Paris, 16 July 2014

OECD Quarterly Employment SituationNews Release: 1st Quarter 2014

OECD employment rate rises for the fourth consecutive quarter to 65.6% in first quarter of 2014

The OECD area employment rate – defined as the share of people of working-age who are in employment – increased by 0.2 percentage point (to 65.6%) in the first quarter of 2014, the fourth consecutive quarterly increase. 536.2 million persons were employed in the first quarter of 2014, 1.7 million more than in the previous quarter. However, the OECD employment rate is still 1.0 percentage point below its level in the second quarter of 2008.

In the Euro area, the employment rate increased by 0.2 percentage point to 63.8%, after having been stable in the previous quarter. The employment rate also rose in Japan (up 0.2 percentage point to 72.4%, the eighth consecutive quarter of increase), in the United Kingdom (up 0.4 percentage point to 71.6%), and in the United States (up 0.4 percentage point to 67.8%), whereas it decreased slightly in Canada (down 0.1 percentage point to 72.3%).

Compared with the first quarter of 2013, the employment rate increased in about two thirds of OECD countries. The largest gains were observed in Hungary (up 4.3 percentage points to 61.7%) and New Zealand (up 1.9 percentage points to 74.5%) while the largest falls were recorded in the Netherlands (down 1.0 percentage point to 73.7%), Australia (down 0.7 percentage point to 71.6%) and Denmark (down 0.7 percentage point to 72.0%).

In the first quarter of 2014, the OECD employment rate increased by 0.2 percentage point for all age groups, and by 0.3 and 0.2 percentage point for men and women, to 73.5% and 57.8%, respectively. Compared with one year ago, the increase in the employment rate was stronger for workers aged 55-64 (up 0.9 percentage point to 56.9%), than for youth (up 0.5 percentage point to 39.6%) and workers aged 25-54 (up 0.4 percentage point to 75.9%).

2008

Q220

08Q3

2008

Q420

09Q1

2009

Q220

09Q3

2009

Q420

10Q1

2010

Q220

10Q3

2010

Q420

11Q1

2011

Q220

11Q3

2011

Q420

12Q1

2012

Q220

12Q3

2012

Q420

13Q1

2013

Q220

13Q3

2013

Q420

14Q1

2014

Q2

63

65

67

69

71

73

Employment ratesEmployment as a percentage of the working-

age population

OECD - Total Euro areaJapan * United States

* Note: statistical breaks in Q1-2011 and Q3-2011 All persons Youth (15-24) Prime-age

workers (25-54)

Older workers (55-64)

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

Change in OECD employment ratesPercentage points

Q4 2013 to Q1 2014 Q1 2013 to Q1 2014

Methodological Notes: http://www.oecd.org/std/labourstatistics/50273955.pdf

All rates and levels quoted are seasonally adjusted (s.a.).

New Quarterly Labour Market Statistics: http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=STLABOUR

Country Note: The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.

Contacts: For further information readers are invited to contact the OECD's Media Relations Division on

(33) 1 45 24 97 00 or e-mail news.contact@oecd.org

For technical questions contact stat.contact@oecd.org

Next release: Mid-October 2014

1

Paris, 16 July 2014

OECD Quarterly Employment SituationNews Release: 1st Quarter 2014

Table 1: OECD employment rates and levels (15-64)Employment as a percentage of corresponding working age population and levels, seasonally adjusted

Employment rates Levels201

0201

1201

2201

3200

8201

22013

2014 Thousands

Q2 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q1 - 2014

OECD - Total 64.5 64.8 65.0 65.2 66.6 65.165.

065.

165.

265.

4 65.6536,229

Major Seven 67.3 67.5 67.7 68.1 69.6 67.967.

968.

068.

168.

2 68.5327,817

European Union 64.0 64.2 64.1 64.1 65.8 64.163.

964.

064.

264.

3 64.6213,304

Euro area 64.1 64.3 63.8 63.6 65.9 63.663.

563.

563.

663.

6 63.8138,309

Australia 72.4 72.7 72.4 72.0 73.3 72.372.

372.

271.

971.

7 71.611,107

Austria 71.7 72.1 72.5 72.3 72.3 72.472.

172.

472.

472.

4 72.54,115

Belgium 62.0 61.9 61.8 61.8 62.2 61.861.

661.

962.

261.

5 61.84,488

Canada 71.5 72.0 72.2 72.5 73.7 72.572.

672.

672.

472.

4 72.317,130

Chile 59.3 61.3 61.8 62.3 57.2 61.862.

262.

362.

362.

4 62.27,356

Czech Republic 65.0 65.7 66.6 67.7 66.6 66.967.

