What differences exist between BLS definitions and foreign country definitions of the labor force?
One of the differences between U.S. and foreign country definitions is with regard to age limits. The lower age limit of the working-age population according to U.S. concepts is 16 while most foreign countries collect data on the working-age population ages 15 and older. In addition, some countries may have an upper age limit. Another difference is that foreign countries sometimes include the career military or national defense force in the labor force, whereas U.S. data are based on the civilian labor force. There is also a difference with regard to the treatment of unpaid family workers. Whereas most foreign countries count all unpaid family workers as employed, the U.S. only includes them if they worked at least 15 hours. Whereas BLS uses the term “labor force,” other countries may use the term “economically active population.” For persons “not in the labor force,” other countries may use the term “economically inactive population.” The terms for employment and unemployment are gene
