Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

When determining salary information for compensation planning, HR professionals need reliable, objective, and market-based data. Published compensation surveys are a valid and widely accepted source because they provide aggregated, industry-specific data on salary ranges, often collected by reputable third-party organizations (e.g., Mercer, PayScale, or government labor bureaus). These surveys ensure accuracy and compliance with fair pay practices, a key focus in the aPHRi curriculum.

Option A (Labor statistics pricing): This is not a standard term in HR. While labor statistics (e.g., from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) can provide salary data, "labor statistics pricing" is not a recognized source, making this option incorrect.

Option B (Employee reported data): Employee-reported data, such as self-reported salaries on platforms like Glassdoor, can be unreliable due to bias, small sample sizes, or lack of verification, making it less valid for formal compensation planning.