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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
	2013	2014	16 to 24 years		25 to 54 years		55 years and over		Men		Women
	2013	2014	2013	2014	2013	2014	2013	2014	2013	2014	2013	2014
Total not in the labor force	90,290	92,025	17,458	17,418	23,630	23,744	49,201	50,863	35,889	36,865	54,401	55,159
Do not want a job now(1)	83,901	85,702	15,362	15,377	20,898	21,075	47,641	49,250	32,947	33,932	50,953	51,770
Want a job(1)	6,390	6,323	2,096	2,041	2,733	2,669	1,561	1,614	2,941	2,934	3,448	3,389
Did not search for work in previous year	3,402	3,448	1,079	1,072	1,327	1,337	996	1,039	1,479	1,524	1,923	1,924
Searched for work in previous year, but not in past 4 weeks(2)	2,988	2,875	1,017	969	1,406	1,332	565	574	1,463	1,409	1,525	1,465
Not available to work now	628	667	286	303	272	284	70	81	239	270	390	397
Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)	2,360	2,207	731	666	1,134	1,048	495	493	1,224	1,139	1,135	1,068
Discouraged over job prospects(4)	861	739	213	184	431	350	218	205	510	443	351	296
Reasons other than discouragement	1,498	1,468	518	482	703	697	277	289	714	696	784	772
Family responsibilities	229	239	33	34	148	160	48	45	61	65	169	174
In school or training	294	267	234	208	56	54	4	4	159	149	135	118
Ill health or disability	151	161	18	16	74	84	58	61	74	82	77	80
Other(5)	823	801	232	224	425	398	166	179	420	400	403	401
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 12, 2015