March 2009
Calculating the Number and Percent of Workers in Your State by
Establishment Size
Policy proposals for paid time-off programs often include an exemption for small
businesses. (There are notable exceptions, to these policy proposals. For example, the
policy that voters enacted in San Francisco in November 2006 affects all employers, with
workers in smaller firms earning up to five days a year, and those in firms with 10 or
more workers having a maximum of nine days.). Passing legislation that affects smaller
businesses is often more difficult, because smaller businesses are more likely to claim
that instituting such policies is a financial or practical burden for their organizations.i
Because low-wage workers are concentrated in smaller firms, however, those workers
will be disproportionately excluded by a policy that does not cover small businesses.
This guide will help you determine how many workers in your state are employed by
establishment size.ii
Step 1. If you have
DataFerret installed in your
computer go to “Step 4.”
Otherwise, access the
Current Population web site
http://www.census.gov/cps/
Click the DataFerret link on
the upper left hand side.
After you click that link,
you will be redirected to
another screen.
Step 2. In the right hand
side bar click
“Download_ DataFerret.”
A dialogue window will
ask if you want to run or
save the application install
file. Click “Save.” Select
the directory where you
would like the application
to reside. Click “Save”
again.
Step 3. When the
download of the install
application file is complete,
select the “Run” button and
follow the Install Shield
Wizard prompts to install
DataFerret on your
computer.
Once you have downloaded
the software, a new
DataFerret icon will appear
on your desktop.
Step 4. Click on the
DataFerret icon to open the
program.
DataFerret will ask your email address to log on.
Type in your e-mail
address and click “Get
Data Now.”
Step 5. Open the “STEP 1:
Select Dataset and
Variable” tab and select the
Current Population Survey
data set.
Once you have selected the
CPS click the “+” box and
look up the most recent
“March Supplement.”
When you select the year
you are interested in, a
small window will appear.
Click “View Variables.”
Step 6. After you click
“View Variables,” a list of
topics will come into view
beside the dataset bar.
Click “Select All Topics”
and then click “Search
Variables” to begin search.
Step 7. Search your
variables. You can either
scroll down to locate the
variables or type their name
up at the search bar. When
typing variables names at
the search bar select:
“Variables”, “Labels”, and
“Names.” To select
multiple variables at the
same time use the “Ctrl”
key.
Hint: Use “Deselect all values” button if all categories are selected and you are interested
in selecting only one
Variables you will need:
1. A_CLSWKR: for information on the class of worker, (e.g. Private Sector, Federal
Government, Armed Forces). Check the “Select” box and choose the following
categories: Private, State Government, and Local Government.1
2. GESTFIPS: for geographical information. The minimum unit of analysis is at the state
level. Check the “Select” box, and choose your state.
3. NOEMP: for information on the total number of persons who work for an employer.
Select all categories except NOT IN UNIVERSE.
4. A_LFSR: for information on the labor force status of the population. Select
“Working” and “W/job, not at work”2
1
Federal workers have paid sick days.
5. A_AGE: to restrict the sample for people aged 18 to 85. When you select the age
variable, check the “Select” box and change the age range in the first box from zero to
18.
Note: “Step 7” and “Step 8.” will be repeated for each variable if only a single variable
is selected.
These variables are being selected and downloaded to support the calculation of the
number of workers in your state that are employed by establishment size. You may
choose to supplement this analysis by selecting the wealth of other data available in
DataFerret. For example, you could choose to delineate the analysis by a demographic
characteristic such as sex. In this case, select the additional sex variable (A_SEX) and
choose the gender of your choice.
Step 8. After you have selected
your variables click the button
“Browse/Select Highlighted
Variables.” A window with the
variable specific breakdown
or/and categories will come up.
Select the categories you need
information on, and then click
“OK” to add the variables at
your “Data Basket.”
Step 9. After you have
completed adding the variables
to the “Data Basket”, open the
“STEP 2:
Databasket/Download/Make a
Table ” tab. In this screen you
will find a list of your
variables.
Once you have all variables
needed click on the “Make a
Table” button. When you click
this button, DataFerret uses
the appropriate weighting for
your tables.
2
Denotes employed people that missed work on the survey week due to illness, vacation, leave or
disability, but are actually employed. You need to use the total “Working” and “W/job, not at work” to
estimate the number of workers in your state by establishment size.
Step 10. Now you have to drag
the variables to the
spreadsheet.
First drag the GESTFIPS
variable to the R1, C1 cell.
Drag A_LFSR to R1, C3 (If
you want to include the sex
variable, drag it to the same
cell (R1, C3). Drag A_SEX
before dragging A_LFSR)
Then drag the A_CLSWKR
variable to R4, C1. Finally,
drag the NOEMP variable to
the R5, C2 cell.
You do not need to drag the
A_AGE variable; the sample will be restricted to the age range (18 to 85) that you
selected when you added A_AGE. After you have completed dragging the variables click
the bright-green “Go Get Data” button.
Step 11. Congratulations! You
have extracted the number of
workers in your state by
establishment size.
Select your table, go to “Edit”
in the menu bar and select
“Copy.” Open a new excel
spreadsheet and paste your
table (Hint: you can use “Ctrl
+V”). Save your excel file for
future reference.
Step 12. Open the Excel Spreadsheet titled “3. Number Workers by Firm Size” in this
tool’s Excel workbook.
Copy the information on the total number of workers employed in the private sector by
establishment size into the highlighted cells in Column B.
Formulas in Column C will automatically calculate the percent of your state’s workers
who are employed in each size of establishment, and Column D will show the cumulative
total. (That is, for each establishment size, Column D will display the total percent of
workers employed in establishments of that size or smaller.)
For example, let’s take a look at the data for Minnesota.
Based on this table, you would find that a proposal for Minnesota limited to firms with 25
or more workers would exclude 36 percent of all workers and include (100 percent – 36
percent ) 64 percent of all workers.
Reference: DataFerrett includes a helpful tutorial which can be used as a complement to
this guide and to learn more about the numerous features of the tool. The tool is accessed
at http://www.thedataweb.org/support/DataFerrettTutorial/index.html.
This tool was prepared by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. This work was
carried out with support from the Ford Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) is a public policy research organization
dedicated to informing and stimulating the debate on public policy issues of critical importance to
women and their families. The Institute works with policymakers, scholars, and public interest
groups around the country to design, execute, and disseminate research that illuminates economic
and social policy issues affecting women and families, and to build a network of individuals and
organizations that conduct and use women-oriented policy research. IWPR’s work is supported
by foundation grants, government grants and contracts, donations from individuals, and
contributions from organizations and corporations. Members and affiliates of IWPR’s
Information Network receive reports and information on a regular basis. IWPR is a 501(c)(3) taxexempt organization.
i
For example, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 is only applicable to establishments with
50 or more workers.
ii
To be precise, you will analyze the percent of workers by size of establishment, not by size of firm. An
establishment is a single physical location of a company; a firm comprises all of a company’s
establishments. Data are not available at the level of firms, only by establishment.