long term unemployed

The Magical Shrinking Unemployment Rate

The September current population survey unemployment report dropped to 5.9% and all sing hallelujah the job crisis is over.  The unemployment rate hasn't been this low since July 2008.  The unemployment rate dropped two tenths of a percentage point in a month, but why it dropped is more interesting.  The main reason is the decline in those participating in the jobs market.

Winter Polar Vortex Didn't Freeze The Unemployment Report

The February current population survey unemployment report is just plain weird and it is not due to weather.  First, the unemployment rate is an artificial 6.7%.  The unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points due to more people being officially counted as unemployed.  Yet, the employment level is basically static, almost unchanged from last month, along with the labor participation rate.

Unemployment Rate 6.7% As Half Million More Not In Labor Force

The December current population survey unemployment report is just plain weird.  First, the unemployment rate dropped another 0.3 percentage points to 6.7%, the lowest unemployment rate since October 2008.  The unemployment rate dropped because over half a million people dropped out of the labor force.  The unemployment rate's dramatic decline for 2013 is due primarily to people no longer being counted.

Unemployment Rate Drops Dramatically to 7.0%

Welcome to the wild weird current population survey unemployment report where dramatic monthly swings cause paranoia and doubt.  We shed light on these woolly figures and this month there is much to flash that light on.  First, the unemployment rate dropped 0.3 percentage points to 7.0%.  This is the lowest unemployment rate since November 2008.

October Unemployment Report Shows Almost a Million Drop Out of Labor Force

There were 932,000 more people considered not in the labor force for October 2013 according to the BLS employment report.  The labor participation rate plummeted to a new low of 62.8%.   Happy belated Halloween America for the these are some crazy unemployment statistics that are one big scary surprise.  While the month to month household survey figures vary greatly as a general rule, there is no government shutdown effect to explain away the monthly cliff dive of people no longer counted as part of the labor force this month.

Unemployment is a Flat Line No Change for September 2013

America's employment is the same as last month and we might look at the BLS report telling us, Doctor, the patient is still dead.  Someone bring the crash cart for employment in America needs to be resuscitated.  The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate declined a percentage point to 7.2%.

Unemployment Rate Drops On Over Half a Million More Not In Labor Force

The BLS employment report shows the official unemployment rate declined a percentage point to 7.3% as over half a million people dropped out of the labor force.  The labor participation rate just hit a low not seen since August 1978.  Less people were employed as well.  People dropping out of the labor force is no way to lower an unemployment rate, yet this is what is going on, five years eight months after the start of the Great Recession.

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.

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