2007-04-13 10:39:26 · 19 answers · asked by Phiney C 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
Ahhhh, they don't use the number of people who sign up for unemployment to calculate the unemployment rate.
You have been given bad information.
The unemployment rate is based on a monthly survey done by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Most people don't realise that only about 30% of people who become unemployed qualify for unemployment benefits.
Reasons for not qualifying can include being fired, not working enough hours, not working enough quarters, etc.
I included the webpage from the U.S. Department of Labor that tell exactly how they calculate the unemployment rate.
The link is below.
On a different note:
The new job numbers you hear every month, are also based on a monthly survey done by the U.S. Department of Labor.
There are no actual counts of new jobs created, nor actual counts of people who lost thier job.
EDIT:
It is sad, that not one previous answerer to this question answered in a factual way. They all just repeated current internet myths.
2007-04-13 12:29:32 · answer #1 · answered by jeeper_peeper321 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, what they're counting are the "actively unemployed," and looking for work. They're not counting people who:
-aren't looking for work
-have been out of work for over 6 months
-are retired
...you have to have SOME parameters, and (to someone) these made sense. You have to have some way to differentiate the "jobless" vs. the people who don't have jobs. I guess you could count all non-working people as jobless and just deal with those percentages. However, I think there's a big difference between someone looking for a job and someone who doesn't want one!!!
2007-04-13 17:52:15 · answer #2 · answered by Left Bank Hook 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
US federal government statistics are always scary things to believe. The government tries to count people who are not working but looking for a job, not just those who sign up for unemployment.
Consider a married woman with two children who stays at home. Should she be counted as employed or unemployed? Should a retiree, who does not work, be counted as unemployed? How about children ages 16 to 18 who can work but who do not work. Should they be counted as unemployed? Prisoners in penitentiaries: some work and get paid pennies an hour. Those in solitary do not work or get paid. Should they be counted as unemployed?
The line drawn by the US government is arbitrary. President Harry Truman said: "There are lies, damn lies, and statistics." Don't believe everything the US government puts out.
2007-04-13 17:52:34 · answer #3 · answered by regerugged 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I really dont know. The technical definition of unemployed is someone who is out of work but looking actively. I've been looking actively for work for the last three months, but I only applied for unemployment today. Good to know I'll be counted. See I feel like doing it is giving up. Needless to say Im a conservative and I just hate the idea of being on state assistance. Live and learn I guess.
2007-04-13 17:43:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unemployment benefits are only available to those who have "sufficient work credits" to qualify. If someone hasn't worked they aren't considered workers. They are only counting the jobless as people who likely would work if they could find employment.
2007-04-13 17:44:23 · answer #5 · answered by raringvt 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not only is that the only counted demographic, but if youre unlucky enough to run out of employment benefits and no longer receiving income from Unemployment Insurance, you are no longer counted as unemployed.
The Unemployment figure in the US is hugely inaccurate by not counting all the unemployed.
2007-04-13 17:43:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because, there is no record of people who don't collect unemployment, so the figures fo unemployment are misleading. The reality is that the real rate is probably 3 times higher than what is being reported.
2007-04-13 17:44:26 · answer #7 · answered by evil_paul 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Makes them look better to not count the people whose employment has run out and still don't have a job. Just like politics, they never tell you the truth.
2007-04-13 18:26:40 · answer #8 · answered by REFORM! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So things won't look so bad.
Also when unemployment insurance runs out they are not counted any longer...
2007-04-13 17:45:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means they don't have to really say how widespread unemployment is. By they I mean politicians, all of them, whether "red' or "blue".
It is convenient. Unless you are one of those men and women turned down for unemployment, fired was some BS reason so the company doesn't have to pay it, and down on your luck.
This happened to 3 good friends of mine, 3 very hard workers.
The companies were not men and women enough to just say, we can't afford so many people.
Those of us who care need to tell the real story.
2007-04-13 17:44:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