The March 2026 monthly data and the January 2026 data that were recently re-released by the Census Bureau are now available via IPUMS CPS. October 2025 data were not collected during the U.S. federal government shutdown.
CWPRVLOOK
Looking for a job just before current employment
- Codes
- Description
- Comparability
- Universe
- Availability
- Flags
- Questionnaire Text
- UnHarmonized Variables
Codes
This variable is not available for any of the currently selected samples.
Description
CWPRVLOOK indicates whether the respondent who did not have a different job just before their current employment (CWPRVWRK) was looking for work during that time.
This variable is part of the Contingent Work Supplement.
Universe
- 1995-1999: Civilians age 16+ who were employed, but not self-employed, and either worked as day laborers in the past week OR reported being employed for three years or less OR were unsure how long they had been employed, but think it has been over a year AND who were not working at a different job prior to current employment.
- 2001-2005: Civilians in month-in-sample 1-3 or 5-7 age 16+ who were employed, but not self-employed, and either worked as day laborers in the past week OR reported being employed for three years or less OR were unsure how long they had been employed, but think it has been over a year AND who were not working at a different job prior to current employment.
- 2017: Civilians age 16+ who were employed, but not self-employed, and either worked as day laborers in the past week OR reported being employed for three years or less OR were unsure how long they had been employed, but think it has been over a year AND who were not working at a different job prior to current employment.
Availability
| Years | Jan | Feb | ASEC | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1997 | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2001 | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2005 | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2017 | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
