Why Feb. Jobs Report Isn't Out This Friday

Much to the surprise of many who follow the markets, the government’s monthly employment report for February is NOT out this Friday, March 2.

Businesspeople seated side by side
John Cumming | Digital Vision | Getty Images
Businesspeople seated side by side

The report is issued on the first Friday of each month the vast majority of the time, but occasional calendar quirks push it back by a week.

The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics issues the report on the third Friday following the conclusion of the so-called “reference week”, in which the household surveys are conducted.

The “reference week” is the week that includes the 12th of each month, which usually puts the report’s release date on the first Friday of the following month.

However, due to the vagaries of the calendar, that’s not always the case. This time around, the 12th occurred on a Sunday, pushing the “reference” Friday to February 17, and the release date to March 9.

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