Final answer:
Stan, a 15-year-old student planning to apply for a summer job but not currently working or seeking employment, is considered 'not in the labor force' according to U.S. labor statistics. Additionally, since the labor force usually includes those 16 and older, his age further excludes him from the labor force.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine whether Stan, a 15-year-old student who will apply for a summer job but is currently in school, is in the labor force, we can reference the U.S. Bureau of the Census labor statistics.
According to these statistics, individuals are categorized into three groups: employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force.
Employed individuals are those currently working for pay, while those who are unemployed are out of work and actively looking for a job. Meanwhile, individuals not in the labor force are neither working nor actively seeking employment.
Stan is a student and is not yet working, nor is he currently seeking employment as he plans to apply for summer work in the future.
Therefore, he would be considered not in the labor force at this point in time.
This is not to be confused with unemployment, as to be classified as unemployed, one must be actively seeking work, which Stan is not currently doing.
Additionally, the age factor must be considered, as the labor force typically includes individuals aged 16 and over. Thus, at 15 years of age, Stan would not yet be considered part of the labor force from a statistical standpoint.