Erika MCENTARFER, the head of the BLS fired by Trump, obtained bipartite support in its confirmation in 2024 with votes from JD VANCE and Marco RUBIO

Erika MCENTARFER, a long -standing government employee, allowed the weight of President Donald Trump’s dissatisfaction with the report of Friday jobs, who showed that hiring had slowed down in July and was much less in May and June which previously estimated. He accused it without proof of manipulating the employment numbers and noted that she was appointed by President Joe Biden.

MCENTARFER, a long -standing government employee who was the BLS bilé for a year and a half, did not immediately respond to a comment request from the Associated Press. But his predecessor supervising the job agency, the former colleagues and the partners denounced the dismissal, warning of his repercussions and claiming that Mcentarfer was not political in his role.

Here is what you need to know about Erika MCENTARFER:

MCentarfer has a strong experience in economics

MCENTARFER, whose research focuses on employment loss, retirement, mobility of workers and the rigidity of wages, had previously worked at the Census Bureau economic study center, at the Treasury Department’s Treasury Department Office and the Council of White House economic advisers in a non -political role.

She holds a baccalaureate in the social sciences of Bard College and a doctorate in economics by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

She was confirmed as BLS head on a bipartite vote

MCENTARFER was appointed in 2023 to serve as a BLS chief, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has recommended that his appointment will go to the full Senate for a vote.

She was confirmed as a BLS commissioner in January 2024 during a bipartite vote 86-8 Senate. Among the republican senators who voted to confirm it, there was then included. JD Vance de l’Ohio, who is now Trump’s vice-president, then Sen. Marco Rubio de Florida, who is now Trump’s secretary of state.

Before her confirmation audience, a group called Friends of the BLS, made up of former commissioners who served in democratic and republican administrations, members of statistical associations and accredited economists, said that the history of Mcentarfer made her an excellent choice for work.

“The numerous reasons to quickly confirm Dr. Mcentarfer, because the new BLS commissioner comes down to this: the agency, like the entire statistical system, undergoes a period of intense and important change and the richness of research and statistical experience of Dr. MCENTARFER has equipped it.

His former partners and colleagues have denounced

William Beach, who was appointed BLS commissioner in 2019 by Trump and served until 2023 during the administration of President Joe Biden, called Mcentarfer’s dismissal “baseless” and declared in a post that he “puts a dangerous precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the office”.

The former chief economist of the Labor Department Sarah J. Glynn, who received regular Mcentarfer briefs about BLS conclusions, said that Mcentarfer was generous with his time explaining what conclusions could or could not be drawn from data.

If the data did not support something that an administration manager said, Mcentarfer would say, said Glynn. She has also never weighed on how the administration should present or interpret the data, said Glynn – she would simply answer questions about data.

“She had a sterling reputation as a person concerned with the accuracy of the data and not someone who makes a political tour of her work,” said Glynn.

Heather Boushey, principal researcher at the University of Harvard, served with Mcentarfer to the Council of White House economic advisers and said that Mcentarfer had never talked about work politics.

“She presented herself every day to focus on the best analysis and the best approach in her field and not to become a political. This is what I have seen many times. She is brilliant and respected among the economists of work in general,” said Boushey. “She had not come to my office to talk about politics or the political implications of something. She certainly did not commit on this side of things.”