Current Population Survey

The Current Population Survey CPS is conducted by the for the. The BLS uses the data to provide a monthly report on the Employment Situation This report provides estimates of the number of people in the United States. A readable Employment Situation Summary provided monthly. Available annual estimates include employment and unemployment in large metropolitan areas.
Approximately households are eligible for the CPS. Sample households are selected by a multistage stratified scheme. A household is interviewed not interviewed then returned to the sample for months after that. An adult member of each household provides information for all members of the household. Those who employed or unemployed are not counted as part of labor force.
People are classified as employed if they did any work at all as paid employees during the reference week; worked in their own business, profession, or on their own farm; or worked without pay at least hours in a family business or farm. Those who are not classified as employed or unemployed are not counted as part of the labor force. They were available for work at that time. 
They made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the week period ending with the reference week. The exception to this category covers persons laid off from a job and expecting recall. The unemployment data derived from the household survey in no way depend upon the eligibility for or receipt of unemployment insurance benefits. They are tracked as discouraged workers.