Unemployment figure tells just part of story

AP ^ | June 1, 2003 | Adam Geller

[sarcasm]

NEW YORK -- The nation's unemployment rate has edged up to 6 percent, but frustrated jobseekers -- shoulder-to-shoulder with so many others who have recently lost work -- are convinced the number is missing something.

They're right, experts say.

The unemployment figure, based on the government's monthly survey of 55,000 households, only counts those people who have made an effort to look for a job in the last four weeks.

[MacDorcha]

just thought id tell everyone i have two jobs that i get paid more than minimum wage for. i looked, and made myself presentable.... and even in this slump, i got two. huh, weird how a little hardwork, alot of luck, and not blaming others does that.

[A. Pole]

The government does publish a broader alternative unemployment rate, albeit one that gets limited attention. In April, that figure, which is not seasonally adjusted, was 9.8 percent, down from a high of 11 percent in January.

More or less the same as in Western Europe.

[Jorge]

That figure did not include 4.8 million people who are working part-time but want a full-time job, up about 600,000 from the previous year.

Did unemployment figures ever include those working part-time?

[fooman]

I wonder where we can find this more correct definition of unemployment.

[anniegetyourgun]

No. No significant news here....and most nations would die for our unemployment rates.

[sarcasm]

How the Government Measures Unemployment

[RedwM]

According to my local help-wanted ads if you can't find a job, you don't really want a job. Another 13 week extension on unemployment benefits doesn't provide much incentive either.

[bvw]

Have you looked for a job recently, yourself?

[RedwM]

No. Have you read the help-wanted ads lately?

[FITZ]

According to my local help-wanted ads if you can't find a job, you don't really want a job.

Those can be misleading because many of the help-wanted ads here require a certain type of degree and/or certification requiring special training AND several years experience ---which you can't get all in 13 weeks, or the jobs are minimum wage jobs ---one out of three jobs here pays exactly minimum wage and that isn't going to keep you your home or your kids fed and clothed.

[RedwM]

There is so much to calculate into this subject, you could go on for days. A person knows what they have to do.

[Brimack34]

Computer check outs are not going too help. I went to Home Depot and they had check yourself out. 1 person to 4 scanners. Food stores the same thing.

[A. Pole]

No. No significant news here....and most nations would die for our unemployment rates.

Of cource. That way everything is prefect here, especially if you focus on comparing with Subsaharan Africa. Still the real unemployment of 10 or 15% can be quite painful when you need to pay the bills and cannot fall back on substistence farming.

[A. Pole]

There is so much to calculate into this subject, you could go on for days. A person knows what they have to do.

In any case you do not appear to be such a person.

[Tokhtamish]

The want ads of 1998 had three pages of programmer ads. Now it has three columns. So stop babbling.

[FITZ]

I can see some kid fresh out of college having no good excuse because if anything they can load up their belongings into their car and head someplace where there might be some 7-11 or fast food job ---live out of their car for a couple months until they save up a deposit for a room. Someone older with a family to support and house payments really doesn't have the same luxuries in their choices they make.

[EverOnward]

just thought id tell everyone i have two jobs that i get paid more than minimum wage for. i looked, and made myself presentable.... and even in this slump, i got two. huh, weird how a little hardwork, alot of luck, and not blaming others does that.

And you are satisfied to work TWO "jobs" the rest of your life instead of one that you can live on?

[MacDorcha]

satisfied enough until this recession is gone.