Durrant Pate/ Contributor

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is seeking to explain new changes in its measurement of Jamaica’s unemployment rate and its labour force. 

In releasing its April 2024 Labour Force Survey (LFS) yesterday, STATIN says this is the second release since the revision of the survey in January 2024, whereby it has incorporated the recommendations from the 19th, 20th, and 21st International Conferences of Labour Statisticians (ICLS). 

The key change is the introduction of a new international definition of “work” that aligns with the System of National Accounts (SNA). This definition narrows employment to work done for pay or profit, excluding own-use production work, volunteer work, and unpaid trainee work.

Improved data analysis and presentation 

STATIN states that the April 2024 Labour Force Survey is equipped with improved data analysis and presentation to provide clearer insights into labor market trends and dynamics, including labor underutilization (LU), which is now assessed through multiple indicators.

These indicators are the unemployment rate (LU1), underemployment (LU2), the potential labour force (LU3), and a composite measure combining all three (LU4). 

Other changes incorporated in the Revised Labour Force Survey are the reference week for data collection, which is now the first full week of the quarter rather than the last full week of the previous quarter. Data are reported for individuals aged 15 and older instead of 14 and older. 

Additionally, the unemployment rate is now based on a stricter definition, requiring individuals to be jobless, available for work, and actively seeking employment, replacing the previous, more relaxed criteria. 

The new labor force series represents a significant break in the series and is not comparable with previous survey data. This lack of comparability results from revisions implemented, including updated definitions and classifications of employment.