Labor force participation rate: The percentage of the population 16 years and older that is either working or actively seeking work. It is based on the Current Population Survey, conducted each month among 60,000 households, or about 110,000 individuals from around the country. Called the Current Employment Statistics program, it is intended to measure changes in jobs created and lost over time. Thus, a single person working two jobs would be counted once by the household survey (one individual is employed) and twice by the payroll survey (two jobs exist). The household survey helps fill in those gaps.

Source: New York Times May 03, 2019 11:30 UTC