Surveys of economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment
In October 1982, the Thirteenth ICLS adopted new standards concerning statistics of the economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment (Resolution I of the Thirteenth ICLS). The resolution forms part of the standards and guidelines referred to in the Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160), and Recommendation, 1985 (No. 170), of the International Labour Office. It replaces Resolution I of the Eighth ICLS (1954) concerning statistics of the labour force, employment and unemployment, and paragraphs 4-9 and 13 of Resolution I11 of the Eleventh ICLS (1 966) concerning measurement and analysis of underemployment and underutilisation of manpower.
Surveys of the economically active population should, in principle, cover the entire population irrespective of activity status, sex, marital status, ethnic group, etc. In practice, however, certain restrictions may be necessary. In this respect, two considerations should be emphasised. The first involves determining the scope of the survey population, i.e. the population which is to be represented by the survey (total or civilian population, including or excluding the institutional population, etc.). The second involves determining the scope of the population of interest, i.e. the population for which inquiry on economic activity is meaningful (setting age limits, including or excluding categories of disabled persons, etc.).