Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

June 2000

Why are many jobless workers not applying for benefits?

Stephen A. Wandner, Andrew Stettner

More than half of those meeting the official definition of unemployment do not file for unemployment insurance benefits either because they think they are not eligible or because they are optimistic about finding a job

Download PDF »