994-2004m4: CPS household serial suffix
1994-2004m4: CPS household sample
2004m5-present: CPS household identifier, part 2
1994-present CPS: hrhhid
1973-1993 Unicon: hhid
1994 - present March CPS: h_mis
1994 - present Basic/ORG CPS: hrmis
1973 - 1993 Unicon: hrmis
Generated from file date
1978-1993, derived from Unicon state census code: state
1994-present, CPS: gestfips
1978-1993, Unicon: state
1994-present, derived from CPS state FIPS code: gestfips
derived from statefips
1995m9-2004m4, CPS: geco
2004m5-present, CPS: gtco
Not consistent over time
2004m5-present, CPS: gtcbsa
1973-1976 May Unicon: citystat
1977-1981 May Unicon: citystat
1976-1993 Basic Unicon: metstat
1994-1995m5, 1995m9-2004m4 CPS: gemetsta
2004m5-present CPS: gtmetsta
Missing for all observations during 1995m6-1995m8
Based on SMSA central city/noncentral status for May 1973-1981
2004m5-present CPS: gtcbsasz
1976-1993 Unicon: age
1994-2012 CPS: peage
2013-present CPS: prtage
top-coded at 80 for consistency across years
1976-1981 range 14-80
1982-present range 0-80
1976-1993 Unicon: sex
1994-present CPS: pesex
Definition breaks in 1994, 2003, 2014
not Hispanic includes nonresponse, missing, etc., in order to be consistent with other race variables like wbho
1973-1993 Unicon: spneth
1994-2002 CPS: prorigin
2003-present CPS: prdthsp
Racial and ethnic categories are mutually exclusive
Definition breaks in 1989, 1996, 2003, 2012m5, 2014
Major recoding of race variable in 2003
From 2003, black includes all respondents listing black; other  includes all respondents listing non-white or non-black races, except  those also listing black
1973-present: Hispanic definition from variable hispanic
1973-1993 Unicon: race
1994-2002 CPS: perace
2003-present CPS: ptdtrace
Asians include Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders
Available 1989-present; definition changes in 1996, 2003, 2012m5, 2014
1989-present: Hispanic definition from variable hispanic
1989-1993 Unicon: race
Available 2003-present; definition changes in 2012m5, 2014
Hispanic definition from variable hispanic
From 2003, black, white, and other exclude all respondents  listing more than one race, except AI-Asian, AI-HP, Asian-HP, which  are included in other
minimally recoded original race variable on file (mostly reordering)
Coding changes in 1989, 1996, 2003, 2012m5
1994-present CPS: prcitshp
1994 - present: derived from citistat
1973-1993 May/Basic: marstat
1994-present Basic: prmarsta
universe restricted to men before 1989
Significant question change in 2005m8
1973-1993 Unicon: vet
1994-2005m7 CPS: peafwhen
2005m8-present CPS: peafever, peafwhn1
Only available 1973-1991
1973-1991 Unicon: grdcom
1973-1991 Unicon: grdhi
Only available 1992-present
1992-1993 Unicon: grdatn
1994-present CPS: peeduca
1973-1991 Unicon: grdhi, grdcom
1994-present CPS: derived from peeduca
1973-1993 Unicon: mlr
1994-present CPS: pemlr
Derived from lfstat = 1
Universe: lfstat!=.
1994-present CPS: premphrs
Derived from lfstat = 2
Derived from lfstat = 3
Available 1993-present
1983-2012 universe: ages 16-24
2013-present universe: ages 16-54
1984-1993 Unicon: schenr
1994-present CPS: peschenr
Available 1994-present
1994-present CPS: puiodp1
1994-present CPS: peabsrsn
1994-present CPS: pruntype
Unincorporated self-employed only
1994-present CPS: peio1cow
1994-present: For first job
1976-1993 Unicon Basic: class
1973-1981 Unicon May: class4
Universe: Class of worker assigned (not necessarily employed)
Different definitions/universes: 1973-1988, 1989-1993, 1994-present
Incorporated self-employed only
1989-1993 Unicon: derived from class
Different definitions/universes: 1989-1993, 1994-present
1994-present CPS: peio2cow
Only available 1994-present
Universe = employed or unemployed
1994-present CPS: pemjot
Universe = employed for one job, labor force for 2+ numjobs
Top-code: 4 = four or more jobs
1994-present CPS: pemjnum
Only available in 1973-1981 May, 1983-present ORG
Not available in 1982
1973-1981 Unicon: unmem
1983-1993 Unicon: unmem
1994-present CPS: peernlab
Defined for non-members of unions
Only available in 1977-1981 May, 1983-present ORG
Not available on 1976-1983 basic monthly files
Not available prior to 1977 or in 1982
1977-1981 Unicon: uncov
1983-1993 Unicon: uncov
1994-present CPS: peerncov
Not defined when union coverage is missing
Derived from unmem and uncov
Different definitions/universes CPS Basic: 1976-1988, 1989-1993, 1994-present
Different definitions/universes CPS May: 1973-1981
1994-present: For first job only
Different definitions/universes in 1989-1993, 1994-present
1989-1993 Unicon: class
Only available since 1994
Top-code inconsistent across time
