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1 -Resolution concerning statistics of the economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment, 12th ICLS
1 +Resolution concerning statistics of the economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment
Content
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4 4  
5 5  Recalling the existing international standards concerning statistics of the labour force employment and unemployment contained in Resolution I adopted by the Eighth Conference (1954) and concerning measurement and analysis of underemployment and underutilisation of manpower contained in Resolution III adopted by the Eleventh Conference (1966),
6 6  
7 -Recognising the need to revise and broaden the existing standards in order to enhance their usefulness in the provision of technical guidelines to all countries and particularly those with less developed statistics and recognising the usefulness of such standards in enhancing the international comparability of the statistics,
7 +Recognising the need to revise and broaden the existing standards in order to enhance their usefulness in the provision
8 8  
9 +of technical guidelines to all countries and particularly those with less developed statistics and recognising the usefulness of such standards in enhancing the international comparability of the statistics,
10 +
9 9  Adopts this twenty-ninth day of October 1982 the following resolution in substitution for Resolution I of the Eighth Conference and paragraphs 4 to 9 and 13 of Resolution III of the Eleventh Conference:
10 10  
11 11  = Objectives and scope =
12 12  
13 -~1. Each country should aim at developing a comprehensive system of statistics on the economic activity of the population in order to provide an adequate statistical base for the various users of the statistics taking account of the specific national needs and circumstances. In particular the system should provide for needs in connection with the measurement of the extent of available and unused labour time and human resources for purposes of macro-economic monitoring and human resources development planning and the measurement of the relationships between employment income and other social and economic characteristics for purposes of formulating and monitoring employment policies and programmes, income-generating and maintenance schemes, vocational training and other similar programmes.
15 +Each country should aim at developing a comprehensive system of statistics on the economic activity of the
14 14  
15 -2. In order to fulfil the above objectives the programme of statistics of the economically active population should in principle cover all branches of economic activity, all sectors of the economy and all status groups (employees, own-account workers, etc.) and should be developed to the fullest extent possible in harmony with other economic and social statistics. The programme should specifically provide for both short-term and longer-term needs, i.e. statistics for current purposes compiled frequently on a recurrent basis and statistics compiled at longer intervals for structural in-depth analysis and as benchmark data:
17 +population in order to provide an adequate statistical base for the various users of the statistics taking account of the specific national needs and circumstances. In particular the system should provide for needs in connection with the measurement of the extent of available and unused labour time and human resources for purposes of macro-economic monitoring and human resources development planning and the measurement of the relationships between employment income and other social and economic characteristics for purposes of formulating and monitoring employment policies and programmes, income-generating and maintenance schemes, vocational training and other similar programmes.
16 16  
17 -* (a) the current statistics programme should encompass statistics of the currently active population and its components in such a way that trends and seasonal variations can be adequately monitored. As a minimum programme, countries should collect and compile statistics on the currently active population twice a year, if possible coinciding with the agricultural peak and slack seasons wherever considered appropriate;
18 -* (b) the non-current statistics programme which may include censuses and surveys should provide (i) comprehensive data on the economically active population, (ii) in-depth statistics on the activity pattern of the economically active population over the year and the relationships between employment, income and other social and economic characteristics, and (iii) data on other particular topics (e.g. children and youth, women, households) as determined by the long-term and continuing needs.
19 +In order to fulfil the above objectives the programme of statistics of the economically active population should in principle cover all branches of economic activity, all sectors of the economy and all status groups (employees, own-account workers, etc.) and should be developed to the fullest extent possible in harmony with other economic and social statistics. The programme should specifically provide for both short-term and longer-term needs, i.e. statistics for current purposes compiled frequently on a recurrent basis and statistics compiled at longer intervals for structural in-depth analysis and as benchmark data:
19 19  
20 -3. Population censuses and sample surveys of households or individuals generally constitute a comprehensive means of collection of data on the economically active population which can be linked with data on other related topics. Establishment surveys and administrative records may also serve as sources for obtaining in some cases more precise, more frequent and more detailed statistics on particular components of the economically active population. The different sources of information should be regarded as complementary and may be used in combination for deriving where necessary integrated sets of statistics. In designing population censuses, surveys of households or individuals or other means of data collection on the economically active population, efforts should be made in so far as possible to incorporate the international standards.
