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Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex

HOUSEHOLD DATA
ANNUAL AVERAGES
35. Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex
[In thousands]
Category	Total		Age						Sex
	2010	2011	16 to 24 years		25 to 54 years		55 years and over		Men		Women
	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011
Total not in the labor force	83,941	86,001	17,014	17,201	22,350	22,961	44,577	45,839	33,189	34,343	50,752	51,658
Do not want a job now(1)	77,882	79,564	14,990	15,177	19,659	20,107	43,233	44,280	30,309	31,298	47,573	48,266
Want a job(1)	6,059	6,437	2,024	2,023	2,691	2,854	1,344	1,560	2,880	3,045	3,179	3,392
Did not search for work in previous year	2,948	3,268	968	1,010	1,189	1,303	791	955	1,279	1,463	1,669	1,804
Searched for work in previous year, but not in past 4 weeks(2)	3,111	3,169	1,056	1,014	1,502	1,551	553	605	1,601	1,582	1,510	1,587
Not available to work now	623	597	274	262	284	262	65	73	264	236	359	361
Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)	2,487	2,573	782	752	1,218	1,289	487	532	1,337	1,346	1,151	1,227
Discouraged over job prospects(4)	1,173	989	291	222	595	519	287	248	731	579	442	410
Reasons other than discouragement	1,315	1,584	491	530	623	770	200	284	606	767	709	817
Family responsibilities	286	215	49	30	171	139	66	45	83	48	203	166
In school or training	350	323	262	245	81	75	7	4	191	183	158	140
Ill health or disability	50	169	4	18	21	93	25	58	21	86	29	83
Other(5)	629	877	176	238	350	463	102	177	311	449	318	428
Footnotes (1) Includes some persons who are not asked if they want a job. (2) Persons who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job. (3) Persons "marginally attached to the labor force" are those who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the reference week, but had not looked for work in the past 4 weeks. (4) Discouraged workers are persons marginally attached to the labor force who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for reasons such as thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination. (5) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not ascertained.
NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

Last Modified Date: March 1, 2012