267.

767.

968.

1 68.44,862

Denmark 73.4 73.2 72.6 72.6 78.1 72.672.

772.

772.

472.

4 72.02,602

Estonia 61.3 65.3 67.2 68.5 70.0 67.167.

969.

368.

568.

1 67.8589

Finland 68.2 69.0 69.4 68.9 71.2 69.268.

969.

168.

868.

6 68.72,393

France1 63.9 63.9 63.9 64.1 64.8 64.063.

964.

064.

264.

3 64.425,566

Germany 71.1 72.5 72.8 73.3 69.8 73.173.

173.

373.

473.

5 73.439,741

Greece 59.6 55.6 51.3 49.3 62.0 50.449.

649.

349.

249.

1 49.03,450

Hungary 55.4 55.8 57.2 58.5 56.5 57.557.

458.

358.

759.

4 61.74,111

Iceland 78.2 78.5 79.7 81.1 84.4 80.180.

080.

981.

781.

7 80.8166

Ireland 59.7 58.9 58.9 60.5 68.3 59.259.

760.

160.

761.

2 61.31,848

Israel 60.2 60.9 66.5 67.1 59.9 66.766.

966.

867.

367.

3 67.93,379

Italy 56.9 57.0 56.8 55.6 58.8 56.455.

955.

655.

555.

5 55.521,888

Japan 70.6 71.1 70.6 71.7 70.9 70.871.

371.

571.

872.

2 72.456,753

Korea 63.3 63.8 64.2 64.4 63.9 64.264.

064.

364.

664.

9 65.423,553

Luxembourg 65.2 64.6 65.9 65.7 64.3 66.265.

565.

765.

766.

0 66.4241

Mexico 59.7 60.0 60.9 60.8 61.2 60.5 60. 60. 60. 61. 60.9 47,126

1 Statistical break in Q4-2012 for France, following the introduction of a revised labour force survey questionnaire (from 1 January 2013 onwards). European Union and Euro area aggregates are also affected, and, to a lesser extent OECD-Total and Major seven aggregates.

2

Paris, 16 July 2014

OECD Quarterly Employment SituationNews Release: 1st Quarter 2014

5 9 7 3

Netherlands 74.7 74.9 75.1 74.3 77.1 74.974.

774.

474.

174.

0 73.78,100

New Zealand 72.3 72.6 72.2 73.1 75.0 71.272.

672.

773.

373.

8 74.52,192

Norway 75.3 75.3 75.8 75.4 78.1 75.575.

575.

475.

475.

3 75.12,522

Poland 59.0 59.3 59.7 60.0 59.0 59.759.

659.

860.

260.

5 61.115,521

Portugal 65.6 64.2 61.8 61.1 68.5 60.560.

360.

761.

262.

0 62.04,236

Slovak Republic 58.8 59.3 59.7 59.9 61.9 59.359.

959.

859.

959.

9 60.32,325

Slovenia 66.2 64.4 64.1 63.3 68.2 64.263.

263.

063.

763.

2 63.3889

Spain 58.9 58.0 55.8 54.8 65.1 55.054.

854.

754.

755.

0 55.316,978

Sweden 72.2 73.6 73.8 74.4 74.4 73.874.

274.

374.

574.

7 74.54,572

Switzerland 78.6 79.4 79.4 79.6 79.5 79.679.

479.

479.

380.

2 79.04,308

Turkey 46.3 48.4 48.9 49.5 45.1 49.749.

949.

749.

249.

3 50.025,381

United Kingdom 69.5 69.5 70.1 70.8 71.8 70.670.

470.

670.

971.

2 71.629,265

United States 66.7 66.6 67.1 67.4 71.2 67.467.

267.

367.

467.

4 67.8137,472

3

Paris, 16 July 2014

OECD Quarterly Employment SituationNews Release: 1st Quarter 2014

Table 2: OECD employment rates (15-64) by genderEmployment as a percentage of corresponding working age population, seasonally adjusted

Women Men201

3 2013201

4201

3 2013201

4

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1

OECD - Total 57.457.

257.

357.

557.

657.8 73.1

73.0

73.1

73.0

73.2

73.5

Major Seven 62.362.

062.

262.

462.

562.7 73.9

73.8

73.9

73.9

74.0

74.3

European Union

58.858.

558.

758.

959.

159.3 69.4

69.3

69.3

69.4

69.6

69.9

Euro area 58.358.

258.

258.

458.

458.6 68.8

68.9

68.8

68.8

68.9

69.0

Australia 66.466.

766.

566.

366.

266.0 77.6

77.9

77.8

77.5

77.2

77.2

Austria 67.667.

