Employment and Unemployment Among Youth Technical Note

Technical Note

   The estimates in this news release were obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS),
a national sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households conducted monthly for the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census Bureau. The data in this news release relate to
the employment status of youth (16- to 24-year-olds) during the months of April-July. This
period was selected as being the most representative time frame in which to measure the full
summertime transition from school to work. July is the peak summer month of youth employment.

   Beginning in January of each year, data reflect revised population controls used in the CPS. 
Additional information about population controls is available on the BLS website at 
www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#pop.

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Reliability of the estimates

   Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. When a
sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample
estimates may differ from the true population values they represent. The component of this
difference that occurs because samples differ by chance is known as sampling error, and its
variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a 90-percent
chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by no more than
1.6 standard errors from the true population value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are
generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.

   The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error can occur for many
reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the population, inability to obtain
information for all respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to
provide correct information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.

   More information on the reliability of data from the CPS and estimating standard errors is
available online at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.

Definitions

   The principal definitions used in this news release are described briefly below.

   Employed. Employed people are all those who, during the survey reference week (which is
generally the week including the 12th day of the month), (a) did any work at all as paid
employees; (b) worked in their own business, profession, or on their own farm; (c) worked 15
hours or more as unpaid workers in a business or a farm operated by a family member in their
household. People who were temporarily absent from their jobs because of illness, bad weather,
vacation, labor dispute, or another reason also are counted as employed.
 
   Unemployed. The unemployed are those who had no employment during the reference week, were
available for work at that time, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime
during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. People who were waiting to be 
recalled to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be
classified as unemployed. Looking for full-time work refers to 35 hours or more per week;
part-time work refers to fewer than 35 hours per week.

   Civilian labor force. This group comprises all people classified as employed or unemployed.

   Unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percent of
the civilian labor force.

   Labor force participation rate. The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a
percent of the population.

   Employment-population ratio. The employment- population ratio is the employed as a percent
of the population.

   Not in the labor force. Included in this group are all people in the civilian
noninstitutional population who are neither employed nor unemployed.

   Industry and class of worker. This information applies to the job held during the reference
week. People with two or more jobs are classified in the job at which they worked the greatest
number of hours. Beginning with data for 2025, people are classified using the 2022 Census
industry classification system. The class-of-worker breakdown assigns workers to the following
categories: Private and government wage and salary workers, unincorporated self-employed
workers, and unpaid family workers.

   Wage and salary workers. Included in this group are people who receive wages, salary,
commissions, tips, or pay in kind from a private employer or from a government entity.

   Self-employed workers. Included in this group are those who work for profit or fees in
their own unincorporated business, profession, trade, or farm. Only unincorporated self-
employed are included in the self-employed category. Self-employed people whose businesses are
incorporated are included with private wage and salary workers.

   Unpaid family workers. Included in this group are people working without pay for 15 hours a
week or more on a farm or in a business operated by a family member in their household.