The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported that Israel's unemployment rate dropped to a record low of 4.9% in February 2014, down from 5.4% in January.
The CBS noted that the calculation was made according to seasonally adjusted data. The 4.9% unemployment rate (5.1% for men and 4.7% for women) covered people ages 25 to 64. For those aged 15 and over, the rate declined from 5.9% in January to 5.8% in February.
Participation in the labour force rose to a record high of 80% in February, meaning that four out of five people ages 25 to 64 are currently employed. Overall, 3.5 million out of Israel's 8.1 million people are employed and 216,000 people were unemployed in February, 3,000 fewer than in January. The CBS also found that among employed men, 87% work full time and 13% work part time. Among employed women, 67% work full time and 33% part time.