267.

767.

767.

767.8 77.1

77.0

77.2

77.1

77.2

77.3

Belgium 57.256.

856.

858.

257.

057.3 66.4

66.3

66.8

66.3

66.1

66.3

Canada 69.669.

669.

669.

669.

569.3 75.4

75.5

75.5

75.3

75.3

75.4

Chile 51.050.

851.

050.

951.

251.6 73.8

73.7

73.7

73.8

73.7

72.8

Czech Republic

59.659.

159.

559.

760.

060.2 75.7

75.1

75.7

75.8

76.0

76.5

Denmark 70.169.

970.

270.

469.

869.0 75.0

75.5

75.2

74.4

74.9

74.9

Estonia 65.765.

366.

065.

565.

964.3 71.4

70.6

72.7

71.6

70.4

71.4

Finland 67.868.

068.

067.

767.

667.6 69.9

69.9

70.3

70.0

69.6

69.9

France1 60.460.

160.

260.

560.

861.2 67.9

67.8

67.9

68.0

67.9

67.8

Germany 68.868.

568.

669.

169.

168.9 77.7

77.6

77.8

77.7

77.8

77.9

Greece 40.140.

540.

039.

939.

940.5 58.4

58.6

58.4

58.3

58.3

57.7

Hungary 52.852.

252.

452.

853.

755.5 64.3

62.7

64.3

64.8

65.3

68.1

Iceland 79.077.

778.

779.

879.

577.6 83.2

82.2

83.1

83.5

83.8

83.8

Ireland 55.955.

555.

756.

256.

256.4 65.1

64.1

64.7

65.4

66.2

66.3

Israel 63.062.

762.

963.

263.

164.3 71.2

71.1

70.7

71.4

71.5

71.6

Italy 46.546.

746.

446.

546.

546.6 64.8

65.3

64.7

64.6

64.7

64.5

Japan 62.562.

062.

262.

563.

263.2 80.8

80.4

80.8

80.9

81.1

81.5

Korea 53.953.

553.

754.

254.

454.9 74.9

74.5

74.8

75.0

75.4

75.8

Luxembourg 59.159.

359.

958.

358.

961.3 72.2

71.5

71.3

72.8

72.8

71.5

Mexico 45.0 44. 45. 44. 45. 44.8 78.3 78. 78. 77. 78. 78.5

1 Statistical break in Q4-2012 for France, following the introduction of a revised labour force survey questionnaire (from 1 January 2013 onwards). European Union and Euro area aggregates are also affected, and, to a lesser extent OECD-Total and Major seven aggregates.

4

Paris, 16 July 2014

OECD Quarterly Employment SituationNews Release: 1st Quarter 2014

4 2 9 3 1 3 9 7

Netherlands 69.970.

370.

069.

869.

668.9 78.7

79.1

78.7

78.3

78.4

78.6

New Zealand 67.967.

767.

568.

068.

569.4 78.5

77.7

78.2

78.7

79.3

79.7

Norway 73.573.

473.

473.

573.

473.1 77.3

77.4

77.3

77.2

77.1

77.1

Poland 53.452.

953.

253.

654.

154.8 66.6

66.3

66.6

66.7

66.9

67.4

Portugal 58.257.

557.

658.

559.

259.2 64.0

63.1

63.8

64.0

64.9

64.9

Slovak Republic

53.353.

253.

253.

453.

754.1 66.4

66.7

66.5

66.3

66.1

66.5

Slovenia 59.259.

259.

059.

559.

259.7 67.1

67.0

66.8

67.6

66.9

66.7

Spain 50.350.

450.

250.

250.

550.8 59.2

59.2

59.1

59.2

59.5

59.7

Sweden 72.572.

172.

472.

572.

872.7 76.3

76.1

76.2

76.5

76.4

76.4

Switzerland 74.474.

274.

274.

175.

174.1 84.7

84.5

84.4

84.5

85.2

83.9

Turkey 29.729.

929.

729.

529.

529.6 69.5

70.0

69.7

69.0

69.2

70.4

United Kingdom

65.965.

765.

865.

966.

366.6 75.6

75.2

75.4

75.9

76.1

76.7

United States 62.362.

162.

362.

562.

462.9 72.6

72.6

72.5

72.5

72.6

72.9

5

Paris, 16 July 2014

OECD Quarterly Employment SituationNews Release: 1st Quarter 2014

Table 3: OECD employment rates by ageEmployment as a percentage of corresponding working age population, seasonally adjusted

Youth (15-24)Prime-age workers (25-

54)Older workers (55-64)

2013201

4 2013201

4 2013201

4

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1

OECD - Total39.

339.

339.

439.6

75.6

75.6

75.7

75.956.

256.

556.

756.9

Major Seven42.

242.

442.

642.6

78.1

78.1

78.2

78.559.

359.

759.

860.2

European Union

32.3

32.3

32.3

32.476.

776.

876.

977.3

49.8

50.4

50.9

51.4

Euro area31.

631.

331.

130.9

75.8

75.7

75.8

76.049.

850.

450.

751.2

Australia59.

158.

758.

057.8

79.2

79.0

78.9

79.061.

961.

261.

161.0

Austria54.

253.

953.

653.7

85.0

85.0

84.8

85.044.

945.

146.

145.8

Belgium23.

824.

522.

922.1

79.3

79.2

78.8

79.641.

742.

841.

741.1

Canada55.

355.

054.

854.9

81.5

81.5

81.5

81.460.

760.

460.

260.4

Chile30.

430.

230.

330.4

75.3

75.2

75.1

74.863.

963.

665.

064.8

Czech Republic

25.7

25.5

25.6

26.383.

783.

583.

783.7

51.3

52.0

52.6

52.9

Denmark53.

653.

253.

252.2

82.5

81.9

81.6

81.161.

662.

461.

961.8

Estonia33.

832.

531.

732.5

80.3

80.0

81.0

80.264.

661.

761.

259.6

Finland41.

640.

942.

041.2

81.5

80.8

80.5

80.658.

658.

958.

659.1

France1 28.5

28.5

28.9

28.980.

680.

880.

880.8

45.5

45.7

45.9

46.4

Germany47.

046.

746.

646.1

83.4

83.3

83.2

83.363.

163.

964.

465.1

Greece11.

712.

012.

212.1

61.6

61.3

61.3

61.635.

935.

835.

035.1

Hungary19.

620.

220.

523.3

75.4

75.8

76.6

78.638.

338.

739.

440.8

Iceland67.

970.

371.

870.7

84.7

85.3

84.7

83.780.

881.

381.

382.0

Ireland28.

929.

128.

928.5

70.6

71.3

72.1

71.950.

651.

452.

952.5

Israel76.

877.

477.

478.1

65.2

63.6

64.5

66.0

Italy16.

816.

315.

515.1

68.4

68.2

68.1

67.842.

143.

344.

145.1

Japan39.

739.

840.

040.3

81.3

81.4

81.8

81.966.

467.

067.

668.0

Korea23.

924.

224.

825.4

74.8

75.2

75.4

75.764.

164.

765.

065.6

Luxembourg22.

719.

524.

526.2

82.0

83.8

82.6

83.143.

039.

139.

140.2

Mexico 42. 41. 42. 42.0 70. 70. 71. 70.5 55. 54. 55. 55.0

1 Statistical break in Q4-2012 for France, following the introduction of a revised labour force survey questionnaire (from 1 January 2013 onwards). European Union and Euro area aggregates are also affected, and, to a lesser extent OECD-Total and Major seven aggregates.

6

Paris, 16 July 2014

OECD Quarterly Employment SituationNews Release: 1st Quarter 2014

4 7 0 6 5 0 1 9 7

Netherlands62.

761.

961.

860.9

82.5

82.0

81.9

81.959.

860.

460.

760.0

New Zealand49.

849.

851.

352.1

80.2

81.3

81.6

81.975.

174.

174.

876.1

Norway51.

851.

550.

950.1

84.0

84.3

84.1

83.871.

671.

470.

871.5

Poland24.

424.

124.

325.6

76.8

77.2

77.3

77.740.

240.

841.

641.9

Portugal21.

723.

123.

021.9

74.0

74.7

75.7

76.346.

846.

947.

547.5

Slovak Republic

20.7

20.5

19.8

20.975.

975.

876.

176.8

44.0

44.1

43.9

43.0

Slovenia26.

526.

925.

625.6

81.5

82.3

81.9

81.933.

733.

733.

833.7

Spain16.

916.

616.

716.6

65.6

65.7

66.2

66.543.

043.

643.

743.5

Sweden41.

242.

042.

542.6

85.4

85.4

85.3

85.273.

373.

774.

273.8

Switzerland61.

361.

062.

960.5

86.2

86.3

87.0

86.172.

071.

671.

871.1

Turkey32.

832.

531.

134.3

59.1

58.8

59.1

59.231.

631.

331.

331.0

United Kingdom

46.1

46.7

47.1

47.480.

980.

981.

281.8

59.6

60.2

60.6

60.9

United States46.

246.

546.

946.9

75.9

76.0

75.9

76.560.

961.

060.

660.9

7