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About the 7.4% Unemployment Rate for July 2013

The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate declined two percentage points to 7.4%, mainly on a lower labor participation rate and more people being considered not part of the labor force.   This is the lowest official unemployment rate since December 2008 and at least a percentage point of the unemployment rate drop is due to the decline in labor force participation.  More people were employed as well.  People stuck in part-time jobs maintained their increases from last month.

CPS Employment Statistics Static for June 2013

The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate remained a static 7.6% and the current population survey unemployment figures are an unmoving pool of little changed this month.   More people were employed, yet the number of people stuck in part-time jobs ballooned from last month and the number of unemployed also increased slightly.

Unemployment Rate a Static 7.6% for May 2013

The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate ticked up 0.1 percentage point to 7.6% and the current population survey unemployment figures are a static pool of going nowhere fast statistics.   More people were employed, yet the number of people stuck in part-time jobs barely budged from last month and the number of unemployed also increased.  The labor participation rate increased 0.1 percentage points from the May 1979 record low.   U-6, a broader measure of unemployment, ticked down -0.1 percentage point to 13.8%.  Overall the CPS statistics look like an oscillating wave of stuck in neutral.

Unemployment Not Impressive for April 2013

The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percentage point to 7.5%, and the current population survey statistics are a mixed bag of strange.   More people were employed, yet the number of people stuck in part-time jobs continues to increase.  The labor participation rate stayed at the same May 1979 record low.   U-6, a broader measure of unemployment, ticked up 0.1 percentage point to 13.9%.

The Terrible Unemployment Figures of March 2013

The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percentage point to 7.6%, but not because people gained employment.  Instead the unemployment rate dropped due to less people participating in the labor market.  The labor participation rate just hit a record low, not seen since May 1979 when many segments of the population was still quite discriminated against in the workforce.   One cannot just blame retiring baby boomers for low labor participation rates  This article overviews and graphs the statistics from the Current Population Survey of the employment report.

Unemployment Rate 7.7% for February 2013, Long Term Unemployed Increased

The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate ticked down 0.2 percentage points to 7.7%.  While many cheer this report as a sign of recovery, the actual details are fairly ho hum.  This article overviews and graphs the statistics from the Current Population Survey of the employment report and the below graph shows how far off we are from 2008.   Don't let some fool you into thinking the job crisis is all over, it's not, not by a long shot.

Unemployment Rate 7.8% and Unemployed Duration Drops for December 2012

The BLS employment report shows a 7.8% unemployment rate for December. November was revised up from a 7.7% to 7.8% unemployment rate, but due to a change in the BLS annual seasonal adjustment revisions. This article overviews the statistics from the Current Population Survey of the employment report and the words to describe December are little change.

 

Unemployment Rate 7.7% Due to Less People in the Labor Force for November 2012

The BLS employment report shows the unemployment rate ticked down by 0.2 percentage points to 7.7%. The reason for the unemployment rate decrease is less people participated in the labor force in November. Superstorm Sandy had little effect on the monthly employment figures.

Current Population Survey Employment Report in Graphs, Unemployment Rate 7.9% for October 2012

The BLS employment report shows the unemployment rate ticked up by 0.1 percentage points to 7.9%. The reason for this up-tick is more people participated in the labor force in October. We love economic eye candy at The Economic Populist and this overview graphs many of the statistics from the Current Population Survey of the employment report.

 

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