There's another reason why the official rate is misleading. Say you're an
out-of-work engineer or healthcare worker or construction worker or retail
manager: If you perform a minimum of one hour of work in a week and are paid at
least $20 -- maybe someone pays you to mow their lawn -- you're not officially
counted as unemployed in the much-reported 5.6%. Few Americans know this.
out-of-work engineer or healthcare worker or construction worker or retail
manager: If you perform a minimum of one hour of work in a week and are paid at
least $20 -- maybe someone pays you to mow their lawn -- you're not officially
counted as unemployed in the much-reported 5.6%. Few Americans know this.
Yet another figure of importance that doesn't get much press: those working
part time but wanting full-time work. If you have a degree in chemistry or math
and are working 10 hours part time because it is all you can find -- in other
words, you are severely underemployed -- the government doesn't count you in the
5.6%. Few Americans know this.
part time but wanting full-time work. If you have a degree in chemistry or math
and are working 10 hours part time because it is all you can find -- in other
words, you are severely underemployed -- the government doesn't count you in the
5.6%. Few Americans know this.
There's no other way to say this. The official unemployment rate, which
cruelly overlooks the suffering of the long-term and often permanently
unemployed as well as the depressingly underemployed, amounts to a Big Lie.
cruelly overlooks the suffering of the long-term and often permanently
unemployed as well as the depressingly underemployed, amounts to a Big Lie.
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