CURRENT LABOR FORCE SURVEY:  On 27 December 2005, the Guam Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), began the Current Labor Force Survey (CLFS) to update the official figures on total employment and unemployment on Guam. Bureau of Labor Statistics interviewers, wearing official identification card,  will be calling on various households during 27 December 2005 through 11 January 2006.

Data on labor force, employment, and unemployment are derived from the sample survey of households conducted.  These periodic surveys of the population are conducted with a scientifically selected sample of households designed to represent the civilian non-institutional population.  Respondents are interviewed to obtain information about the employment status of each member of the household 16 years of age and over.  The inquiry relates to activity or status during the calendar week, Sunday through Saturday (11 – 17 December 2005).  This is known as the reference week.

Employed persons comprise (a) all those within the scope of the survey who, during the reference week, did any work at all as paid employees, in their own business, profession, or farm or who worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in an enterprise operated by a member of the family, and (b) all those who were not working but who had jobs or business from which they were temporarily absent because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor-management dispute, or personal reasons, whether or not they were paid by their employers for the time off, and whether or not they were seeking other jobs.

Each employed person is counted only once.  For those who hold more than one job, the job which they worked the greatest number of hours during the reference week is the one counted.

Excluded are persons whose only activity consisted of work around the house (such as, own home housework, and painting or repairing own home) or volunteer work for religious, charitable, and similar organizations.

Unemployed persons comprise of all persons within the scope of the survey, who did not work during the reference week, who made specific efforts to find a job within the past 4 weeks, and who were available for work during the reference  week (except for temporary illness).  Also included as unemployed are those who did not work at all, were available for work, and (a) were waiting to be called back to a  job from which they were laid off; or (b) were waiting to report to a new wage or salary job within 30 days.


For more information on the Current Labor Force Survey, please contact Mr. Gary Hiles, Chief Economist, BLS at 475-7062 or email: