To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net cc: Subject: IMPORTANT! Employer Files for Workplace Geocoding The Census Bureau Population Division and ESRI are in the process of developing a custom extension to the ArcView GIS called Workplace-Update (Work-UP). MPOs and State DOTs (if interested) will be asked to use Work-UP to review and update the commercial employer database Census has leased from InfoUSA (formerly ABI). This file includes all sizes of employers, even those with 1-5 employees. The purpose of Work-Up is to take advantage of local knowledge to improve the database before it is used in workplace geocoding in Census 2000. This in turn will improve the quality of workplace data contained in the Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP). We expect that most agencies will find it less labor intensive to review the Census-provided employer file, rather than build a file from scratch as they were asked to do for the 1980 and 1990 censuses. However, some agencies may already have a locally-maintained employer file, which may be better (more complete and up-to-date) than the file Census has obtained. The question of how to deal with these local files has significant implications for the development work to be done in creating the Work-UP extension. We cannot guarantee that the Work-Up software will include a feature to use local employer files, but we would like a good estimate of how many MPOs and State DOTs will be affected if it is not included in the software. Therefore, if you have a local file we ask you to respond to the following questions. 1. Do you have a locally maintained employer file for your region that you would prefer to use? What counties does it cover? 2. To use the file instead of the Census employer file, you will need to re-format the file to meet the standard file structure (field names, field length, and position) Census is using in Work-UP. Your file will also have to be geocoded using TIGER/Line 98. Would you be willing to perform these tasks on your file before using Work-Up? 3. Do you think your agency would also be interested in reviewing the Census file, or would you only want your file used in Census 2000? If you have a local employer file which you would prefer to use, please send your replies to these questions to Clara Reschovsky at clara.a.reschovsky(a)ccmail.census.gov by close of business, Tuesday, September 28, 1999. We apologize for requesting such a quick response, but the development schedule for Work-UP is very tight and we need to address this issue now. Thank You.