[the invisib1e hand]

again, please tell me how “people not in labor force” are counted.

[BfloGuy]

again, please tell me how “people not in labor force” are counted.

As I understand it, the government sends out questionnaires to some 60,000 households each month. One of the questions asks if there is anyone unemployed living there and has that person actively looked for work in the last four weeks.

If there is someone unemployed and that person has not actively sought employment, then he's out of the workforce, baby.

[aruanan]

again, please tell me how “people not in labor force” are counted.

It is everyone who is not in the labor force including everyone from birth to the elderly. The number of people under 15 and over 64 comes out to about 87,000,000. Most in those two categories are not in the labor force. The balance of that record 88,000,000 not in the labor force comes from people who used to work, would still like to work, but haven't found a job.