It asks how many eligible people are in the work-or-job-search group, rather than how many have jobs.
01
Go deeper
The U.S. headline rate covers people age 16 and older. The labor force includes employed people and those classified as unemployed. Retirement, schooling, caregiving and job prospects can affect participation.
02
Make it concrete
Hypothetical illustration. Hypothetically, 60 of 100 people are employed or unemployed under the survey definitions: participation is 60%.
03
When you read a headline
Participation and unemployment use different denominators. Read both alongside employment.