The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development defines the employment rate as the employment-to-population ratio.[1] This is a statistical ratio that measures the proportion of a country's working age population (statistics are often given for ages 15 to 64[2][3]) that is employed. This includes people that have stopped looking for work.[4] The International Labour Organization states that a person is considered employed if they have worked at least 1 hour in "gainful" employment in the most recent week.[5]
The employment-to-population ratio is usually calculated and reported periodically for the economy by the national agency of statistics.[6][7][8]
Some countries also have statistical data about the number of employed people who are registered as taxpayer and have to pay compulsory social insurance payments to the national social insurance system of a country, which could be used to calculate an improved performance indicator of people employed compared to the total labor force.[11]
^Employment/Population Ratios for the 50 Largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas:
2008, 2009, and 2010. (2011, September). Retrieved December 10, 2012, from
United States Census Bureau website: https://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/
acsbr10-09.pdf