The U6 is the actual unemployment and its double that 4.7
In the widely reported unemployment rate (U-3), the BLS only counts those who have looked for a job in the
past four weeks as unemployed. They're included in the labor force because their jobless situation is only temporary.Once they haven't looked for a job in the past four weeks are no longer counted as unemployed or in the
labor force. The BLS adds them to a group it calls the
marginally attached. For more, see
Labor Force Participation Rate.
Among them are the
discouraged workers, who have given up looking for work altogether. Others have gone back to school, gotten pregnant, or have become disabled. They may or may not eventually return to the labor force, depending on their circumstances. Once they haven't looked for a job in 12 months, they're no longer counted as marginally attached.
(Source: "
Definitions," Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
The BLS includes part-time workers in the employment numbers. It asks whether they would prefer a full-time job. Those people are considered
underemployed.
The U-6, or
real unemployment rate, includes everyone who wants a full-time job but doesn't have one.
Compare the Real Unemployment Rate
To put things in perspective here's the official unemployment rate compared to the real rate since 1995 (the first year the BLS collected data on U-6). The rates given are for January of each year.
You can quickly tell that the official rate is a little more than half the real rate. That remains true no matter how well the economy is doing. Even in 2000, when the official unemployment rate was at the
natural unemployment rate of 4.0%, the real unemployment rate was just about double, at 7.1%.
In 2010, when the unemployment rate was its highest at 9.8%, the real rate was still nearly double, at 16.7%
Does the Government Lie About Unemployment?
It counts the marginally attached (including discouraged workers) and the part-timers who would prefer a
full-time job. As a result, the real or true unemployment rate is much higher.
Real Unemployment Rate Formula Using Current Statistics
In December, the real unemployment rate (U-6) was 9.2 percent. That's double the widely-reported unemployment rate (U-3) of 4.7 percent. Here's how to calculate both:
Step 1. Calculate the official unemployment rate:
U-3 = 7.529 million unemployed workers / 159.640 million in the labor force = 4.7 percent.
Step 2. Add in marginally attached workers: There were 1.684 million people who were marginally attached to the labor force. Add this to both the number of unemployed and the labor force.
U-5 = 9.213 million / 161.324 million = 5.7 percent.
Step 3. Add in part-time workers: There were 5.598 million people who were working part-time because they couldn't get full-time work, although they'd prefer it. Add them to the unemployed, they're already in the labor force.
U-6 = 14.811 million / 161.324 million = 9. 2percent. (Source: "
Table A-15," Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
Compare the Real Unemployment Rate
To put things in perspective here's the official unemployment rate compared to the real rate since 1995
Does the Government Lie About Unemployment?