Average Wage: The average wage is the total payroll divided by the average employment in a given time period. The time units used in this publication are weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. For example, the average quarterly wage in the third quarter of 2000 is computed by dividing the total payroll by the average employment in that time period. The average wage is a summary statistic combining all wage and salary levels, and all grades and classes of labor. It represents pay received for a particular job performed, not necessarily pay received by an individual. Wages in this publication only approximate earnings because an employee may not be employed by the same employer all year or may work for more than one employer. Consequently, an industry with a substantial portion of part-time jobs will generally have lower wages per job than an industry with a larger proportion of full-time jobs.

Average Employing Units: The average of reported quarterly employing units for the entire year (see also Employing Unit).

Average Employment: The total number of employees reported divided by the number of months used in the analysis. This includes employees subject to Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs and State Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws who worked full- or part-time or received pay for any part of the pay period including the 12th of each month.

Bonus: Money given to employees in addition to their usual compensation. Bonuses are not necessarily provided at regular intervals.

Employing Unit: The economic unit for which data are submitted on an employer’s contribution report, Multiple Worksite Report, or on an employment and wages report of a government entity or nonprofit organization. It is typically at a single physical location and engaged in one, or predominantly one, type of economic activity for which a single industrial classification may be applied. Occasionally, a single physical location encompasses two or more distinct and significant activities (e.g., a restaurant and a gasoline service station at one location). Also, an employing unit may represent several locations or establishments. The average employing units is the average of reported quarterly employing units for the entire year.

Employment: The number of covered workers who earn wages during the pay period that includes the 12th of the month.

Enterprise: The employer and legal entity of a given Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax account. An enterprise may consist of one or more units.

Establishment: Where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed, generally at a single physical location.

FIRE: Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate; one of the ten major industries within the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system.

Gross Wages: As reported on the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Tax Report, gross wages are the total dollar amount of compensation paid by an employer during a quarter.

Industry Verification Form: Used in the annual refiling survey to verify or correct industry, geographic, and ownership codes for employers that are covered under the Wyoming Unemployment Security laws.

Multiple Worksite Report (MWR): Used for the collection of monthly employment, quarterly wages, and Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax information for those employers with two or more locations with a total of ten or more employees.

North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS): An economic classification system based on production processes of countries participating in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Quarterly Contributions Report (QCR): Contains information about monthly employment as of the 12th of each month, quarterly wages, and Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax information. Also known as the Quarterly UI/Workers’ Compensation Summary Report (Form WYO056).

Refiling: An annual process which uses the Industry Verification Form to verify or correct industry, geographic, and ownership codes for employers that are covered under Wyoming Employment Security laws. Also known as the Annual Refiling Survey.

Region: An economically integrated geographic area within which individuals can live and find employment within a reasonable distance or can readily change employment without changing their place of residence. Wyoming has five regions for the Covered Employment and Wages program: Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, and Central. For a list of the counties included in each region, refer to the Geography section.

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC): A system of industry classification based on the main product or group of products made or distributed, or services rendered by a business.

Total Payroll: The sum of all wages paid to covered full- and part-time employees, including commissions, bonuses, cash, the reasonable cash value of board and meals, housing, payment in kind, and all payments in any medium other than cash. Included in this calculation are wages paid for overtime, extra shift work, vacation pay, holiday pay, and bonuses. Wages of salaried officers of corporations, executives, and persons on vacation or sick leave are also included in Total Payroll.

TCPU: Transportation, Communications, & Public Utilities; one of the ten major industries of the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system.

Unemployment Insurance (UI): A national system for providing a source of income to individuals who, for various reasons, are temporarily without employment.

Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE): The Federal system of Unemployment Insurance. Two of the Federal agencies that submit UCFE information are the Department of Defense and the United States Postal Service.

Wyoming Employment Security Law: The series of Wyoming statutes that outline the functions of Unemployment Insurance (UI) in Wyoming. Includes Wyoming Statutes §§27-3-101 through 27-3-704.
 

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