Financial

The BLS U-3 chart is the official unemployment rate. Shown as a percentage of the civilian labor force.

But over the past twenty years the American civilian workforce has undergone significant changes. John Robb outlines the situation.

The BLS U-6 chart attempts to include workers who are unemployed and underemployed. Table A-12 Alternative measures of labor under-utilization. The BLS U-6 number for December 2008 is 13.5%.