21 +the current statistics programme should encompass statistics of the currently active population and its components in such a way that trends and seasonal variations can be adequately monitored. As a minimum programme, countries should collect and compile statistics on the currently active population twice a year, if possible coinciding with the agricultural peak and slack seasons wherever considered appropriate;
21 21  
22 -4. In order to promote comparability of the statistics among countries where national concepts and definitions do not conform closely to the international standards, explanations should be given and the main aggregates should if possible be computed on the basis of both the national and the international standards. Alternatively, the necessary components should be identified and provided separately in order to permit conversion from the national to the international standards.
23 +the non-current statistics programme which may include censuses and surveys should provide (i) comprehensive data on the economically active population, (ii) in-depth statistics on the activity pattern of the economically active population over the year and the relationships between employment, income and other social and economic characteristics, and (iii) data on other particular topics (e.g. children and youth, women, households) as determined by the long-term and continuing needs.
23 23  
25 +Population censuses and sample surveys of households or individuals generally constitute a comprehensive means of collection of data on the economically active population which can be linked with data on other related topics. Establishment surveys and administrative records may also serve as sources for obtaining in some cases more precise, more frequent and more detailed statistics on particular components of the economically active population. The different sources of information should be regarded as complementary and may be used in combination for deriving where necessary integrated sets of statistics. In designing population censuses, surveys of households or individuals or other means of data collection on the economically active population, efforts should be made in so far as possible to incorporate the international standards.
26 +
27 +In order to promote comparability of the statistics among countries where national concepts and definitions
28 +
29 +do not conform closely to the international standards, explanations should be given and the main aggregates should if possible be computed on the basis of both the national and the international standards. Alternatively, the necessary components should be identified and provided separately in order to permit conversion from the national to the international standards.
30 +
24 24  = Concepts and definitions =
25 25  
26 26  == The economically active population ==
27 27  
28 -The economically active population comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for the production of economic goods and services as defined by the United Nations systems of national accounts and balances during a specified time-reference period. According to these systems the production of economic goods and services includes all production and processing of primary products whether for the market for barter or for own consumption, the production of all other goods and services for the market and, in the case of households which produce such goods and services for the market, the corresponding production for own consumption.
35 +The economically active population comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for
29 29  
30 -Two useful measures of the economically active population are the usually active population measured in relation to a long reference period such as a year and the currently active population or equivalently the "labour force" measured in relation to a short reference period such as one week or one day.
37 +the production of economic goods and services as defined by the United Nations systems of national accounts and balances during a specified time-reference period. According to these systems the production of economic goods and services includes all production and processing of primary products whether for the market for barter or for own consumption, the production of all other goods and services for the market and, in the case of households which produce such goods and services for the market, the corresponding production for own consumption.
31 31  
39 +Two useful measures of the economically active population are the usually active population measured in
40 +
41 +relation to a long reference period such as a year and the currently active population or equivalently the "labour force" measured in relation to a short reference period such as one week or one day.
42 +
32 32  The usually active population
33 33  
34 34  (1) The usually active population comprises all persons above a specified age whose main activity status as determined in terms of number of weeks or days during a long specified period (such as the preceding 12 months or the preceding calendar year) was employed or unemployed as defined in paragraphs 9 and 10.
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41 41  
42 42  Employment
43 43  
44 -(1) The "employed" comprise all persons above a specified age who during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in the following categories:
55 +(1)        The "employed" comprise all persons above a specified age who during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in the following categories:
45 45  
46 46  "paid employment":
47 47  
48 -(a1) "at work": persons who during the reference period performed some work for wage or salary, in cash or in kind;
59 +(a1)      "at work": persons who during the reference period performed some work for wage or salary, in cash or in kind;
49 49  
50 -(a2) "with a job but not at work": persons who, having already worked in their present job, were temporarily not at work during the reference period and had a formal attachment to their job.
61 +(a2)      "with a job but not at work": persons who, having already worked in their present job, were temporarily not at work during the reference period and had a formal attachment to their job.
51 51  
52 52  This formal job attachment should be determined in the light of national circumstances, according to one or more of the following criteria:
53 53  
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89 89  
90 90  === Unemployment ===
91 91  
92 -(1) The "unemployed" comprise all persons above a specified age who during the reference period were:
103 +(1)        The "unemployed" comprise all persons above a specified age who during the reference period were:
93 93  
94 94  "without work", i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment as defined in paragraph 9;
95 95  
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117 117  
118 118  === The population not currently active ===
119 119  
120 -(1) The "population not currently active", or, equivalently, persons not in the labour force, comprises all persons who were not employed or unemployed during the brief reference period and hence not currently active because of (a) attendance at educational institutions, (b) engagement in household duties, (c) retirement or old age, or (d) other reasons such as infirmity or disablement, which may be specified.