Top-code 1994-2011m3: 999; 2011m4-present: 119
1994-present CPS: prunedur
Top-code 1976-1993: 99; 1994-2011m3: 999; 2011m4-present: 119
Definition/universe changes: 1973-1988, 1989-1993, 1994-present
1973-1993 Unicon: wksun
1994-present CPS: pelkdur
Only available 1989-present
Definition/universe change 1989-1993, 1994-present
1989-1993 Unicon: dscwk
1994-present CPS: prdisc
Universe = those usually FT or usually PT
1989-1993 Unicon: wkstat
1994-present CPS: prwkstat
Indicates respondent is paid by hour
Only available in 1973-1978 May and 1979-present ORG
1973-1978 Unicon: hourpd
1979-1993 Unicon: _ernpdh
1994-present CPS: peernhry
1994-present CPS: pehrusl1
1994-present CPS: pehrusl2
1994-present CPS: pehruslt
1994-present CPS: pehract1
1994-present CPS: pehract2
Universe/definition changes 1973-1988, 1989-1993, 1994-present
Top-coding inconsistent across time
Top-code 1973-1993: 99
Top-code 1994-present: 198
1973-1993 Unicon: hours
1994-present CPS: pehractt
Only available for May supplement
1973-1981 Unicon: wkhrswk
Only available for the ORG sample
Definition break in 1994
1979-1993 Unicon: ernush
1994-present CPS: peernhro and hoursu1
1994-present CPS: pehrusl1==-4
1994-present CPS: prhrusl
Industry classification for 1973-1982
1973-1982 Unicon: ind
Industry classification for 1983-1991
1983-1991 Unicon: ind
Industry classification for 1992-2002
1992-1993 Unicon: ind
1994-2002 CPS: peio1icd
Industry classification for 2003-2008
2003-2008 CPS: peio1icd
Industry classification for 2009-2013
2009-2013 CPS: peio1icd
Industry classification for 2014-2019
2014-2019 CPS: peio1icd
Industry classification for 2020-present
2020-present CPS: peio1icd
Major industry classification, consistent for 1973-present
1973-1982: ind70
1983-1991: ind80
1992-2002: ind90
2003-2008: ind02
2009-2013: ind07
2014-2019: ind12
2020-present: ind17
Manufacturing industry classification, consistent for 1973-present
derived from mind16 == 3 | mind16 == 4
Detailed industry recode by Census, consistent for 2003-present
Industry codes from primary job
2003-present: prdtind1
Major industry recode by Census, consistent for 2003-present
2003-present: prmjind1
Occupation classification for 1973-1982
1973-1982 Unicon: occ
Occupation classification for 1983-1991
1983-1991 Unicon: occ
Occupation classification for 1992-2002
1992-1993 Unicon: occ
1994-2002 CPS: peio1ocd
Occupation classification for 2003-2010m12
2003-2010m12 CPS: peio1ocd
Occupation classification for 2011m1-2019m12
2011m1-2019m12 CPS: peio1ocd
Occupation classification for 2020m1-present
2020m1-present CPS: peio1ocd
Major occupation classification, consistent for 1973-present
1973-1982: occ70
1983-1991: occ80
1992-2002: occ90
2003-2010m12: occ00
2011m1-2019m12: occ10
2020m1-present: occ18
Major occupation recode by Census, consistent for 2003-present
Occupation codes from primary job
2003-present: prmjocc1
Detailed occupation recode by Census, consistent for 2003-present
2003-present: prdtocc1
Top-code: 1973-88: 999; 1989-97: 1923; 1998-: 2884.61
Some records in 1986-1988 may have earnings 999-1932
1973-1978 Unicon: wkusern
1979-1988 Unicon: ernwkc
1986-1988 Unicon, ernwk4x for ernwkc > 999
1989-1993 Unicon, ernwk
1994-present CPS: prernwa
Top-code for weekpay: 1973-88: 999; 1989-97: 1923; 1998-: 2884.61
Allocation coding inconsistent across time
No allocation codes available during 1994m1-1995m8
Dollars per hour
For hourly workers only; excludes overtime, tips, commissions
Top-code 1973-84: 99.99
Top-code 1985-2002, < 20 usual hours: 99.99
Top-code 1985-2002, 20+ usual hours: 1923.07/(usual hours)
Top-code 2003-present, < 29 usual hours: 99.99
Top-code 2003-present, 29+ usual hours: 2885.07/(usual hours)
1973-1993 Unicon: hourern,ernhr
1994-present CPS: prernhly
Hourly workers only
1994-present CPS: derived from peernuot & paidhre
1994-present, CPS: derived from peern, otcrec
Dollars per hour, for hourly & nonhourly workers
Approximates NBER's recommended wage variable
Includes overtime, tips, commissions for nonhourly
Excludes overtime, tips, commissions for hourly
No adjustments for top-coding, no trimming of outliers
Excludes nonhourly workers whose usual hours vary
1994-present, CPS: derived from wage_noadj, weekpay_noadj, hoursu1, otcamt, otrec, peernhro
Categories 13-15 differ after 2003m9
1989-1993: Unicon faminc
1994-2009: CPS hufaminc
2010-present: CPS hefaminc
Universe: family reference person or spouse
1984m1-1984m4: topcode=4
1984m5-1993: topcode=8
1984-1993 Unicon: pfnocd
1999m11-present CPS: prnmchld
Census recode of family relationship
1994-present CPS: prfamrel
Available 1999m11-present
1999m11-present CPS: prchld
Adjustments for weekly earnings top-coding, trimming of outliers