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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
Bureau of Labor Statistics > Current Population Survey > Home

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

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