We are in a depression.
The following data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
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HOUSEHOLD DATA HOUSEHOLD DATA
Table A-12. Alternative measures of labor underutilization
(Percent)
Not seasonally adjusted Seasonally adjusted
Measure
July June July July Mar. Apr. May June July
2008 2009 2009 2008 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009
U-1 Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent
of the civilian labor force....................... 1.9 4.8 4.9 2.1 3.7 4.0 4.5 5.1 5.1
U-2 Job losers and persons who completed temporary
jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force.... 2.9 5.9 6.0 3.0 5.4 5.7 6.2 6.2 6.2
U-3 Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian
labor force (official unemployment rate).......... 6.0 9.7 9.7 5.8 8.5 8.9 9.4 9.5 9.4
U-4 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a
percent of the civilian labor force plus
discouraged workers............................... 6.3 10.1 10.2 6.0 8.9 9.3 9.8 10.0 9.8
U-5 Total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus
all other marginally attached workers, as a
percent of the civilian labor force plus all
marginally attached workers....................... 7.0 10.9 11.0 6.7 9.8 10.1 10.6 10.8 10.7
U-6 Total unemployed, plus all marginally attached
workers, plus total employed part time for
economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian
labor force plus all marginally attached workers.. 10.8 16.8 16.8 10.4 15.6 15.8 16.4 16.5 16.3
NOTE: Marginally attached workers are persons who currently are neither working nor looking for work but indicate that they want and
are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the recent past. Discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached,
have given a job-market related reason for not looking currently for a job. Persons employed part time for economic reasons are those
who want and are available for full-time work but have had to settle for a part-time schedule. For more information, see "BLS
introduces new range of alternative unemployment measures," in the October 1995 issue of the Monthly Labor Review. Updated population
controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Table of Contents
Last Modified Date: August 07, 2009
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Note that unemployment is at 16.3%, and NOT the 9.4% you have been hearing.
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HOUSEHOLD DATA HOUSEHOLD DATA
Table A-12. Alternative measures of labor underutilization
(Percent)
Not seasonally adjusted Seasonally adjusted
Measure
July June July July Mar. Apr. May June July
2008 2009 2009 2008 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009
U-1 Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent
of the civilian labor force....................... 1.9 4.8 4.9 2.1 3.7 4.0 4.5 5.1 5.1
U-2 Job losers and persons who completed temporary
jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force.... 2.9 5.9 6.0 3.0 5.4 5.7 6.2 6.2 6.2
U-3 Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian
labor force (official unemployment rate).......... 6.0 9.7 9.7 5.8 8.5 8.9 9.4 9.5 9.4
U-4 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a
percent of the civilian labor force plus
discouraged workers............................... 6.3 10.1 10.2 6.0 8.9 9.3 9.8 10.0 9.8
U-5 Total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus
all other marginally attached workers, as a
percent of the civilian labor force plus all
marginally attached workers....................... 7.0 10.9 11.0 6.7 9.8 10.1 10.6 10.8 10.7
U-6 Total unemployed, plus all marginally attached
workers, plus total employed part time for
economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian
labor force plus all marginally attached workers.. 10.8 16.8 16.8 10.4 15.6 15.8 16.4 16.5 16.3
NOTE: Marginally attached workers are persons who currently are neither working nor looking for work but indicate that they want and
are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the recent past. Discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached,
have given a job-market related reason for not looking currently for a job. Persons employed part time for economic reasons are those
who want and are available for full-time work but have had to settle for a part-time schedule. For more information, see "BLS
introduces new range of alternative unemployment measures," in the October 1995 issue of the Monthly Labor Review. Updated population
controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Table of Contents
Last Modified Date: August 07, 2009
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Note that unemployment is at 16.3%, and NOT the 9.4% you have been hearing.