The top of the company that compiles the intently watched month-to-month jobs report often toils in obscurity, however on Friday, the present holder of that job was loudly fired by the president of the USA.
Erika McEntarfer, a longtime authorities worker, bore the brunt of President Donald Trump’s unhappiness with Friday’s jobs report, which confirmed that hiring had slowed in July and was a lot much less in Might and June that beforehand estimated. He accused her with out proof of manipulating the job numbers and famous she was an appointee of President Joe Biden.
McEntarfer, a longtime authorities employee who had served as BLS head for a 12 months and a half, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark by The Related Press. However her predecessor overseeing the roles company, former co-workers and associates have denounced the firing, warning about its repercussions and saying McEntarfer was nonpolitical in her function.
Right here’s what to find out about Erika McEntarfer:
McEntarfer has a robust background on economics
McEntarfer, whose analysis focuses on job loss, retirement, employee mobility, and wage rigidity, had beforehand labored on the Census Bureau’s Heart for Financial Research, the Treasury Division’s Workplace of Tax Coverage and the White Home Council of Financial Advisers in a nonpolitical function.
She has a bachelor’s diploma in Social Science from Bard School and a doctoral diploma in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State College.
She was confirmed as BLS head on a bipartisan vote
McEntarfer was nominated in 2023 to function BLS head, and the Senate Committee on Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions really helpful that her nomination go to the complete Senate for a vote.
She was confirmed as BLS commissioner in January 2024 on a bipartisan 86-8 Senate vote. Among the many Republican senators who voted to verify her included then-Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who’s now Trump’s vp, and then-Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who’s now Trump’s secretary of state.
Earlier than her affirmation listening to, a gaggle referred to as the Associates of the BLS, made up of former commissioners who served in each Democratic and Republican administrations, members of statistical associations and credentialed economists, stated McEntarfer’s background made her an important selection for the job.
“The various causes to rapidly affirm Dr. McEntarfer as the brand new BLS Commissioner all boil all the way down to this: the company, like all the statistical system, is present process an intense, vital interval of change and Dr. McEntarfer’s wealth of analysis and statistical expertise have outfitted her to be the sturdy chief that BLS wants to fulfill these challenges,” Associates of the BLS wrote.
Her former associates and colleagues decry her firing
William Seashore, who was appointed BLS commissioner in 2019 by Trump and served till 2023 throughout President Joe Biden’s administration, referred to as McEntarfer’s firing “groundless” and stated in an X publish that it “units a harmful precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the Bureau.”
Former Labor Division chief economist Sarah J. Glynn, who obtained common briefings from McEntarfer about BLS findings, stated McEntarfer was beneficiant along with her time explaining what conclusions may or couldn’t be reached from the info.
If the info didn’t assist one thing an administration official was saying, McEntarfer would say so, Glynn stated. She additionally by no means weighed in on how the administration ought to current or interpret the info, Glynn stated — she would merely reply questions concerning the information.
“She had a sterling repute as somebody who is worried concerning the accuracy of the info and never somebody who places a political spin on her work,” Glynn stated.
Heather Boushey, a senior analysis fellow at Harvard College, served with McEntarfer on the White Home Council of Financial Advisers and stated McEntarfer by no means talked politics at work.
“She confirmed up on daily basis to deal with the perfect evaluation and the perfect method to her discipline and never get political. That’s what I noticed from her repeatedly. She is sensible and well-respected amongst labor economists usually,” Boushey stated. “She wasn’t coming into my workplace to speak politics or the political implications of one thing. She positively wasn’t participating on that facet of issues.”
