Unemployment rates are severely under tracked.

[TheRealMafoo]

JWS said:

TheRealMafoo said:

JWS said:

The unemployment rate in america is figured by counting the people receiving unemployment benefits.

Sorry, but that's not how it works.

http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm

You can get an unemployment check, and not be looking for a job. If you are not looking for a job, you are not part of the equation. So if you have a country of 3 people, 1 working, 1 looking for a job on unemployment, and 1 not looking for a job on unemployment, your unemployment rate would be calculated at 50%, not the 66% it should be.

When you sign up for your weekly checks if you answer that you have not been looking for work you lose your benefits and are not considered unemployed.

The federal calculation for unemployment has nothing to do with the unemployment checks. It's an independent survey the use to collect this information.