Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization

HOUSEHOLD DATA
Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization
[Percent]
Measure Not seasonally adjusted Seasonally adjusted
May
2012
Apr.
2013
May
2013
May
2012
Jan.
2013
Feb.
2013
Mar.
2013
Apr.
2013
May
2013

U-1 Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of the civilian labor force

4.7 4.3 4.1 4.6 4.2 4.2 4.1 4.1 4.1

U-2 Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force

4.3 3.9 3.7 4.5 4.3 4.2 4.1 4.1 3.9

U-3 Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor force (official unemployment rate)

7.9 7.1 7.3 8.2 7.9 7.7 7.6 7.5 7.6

U-4 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers

8.4 7.6 7.7 8.7 8.4 8.3 8.1 8.0 8.0

U-5 Total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all other persons marginally attached to the labor force, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force

9.3 8.5 8.5 9.6 9.3 9.2 8.9 8.9 8.8

U-6 Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force

14.3 13.4 13.4 14.8 14.4 14.3 13.8 13.9 13.8

NOTE: Persons marginally attached to the labor force are those 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 past 12 months. Discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached, have given a job-market related reason for not currently looking for work. 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. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

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Last Modified Date: June 07, 2013