USA: Most of the unemployed no longer receive benefits

[Labour Start]

LabourStart headline - Source: SFGate

More...

[runs with scissors]

The jobs crisis has left so many people out of work for so long that most of America's unemployed are no longer receiving unemployment benefits.

Early last year, 75 percent were receiving checks. The figure is now 48 percent — a shift that points to a growing crisis of long-term unemployment. Nearly one-third of America's 14 million unemployed have had no job for a year or more.

Congress is expected to decide by year's end whether to continue providing emergency unemployment benefits for up to 99 weeks in the hardest-hit states. If the emergency benefits expire, the proportion of the unemployed receiving aid would fall further.

...

Yet for a growing share of the unemployed, a vote in Congress to extend the benefits to 99 weeks is irrelevant. They've had no job for more than 99 weeks. They're no longer eligible for benefits.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...#ixzz1cr2P75Oq

Didn't want this story to get lost. This is so huge.
Although I'm not sure where they're getting that 14 million figure, it should be higher.

America, fuck yeah!

[Kid of the Black Hole]

Didn't want this story to get lost. This is so huge.
Although I'm not sure where they're getting that 14 million figure, it should be higher.

America, fuck yeah!

The numbers are tricky, not least because the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses statistical tools to determine who counts as part of the "workforce" in the first place. It ends up being roughly 150-160 million out of 305-310 million population. There is the obvious case to be made that what really matters it the gross number of JOBS at any given time charted against the working population (which rises at a rather steady/consistent rate each year thanks to net births and "legal" immigration)

In turn, there are different measures they employ (the oft mentioned distinction between U3 and U6, etc). The most inclusive of these counts those "short term discouraged", marginally attached (not working or looking, have looked for work in last 12 months) and involuntary part-time workers (who want but cannot find full time work). On a technical note, marginally attached is the broadest category and contains all other "discouraged" categories as subsets, officially.

Oct 2011 U6 (most inclusive) is 16.2% seasonally adjusted -- which according to my back of the envelope calculation could add as many as 10 million to that 14 million figure (16.2%x160m = 24.2m)

I've heard people peg the unemployed number (construed broadly) at 25-30 million although I am not sure what data exists to suppor the higher end of that range.

[BitterLittleFlower]

Didn't want this story to get lost. This is so huge.
Although I'm not sure where they're getting that 14 million figure, it should be higher.

America, fuck yeah!

Thanks, you beat me to the punch. My sister's been out of work for most of 3 years, stint during the census, one temp job, that's it...My brother's been working for 5 years for less than 10 bucks an hour...not included in the stats here is the waaay underemployed/ underpayed which kid points out. I'm sure the number of un/underemployed who'd like to work for real is at least 3 times that 14 million.

I like the idea that's been out there forever of a 30 hour work week, might get everybody working...with time to think to boot.

[Nikos]

The Re-Emergence of Concentrated Poverty: Metropolitan Trends in the 2000s


http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2011...au_berube.aspx