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Number of involuntary part-time workers 5.8 million in October 2015
November 10, 2015
The number of people employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) edged down by 269,000 to 5.8 million in October. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.
People employed part time for economic reasons, January 2005–October 2015
Month
Employed part time for economic reasons
Jan 2005
4,389,000
Feb 2005
4,250,000
Mar 2005
4,388,000
Apr 2005
4,278,000
May 2005
4,315,000
Jun 2005
4,432,000
Jul 2005
4,400,000
Aug 2005
4,491,000
Sep 2005
4,675,000
Oct 2005
4,269,000
Nov 2005
4,219,000
Dec 2005
4,115,000
Jan 2006
4,123,000
Feb 2006
4,174,000
Mar 2006
3,972,000
Apr 2006
3,900,000
May 2006
4,111,000
Jun 2006
4,318,000
Jul 2006
4,303,000
Aug 2006
4,195,000
Sep 2006
4,115,000
Oct 2006
4,352,000
Nov 2006
4,190,000
Dec 2006
4,187,000
Jan 2007
4,279,000
Feb 2007
4,220,000
Mar 2007
4,253,000
Apr 2007
4,313,000
May 2007
4,473,000
Jun 2007
4,342,000
Jul 2007
4,410,000
Aug 2007
4,576,000
Sep 2007
4,521,000
Oct 2007
4,325,000
Nov 2007
4,494,000
Dec 2007
4,618,000
Jan 2008
4,846,000
Feb 2008
4,902,000
Mar 2008
4,904,000
Apr 2008
5,220,000
May 2008
5,286,000
Jun 2008
5,540,000
Jul 2008
5,930,000
Aug 2008
5,851,000
Sep 2008
6,148,000
Oct 2008
6,690,000
Nov 2008
7,311,000
Dec 2008
8,029,000
Jan 2009
8,046,000
Feb 2009
8,796,000
Mar 2009
9,145,000
Apr 2009
8,908,000
May 2009
9,113,000
Jun 2009
9,024,000
Jul 2009
8,891,000
Aug 2009
9,029,000
Sep 2009
8,847,000
Oct 2009
8,979,000
Nov 2009
9,114,000
Dec 2009
9,098,000
Jan 2010
8,530,000
Feb 2010
8,936,000
Mar 2010
9,233,000
Apr 2010
9,178,000
May 2010
8,845,000
Jun 2010
8,577,000
Jul 2010
8,500,000
Aug 2010
8,800,000
Sep 2010
9,246,000
Oct 2010
8,837,000
Nov 2010
8,873,000
Dec 2010
8,935,000
Jan 2011
8,487,000
Feb 2011
8,449,000
Mar 2011
8,658,000
Apr 2011
8,663,000
May 2011
8,605,000
Jun 2011
8,440,000
Jul 2011
8,277,000
Aug 2011
8,781,000
Sep 2011
9,109,000
Oct 2011
8,637,000
Nov 2011
8,450,000
Dec 2011
8,174,000
Jan 2012
8,291,000
Feb 2012
8,193,000
Mar 2012
7,808,000
Apr 2012
7,915,000
May 2012
8,163,000
Jun 2012
8,098,000
Jul 2012
8,087,000
Aug 2012
7,997,000
Sep 2012
8,600,000
Oct 2012
8,195,000
Nov 2012
8,156,000
Dec 2012
7,926,000
Jan 2013
8,055,000
Feb 2013
8,064,000
Mar 2013
7,699,000
Apr 2013
7,933,000
May 2013
7,947,000
Jun 2013
8,124,000
Jul 2013
8,087,000
Aug 2013
7,843,000
Sep 2013
7,939,000
Oct 2013
7,982,000
Nov 2013
7,715,000
Dec 2013
7,766,000
Jan 2014
7,274,000
Feb 2014
7,204,000
Mar 2014
7,449,000
Apr 2014
7,460,000
May 2014
7,268,000
Jun 2014
7,496,000
Jul 2014
7,433,000
Aug 2014
7,223,000
Sep 2014
7,058,000
Oct 2014
7,012,000
Nov 2014
6,851,000
Dec 2014
6,790,000
Jan 2015
6,810,000
Feb 2015
6,635,000
Mar 2015
6,705,000
Apr 2015
6,580,000
May 2015
6,652,000
Jun 2015
6,505,000
Jul 2015
6,325,000
Aug 2015
6,483,000
Sep 2015
6,036,000
Oct 2015
5,767,000
Note: People who work part time for economic reasons are those who worked 1 to 34 hours during the reference week for an economic reason such as slack work or unfavorable business conditions, inability to find full-time work, or seasonal declines in demand. Not included are people who usually work part time for noneconomic reasons such as childcare problems, family or personal obligations, school or training, retirement or Social Security limits on earnings, and other reasons.
In October 2014, the number of people working part time for economic reasons was 7.0 million. Over the past 12 months, the number of people employed part time for economic reasons has declined by 1.2 million.
The number of involuntary part-time workers reached 9.0 million during 2009 and stayed near that level in 2010 and much of 2011. The number has been below 7.0 million since November 2014.
United States Department of Labor
