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Optimal Probabilistic Record Linkage: Best Practice for Linking Employers in Survey and Administrative Data

Author

Listed:
  • John M. Abowd
  • Joelle Abramowitz
  • Margaret C. Levenstein
  • Kristin McCue
  • Dhiren Patki
  • Trivellore Raghunathan
  • Ann M. Rodgers
  • Matthew D. Shapiro
  • Nada Wasi

Abstract

This paper illustrates an application of record linkage between a household-level survey and an establishment-level frame in the absence of unique identifiers. Linkage between frames in this setting is challenging because the distribution of employment across firms is highly asymmetric. To address these difficulties, this paper uses a supervised machine learning model to probabilistically link survey respondents in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) with employers and establishments in the Census Business Register (BR) to create a new data source which we call the CenHRS. Multiple imputation is used to propagate uncertainty from the linkage step into subsequent analyses of the linked data. The linked data reveal new evidence that survey respondents’ misreporting and selective nonresponse about employer characteristics are systematically correlated with wages.

Suggested Citation

  • John M. Abowd & Joelle Abramowitz & Margaret C. Levenstein & Kristin McCue & Dhiren Patki & Trivellore Raghunathan & Ann M. Rodgers & Matthew D. Shapiro & Nada Wasi, 2019. "Optimal Probabilistic Record Linkage: Best Practice for Linking Employers in Survey and Administrative Data," Working Papers 19-08, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:19-08
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    File URL: https://www2.census.gov/ces/wp/2019/CES-WP-19-08.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John M. Abowd & Martha H. Stinson, 2013. "Estimating Measurement Error in Annual Job Earnings: A Comparison of Survey and Administrative Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 95(5), pages 1451-1467, December.
    2. Oi, Walter Y. & Idson, Todd L., 1999. "Firm size and wages," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 33, pages 2165-2214, Elsevier.
    3. P. Lahiri & Michael D. Larsen, 2005. "Regression Analysis With Linked Data," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 100, pages 222-230, March.
    4. Martha J. Bailey & Connor Cole & Morgan Henderson & Catherine Massey, 2020. "How Well Do Automated Linking Methods Perform? Lessons from US Historical Data," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 58(4), pages 997-1044, December.
    5. John M. Abowd & Bryce E. Stephens & Lars Vilhuber & Fredrik Andersson & Kevin L. McKinney & Marc Roemer & Simon Woodcock, 2009. "The LEHD Infrastructure Files and the Creation of the Quarterly Workforce Indicators," NBER Chapters, in: Producer Dynamics: New Evidence from Micro Data, pages 149-230, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Nicholas Bloom & Fatih Guvenen & Benjamin S. Smith & Jae Song & Till von Wachter, 2018. "The Disappearing Large-Firm Wage Premium," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 108, pages 317-322, May.
    7. Hui Zou & Trevor Hastie, 2005. "Addendum: Regularization and variable selection via the elastic net," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 67(5), pages 768-768, November.
    8. Andrea Tancredi & Brunero Liseo, 2015. "Regression analysis with linked data: problems and possible solutions," Statistica, Department of Statistics, University of Bologna, vol. 75(1), pages 19-35.
    9. Brown, Charles & Medoff, James, 1989. "The Employer Size-Wage Effect," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(5), pages 1027-1059, October.
    10. Timothy Dunne & J. Bradford Jensen & Mark J. Roberts, 2009. "Producer Dynamics: New Evidence from Micro Data," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number dunn05-1, July.
    11. Hui Zou & Trevor Hastie, 2005. "Regularization and variable selection via the elastic net," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 67(2), pages 301-320, April.
    12. Kevin L. McKinney & Andrew S. Green & Lars Vilhuber & John M. Abowd, 2017. "Total Error and Variability Measures with Integrated Disclosure Limitation for Quarterly Workforce Indicators and LEHD Origin Destination Employment Statistics in On The Map," Working Papers 17-71, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    13. Ron S Jarmin & Javier Miranda, 2002. "The Longitudinal Business Database," Working Papers 02-17, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nada Wasi & Sasiwimon Warunsiri Paweenawat & Chinnawat Devahastin Na Ayudhya & Pucktada Treeratpituk & Chommanart Nittayo, 2019. "Labor Income Inequality in Thailand: the Roles of Education, Occupation and Employment History," PIER Discussion Papers 117, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.

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    Keywords

    Probabilistic record linkage; survey data; administrative data; multiple imputation; measurement error; nonresponse;
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