Yes, it counts all those who are looking.
LOL all you like but the 7.8% figure is what the media and others use to evaluate the labor market.
Yes, just as it always has.
So if there are millions not counted, my point stands.
Your point was that the 8.8 million unemployed who are not collecting benefits are not counted. If that were the case, the unemployment rate would be close to 2%.
Sorry if pointing out your error makes you sad.
Really, see the info below:
These data are not used to measure total unemployment because they exclude several important groups. To begin with, not all workers are covered by UI programs. For example, self-employed workers, unpaid family workers, workers in certain not-for-profit organizations, and several other small (primarily seasonal) worker categories are not covered. In addition, the insured unemployed exclude the following:
Unemployed workers who have exhausted their benefits
Unemployed workers who have not yet earned benefit rights (such as new entrants or reentrants to the labor force)
Disqualified workers whose unemployment is considered to have resulted from their own actions rather than from economic conditions; for example, a worker discharged for misconduct on the job
Otherwise eligible unemployed persons who do not file for benefits
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Um, care to think again. Sorry if pointing out your mistake with facts makes you sad.