131 +(1)        The "population not currently active", or, equivalently, persons not in the labour force, comprises all persons who were not employed or unemployed during the brief reference period and hence not currently active because of (a) attendance at educational institutions, (b) engagement in household duties, (c) retirement or old age, or (d) other reasons such as infirmity or disablement, which may be specified.
121 121  
122 122  (2) Countries adopting the standard definition of unemployment may identify persons not classified as unemployed who were available for work but not seeking work during the reference period and classify them separately under the population not currently active.
123 123  
124 124  The population not usually active
125 125  
126 -13. (1) The "population not usually active" comprises all persons whose main activity status during the longer specified period was neither employed nor unemployed. It comprises the following functional categories: (a) students; (b) homemakers; (c) income recipients (pensioners, rentiers, etc.); and (d) others (recipients of public aid or private support, children not attending school, etc.) as defined by the United Nations// Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses// (1980).
137 +13. (1) The "population not usually active" comprises all persons whose main activity status during the longer specified period was neither employed nor unemployed. It comprises the following functional categories: (a) students; (b) homemakers; (c) income recipients (pensioners, rentiers, etc.); and (d) others (recipients of public aid or private support, children not attending school, etc.) as defined by the United Nations// Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses// (1980).
127 127  
128 128  (2) Where necessary, separate functional subcategories may be introduced to identify (i) persons engaged in unpaid community and volunteer services and (ii) other persons engaged in marginal activities which fall outside the boundary of economic activities.
129 129  
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207 207  
208 208  underemployment and for other purposes such as identifying multiple activities and marginal activities, attempts should be made to collect periodically statistics on time-use.
209 209  
210 -In order to account for the informal sector activities both in developed and developing countries and the rural non-agricultural activities generally carried out by households in conjunction with agricultural activities in developing countries, and given the scarcity of statistics on these topics, it is desirable that countries develop appropriate methodologies and data collection programmes on the urban informal sector and the rural non-agricultural activities. In particular, suitable definitions and classifications should be developed in order to identify and classify the economically active population in the urban informal sector and those engaged in the rural non-agricultural activities.
221 +In order to account for the informal sector activities both in developed and developing countries and the rural
211 211  
212 -In order to provide adequate employment opportunities and means of livelihood for the disabled and other handicapped persons, statistics should be collected and compiled using appropriate methodologies on the size of this population and its distribution according to relevant social and economic characteristics distinguishing in particular those employed, those unemployed and those inactive.
223 +non-agricultural activities generally carried out by households in conjunction with agricultural activities in developing countries, and given the scarcity of statistics on these topics, it is desirable that countries develop appropriate methodologies and data collection programmes on the urban informal sector and the rural non-agricultural activities. In particular, suitable definitions and classifications should be developed in order to identify and classify the economically active population in the urban informal sector and those engaged in the rural non-agricultural activities.
213 213  
214 -(1) It is recommended that in countries with a planned economy, extensive use should be made of the balance sheet of labour resources so as to identify the size and structure of the labour force and its geographical distribution by type of employment and sector of the national economy.
225 +In order to provide adequate employment opportunities and means of livelihood for the disabled and other
215 215  
227 +handicapped persons, statistics should be collected and compiled using appropriate methodologies on the size of this population and its distribution according to relevant social and economic characteristics distinguishing in particular those employed, those unemployed and those inactive.
228 +
229 +(1)  It is recommended that in countries with a planned economy, extensive use should be made of the
230 +
231 +balance sheet of labour resources so as to identify the size and structure of the labour force and its geographical distribution by type of employment and sector of the national economy.
232 +
216 216  The population of working age, with the exception of the disabled who do not work, and also the population not of working age, are included as labour resources. The balance sheet of labour resources may be broken down separately according to sex, identifying persons employed in subsidiary farming and in housework, disabled persons of working age but who do not work and persons not of working age.
217 217  
218 218  The data in the balance sheets make it possible to identify the proportion of labour resources which may be utilised in the future to work in national production.