What is the employment/population ratio?

The employment/population ratio describes the share of persons in employment of a specific age group in the total population of that age group. It must not be confused with the labour force participation rate. The labour force participation rate indicates the share of the labour force – that is persons having a job (persons in employment) or seeking one (unemployed persons) – in the same age group of the total population. The data shown here are based on the internationally comparable concept of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and are obtained from the data of the labour force survey, which is conducted in all European Union states as well as in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. In Germany, the labour force survey is integrated in the microcensus, which allows further analyses. Respondents are 15 to 64 year old persons in private households whose main place of residence is where they are interviewed.

Persons in employment are any persons who worked for remuneration for at least one hour in the reference week. Also included are persons who temporarily did not work, e.g. , due to illness, maternity protection or parental leave.

Unemployed persons are those who did not work in the reference week but who actively sought work in the last four weeks. In order to be considered as unemployed, the job seekers must be able to start work within two weeks. The volume of time of the job sought is irrelevant, as is the fact of whether the job seeker has registered with an employment agency or a municipal institution.

Inactive persons are those who, in the reference week, are neither in employment nor unemployed.