(Reuters) -The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is bringing some furloughed workers back in order to get the statistical agency’s benchmark report on inflation out despite the wider shutdown of the federal government, the New York Times and Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

A specific target date for releasing the Consumer Price Index – originally scheduled for release on October 15 – was not clear, but the Times reported it was likely to be released in time for the Federal Reserve’s next interest-rate-setting meeting on October 28-29.

The CPI report for September is essential to determining the annual cost-of-living adjustment to Social Security payments, an event anticipated by millions of American retirees and others dependent on the benefits program.

(Reporting By Dan Burns; editing by Diane Craft)