Rosina Gammarano
October 15, 2020
- The leading source of labour statistics
Statistics on unemployment and supplementary measures of labour underutilization
The unemployment rate is probably the best-known labour market measure and is certainly one of the most widely quoted by the media. The unemployment rate is a useful measure of the underutilization of the labour supply. It reflects the inability of an economy to generate employment for those persons who want to work but are not doing so, even though they are available for employment and actively seeking work.
Other measures of labour underutilization recognized in the international statistical standards are time-related underemployment and the potential labour force.
Table of Contents
Latest posts
Rosina Gammarano
December 13, 2019
Methods
Key Labor Market Indicators: Analysis with Household Survey Data
This publication is an introduction to labour market indicator analysis and a guide for analysing household survey data using the ADePT ILO Labour Market Indicators Module. The ADePT module is a powerful tool for producing and analysing KILM indicators using household survey data. The software allows researchers and practitioners to automate data production, to minimize data production errors and to quickly produce a wide range of labour market data from labour force surveys or other household surveys that contain labour market information.
Quick guide on interpreting the unemployment rate
The unemployment rate is a key labour market indicator, but it has many shortcomings which we must take into account when interpreting it. The Quick guide on interpreting the unemployment rate provides helpful information on all the main aspects underlying this headline indicator and its limitations. It also provides tips to communicate effectively on the unemployment rate.
Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization
Adopted by the 19th ICLS (2013), this resolution sets standards for work statistics to guide countries in updating and integrating their existing statistical programmes in this field. It defines the statistical concept of work for reference purposes and provides operational concepts, definitions and guidelines for: (a) distinct subsets of work activities, referred to as forms of work; (b) related classifications of the population according to their labour force status and main form of work; (c) measures of labour underutilization.
Resolution concerning the measurement of underemployment and inadequate employment situations
Adopted by the 16th ICLS (1998), this resolution revises the existing standards on the measurement of underemployment and broadens the scope to cover also inadequate employment situations, in order to enhance the standards’ usefulness as technical guidelines to countries and improving the international comparability of the statistics.