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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
	2011	2012	16 to 24 years		25 to 54 years		55 years and over		Men		Women
	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012
Total not in the labor force	86,001	88,310	17,201	17,499	22,961	23,061	45,839	47,750	34,343	35,017	51,658	53,293
Do not want a job now(1)	79,564	81,752	15,177	15,383	20,107	20,248	44,280	46,120	31,298	31,989	48,266	49,763
Want a job(1)	6,437	6,558	2,023	2,115	2,854	2,813	1,560	1,630	3,045	3,028	3,392	3,530
Did not search for work in previous year	3,268	3,390	1,010	1,064	1,303	1,328	955	998	1,463	1,490	1,804	1,900
Searched for work in previous year, but not in past 4 weeks(2)	3,169	3,168	1,014	1,052	1,551	1,484	605	632	1,582	1,537	1,587	1,630
Not available to work now	597	651	262	282	262	288	73	82	236	253	361	399
Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)	2,573	2,516	752	770	1,289	1,196	532	550	1,346	1,285	1,227	1,232
Discouraged over job prospects(4)	989	909	222	217	519	451	248	241	579	541	410	368
Reasons other than discouragement	1,584	1,608	530	553	770	746	284	309	767	743	817	864
Family responsibilities	215	229	30	33	139	147	45	49	48	61	166	168
In school or training	323	339	245	257	75	73	4	9	183	175	140	164
Ill health or disability	169	168	18	18	93	83	58	66	86	80	83	87
Other(5)	877	871	238	245	463	442	177	185	449	427	428	444
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: February 5, 2013