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Labour Statistics: Technical Papers

Measuring Employment and Unemployment in Canada and the United States–A Comparison

Appendix 2
Survey concepts used in Canada and in the United States

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Table A2.1
Concepts used by the household labour force surveys
Table summary
This table displays the results of Concepts used by the household labour force surveys. The information is grouped by Concepts (appearing as row headers), Labour Force Survey
Statistics Canada and Current Population Survey
Bureau of Labor Statistics (appearing as column headers).
Concepts Labour Force Survey
Statistics Canada		 Current Population Survey
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment concept Estimate of employed persons (multiple jobholders are counted only once). Estimate of employed persons (multiple jobholders are counted only once).
Employment

Employed persons consist of persons who during the survey reference week:

  • did any work for pay including self‑employment;
  • did any unpaid work in a family-owned enterprise operated by someone in their household; or
  • were temporarily absent from their regular jobs, whether they were paid or not.

Employed persons consist of persons who during the survey reference week:

  • did any work for pay including self-employment;
  • did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a family-owned enterprise operated by someone in their household; or
  • were temporarily absent from their regular jobs, whether they were paid or not.
Unemployment

Unemployed persons consist of persons who during the survey reference week:

  • had no employment;
  • were available for work (except in the case of temporary illness); and
  • were either waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off, made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the survey reference week or had a job to start within the next four weeks.

Unemployed persons consist of persons who during the survey reference week:

  • had no employment;
  • were available for work (except in the case of temporary illness); and
  • were either waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off, or had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the survey reference week.
Not in the labour force All persons who are neither employed nor unemployed. This group includes persons who, during the reference week, were unwilling or unable to offer or supply labour services under conditions existing in their labour markets. All persons who are neither employed nor unemployed. This group includes discouraged workers, defined as persons not in the labour force who want and are available for a job and looked for work sometime in the past 12 months but who are not currently looking because they believe there are no jobs available or there are none for which they would qualify.
Labour force All persons classified as employed or unemployed. All persons classified as employed or unemployed.
Participation rate The proportion of the population that is in the labour force. The proportion of the population that is in the labour force.
Full-time/part-time Full-time employment consists of persons who usually work 30 hours or more per week at their main or only job. Part-time employment consists of persons who usually work less than 30 hours per week at their main or only job. Full-time employment consists of persons who usually work 35 hours or more (at all jobs combined). Part-time workers are those who usually work less than 35 hours per week (at all jobs).
Reference week Generally the calendar week, Sunday through Saturday, that includes the 15th day of the month. Generally, the calendar week, Sunday through Saturday, that includes the 12th day of the month.
Population Included are persons aged 15 years and over residing in Canada who do not reside in the territories and are not living on Indian reserves, full-time members of the regular Armed Forces, and persons living in institutions (for example, inmates of penal institutions and patients in hospitals or nursing homes who have resided in the institution for more than six months). Included are persons aged 16 years and older residing in the 50 states and the District of Columbia who are not confined to institutions such as nursing homes and prisons, and who are not on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Household Any person or group of persons living in a dwelling. A household may consist of any combination of: one person living alone, one or more families, a group of people who are not related but who share the same dwelling. All persons—related family members and all unrelated persons—who occupy a housing unit and have no other usual address.
Industry General nature of the business carried out in the establishment where the person worked (main job only), based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). General nature of the business carried out in the establishment where the person worked (collected for main job and secondary job). Classification is based on the Census Classification which is derived from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Occupation Refers to the kind of work persons were doing during the reference week. Classification is based on the National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S). Refers to the kind of work persons were doing during the reference week (collected for main and secondary job). Classification is based on the Census Classification, which is derived from the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC).
Metropolitan area Large urban cores together with adjacent urban and rural areas that have a high degree of social and economic integration with the urban cores as measured by commuting ties.
Census metropolitan areas must have a total population of at least 100,000, of which 50,000 or more live in the core. Census agglomerations must have a core population of at least 10,000.
Large urban cores together with adjacent urban and rural areas that have a high degree of social and economic integration with the urban cores as measured by commuting ties.
Metropolitan Statistical Areas have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more population. Metropolitan Statistical Areas have at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 people.
Note: Some concepts are abridged to facilitate comparison. Please consult sources for official concepts.
Sources: Guide to the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada, 2015.
Design and Methodology: Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, 2006.

 

Table A2.2
Employment concepts used by the business employment survey programs
Table summary
This table displays the results of Employment concepts used by the business employment survey programs. The information is grouped by Concepts (appearing as row headers), Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours
Statistics Canada and Current Employment Statistics Program
Bureau of Labor Statistics (appearing as column headers).
Concepts Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours
Statistics Canada		 Current Employment Statistics Program
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment concept Estimate of jobs
(multiple jobholders counted for each non-farm payroll job).		 Estimate of jobs
(multiple jobholders counted for each non-farm payroll job).
Employment Persons on non-farm establishment payrolls who received pay for any part of the reference pay period. Persons on non-farm establishment payrolls who received pay for any part of the reference pay period.
Enterprise/firm Enterprise: Any commercial business or institution, whether incorporated or not; comprises sole proprietorships, partnerships, companies and other forms of organizations. A business is considered to be simple if all its establishments operate in the same province or industry classification; otherwise, a business enterprise is classified as complex. Firm: A business which may consist of one or more establishments, where each establishment may participate in different predominant economic activity.
Establishment The smallest entity of an enterprise capable of reporting statistics of economic production, for example, a factory, mine, store or a similar unit. An establishment is an economic unit, such as a factory, mine, store, or office that produces goods or services. It generally is at a single location and is engaged predominantly in one type of economic activity. Where a single location encompasses two or more distinct activities, these are treated as separate establishments, if separate payroll records are available, and the various activities are classified under different industry codes.
Public sector Information on employment in the public sector at the provincial and federal levels is obtained separately through the Public Sector Employment Survey. Information on employment in the government obtained separately through the CES government sample is processed separately.
Industrial coverage All industries in Canada, except those primarily involved in agriculture, fishing and trapping, private household services, religious organizations, international and other extraterritorial public administration and the military personnel of the defence services. All industries in the United States, except those primarily involved in agriculture, fishing and trapping, private household services, international and other extraterritorial public administration and the military personnel of the defence services
Industrial classification General nature of the business carried out in the establishment, based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). General nature of the business carried out in the establishment, based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Payrolls Gross payroll before source deductions for income taxes, employment insurance contributions, etc. Payroll includes regular pay, overtime and bonuses, commissions, and all other types of special payments. Gross payroll before deductions of any kind, such as those for old-age and employment insurance, group insurance, withholding tax, bonds, or union dues; also included is pay for overtime, holidays and vacation, sick leave paid directly by the firm, and commissions paid at least monthly. Bonuses and other types of special payments are excluded.
Reference pay period The last pay period of the month. The pay period that includes the 12th day of the month.
Note: Some concepts are abridged. Please consult sources for official concepts.
Sources: Guide to the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours, Statistics Canada, 2015.
Technical Notes for the Current Employment Statistics Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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