US Labor Department Acknowledges Mishap in Release of Jobs Data

A technical glitch prevented the US government from sharing key payroll data on time last week, according to a spokesperson for the Labor Department, who acknowledged staff provided the numbers to callers before the release was made public.

The episode has prompted steps to beef up data-release protocols at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the DOL agency responsible for releasing high-profile economic reports such as monthly jobs and inflation figures. The incident was the latest in a series of mishaps at the BLS, which has faced renewed criticism from Wall Street firms over its handling and release of market-sensitive data. ...