Glossary of Labour Market Terms

Employees - people who regard themselves as paid employees. People with two or more jobs are counted only once.

Self-employed - people who regard themselves as self-employed, that is, who in their main employment work on their own account, whether or not they have employees.

Unemployment - the measure based on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines which counts as unemployed those who are without a job, are available to start work in the next two weeks, who have been seeking a job in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained.

Economically active (labour force) - those in employment plus ILO unemployed.

Economically inactive - people who are neither in employment or unemployment. This includes those looking after a home or retired or permanently unable to work.

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This page last revised: Monday, 20 March 2006