Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization

HOUSEHOLD DATA
Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization
[Percent]
Measure Not seasonally adjusted Seasonally adjusted
Aug.
2011		 July
2012		 Aug.
2012		 Aug.
2011		 Apr.
2012		 May
2012		 June
2012		 July
2012		 Aug.
2012

U-1 Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of the civilian labor force

 5.2 4.3 4.3 5.3 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.5 4.4

U-2 Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force

 5.1 4.6 4.4 5.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.5

U-3 Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor force (official unemployment rate)

 9.1 8.6 8.2 9.1 8.1 8.2 8.2 8.3 8.1

U-4 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers

 9.6 9.1 8.7 9.6 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.8 8.6

U-5 Total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all other persons marginally attached to the labor force, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force

 10.6 10.0 9.7 10.6 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.7 9.6

U-6 Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force

 16.1 15.2 14.6 16.2 14.5 14.8 14.9 15.0 14.7

NOTE: Persons marginally attached to the labor force are those who currently are neither working nor looking for work but indicate that they want and are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the past 12 months. Discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached, have given a job-market related reason for not currently looking for work. Persons employed part time for economic reasons are those who want and are available for full-time work but have had to settle for a part-time schedule. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

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Last Modified Date: September 07, 2012