# Data descriptions for hplfs_microdata_weights

The files `hplfs_microdata_weights_YYYY.csv.gz` contain harmonized Current Population Survey (CPS) microdata weights for year `YYYY` from the paper "[Harmonized Population and Labor Force Statistics](https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/feds/harmonized-population-and-labor-force-statistics.htm)", by John Coglianese, Seth Murray, and Christopher J. Nekarda.

The harmonized weights in this file can be merged into CPS basic monthly public use microdata files (PUMF) and used in place of the original variables.
For final second-stage weights, `pwsswgt_h` is the harmonized version of `pwsswgt`.
For composited final weights, `pwcmpwgt_h` is the harmonized version of `pwcmpwgt`.

- For all months, the harmonized weights can be merged into a PUMF on `year`, `month`, and `recnum`.
  `recnum` is the observation (row) number of the PUMF; you must create this variable after loading the PUMF but before making any changes (such as dropping observations or sorting).
  - Note: We created `recnum` from the NBER's files for 1976–93 and from the Census Bureau's files for 1994 forward; some records in the NBER's post-1993 files are ordered differently than in the Census Bureau's files.

- From January 1994 forward, harmonized weights can be merged into a PUMF on `year`, `month`, `hrhhid`, `hrhhid2`, and `pulineno`.
  Although the variable `hrhhid2` only appears in the PUMF starting in May 2004, it can be created by concatenating:

  1.  Numeric component of the sample number (`hrsample`), i.e., characters 2-3;
  2.  Serial suffix (`hrsersuf`) converted to numeric, i.e., `A` = 1, `B` = 2, ..., `Z` = 26; and
  3.  Household number (`huhhnum`)

CPS PUMF for 1994 forward can be obtained from the [Census Bureau](https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/cps/cps-basic.html); PUMF for 1976–93 are available from the [NBER's CPS Basic Monthly Data archive](https://www.nber.org/research/data/current-population-survey-cps-basic-monthly-data), under "[Raw files from Census Bureau](https://data.nber.org/cps-basic3/dat)".

## Disclaimer

These data are a research project and not an official statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or the Census Bureau.
Accordingly, the data are provided solely in connection with this paper and are for informational purposes only.
The data are provided "as is" and the Board disclaims any and all warranties of any kind, expressed or implied including implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for particular purposes.
In no event will the Board be liable for any damages or lost profit arising out of, or in connection with, the use of these data.

## Release history

- August 5, 2025: Initial release

## Descriptions

| Variable   | Description                        |
| :--------- | :--------------------------------- |
| year       | Year of observation                |
| month      | Month of observation               |
| recnum     | Record number                      |
| hrhhid     | Household identifier (part 1)      |
| hrhhid2    | Household identifier (part 2)      |
| pulineno   | Person's line number               |
| pwsswgt_h  | Harmonized final weight            |
| pwcmpwgt_h | Harmonized composited final weight |