Attachment K(a) - Confidentiality Brochure

Our Commitment
The first CE Survey was conducted in
1888. From the beginning, the Census
Bureau has made protecting the
confidentiality of your information our
top priority. Today, the CE Survey is
a national survey conducted by the
Census Bureau for the BLS, collecting
information from households that is
used to help calculate the CPI. The CPI
is the most important measure of how
fast prices of goods and services are
changing, and it directly affects wages
and pensions.
The Census Bureau and the BLS are
committed to protecting the privacy
of each and every survey participant.
Our excellent track record and
commitment to confidentiality are
important reasons why so many
people are willing to take part in the
survey. In turn, the data allows the
CE Survey to provide representative
and accurate information about the
nation’s spending.

For More Information
• The CE Survey, press releases,
reports, and analytical papers are
available at .
• Details on the Census Bureau's
data protection and privacy
program are available at
.

How We Keep Your Private Information Safe

• To learn how your information is
used to help measure the nation’s
people, places, and economy, visit
.
• For more information on Census
Bureau products and services, call
the National Customer Services
Center at 1-800-923-8282, or visit
.
• For more information on Census
Bureau activities in your region,
including contact information
and a complete listing of the
states or counties covered by
each regional office, visit
.

Thank you for your participation!

Issued January 2022

Confidentiality and
the Consumer
Expenditure Surveys

CE-388

It's Safe

It’s Confidential

It's Important

All Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) and U.S. Census Bureau
employees working on the
Consumer Expenditure (CE) Survey
are bound by strict laws and a
solemn commitment to protect the
confidential information we collect.

We pledge to keep your answers
confidential. This commitment means
you can provide honest answers to
the CE Survey, knowing your answers
will only be used in combination with
thousands of others to paint a portrait
of our country.

By participating in the CE Survey,
you help shape the economic future
for yourself, your community, and
the country.

Your Protections

• We protect your identity and your
private information from the time we
collect the data and for decades after
we publish the statistics.

Title 13 of the U.S. Code ensures
that all information collected by the
Census Bureau is confidential and can
only be used for statistical purposes.
Our Pledge
All BLS and Census Bureau employees
working on the CE Survey take a
lifetime oath that legally binds them
to protect the confidentiality of your
data. As specified in this written
pledge, any unauthorized disclosure
of your private information is
punishable by law.
Our Penalties
The penalty for unlawful disclosure
of information protected by Title 13
of the U.S. Code is a fine of up to
$250,000 and/or up to 5 years in
prison.

• No court of law can subpoena your
responses.
• Your data cannot be released under
the Freedom of Information Act.
• We apply advanced statistical
safeguards to protect your data,
and it is against the law for us to
publicly release your responses in any
way that could identify you or your
household.

Our Economy
Information from you and others
around the country provide data
on the current buying habits of
American consumers, which is
an important component of the
Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The CPI is used to adjust Social
Security payments, calculate
important cost-of-living wage
adjustments, determine the cost of
school lunches, and adjust federal
income tax brackets and more.
Your Community
The data that you provide will be
used by policymakers, researchers,
and federal and state governments
to ensure that policies and programs
consider the experiences of people
like you.