Trends in HR: Understanding the U.S. Labor Force

These flashcards cover key concepts regarding the trends in the U.S. labor force, definitions of employment statuses, statistics, and demographics.

What is the labor force?

The labor force includes persons 16 or older who are either employed or unemployed.

How is an 'employed' person defined?

An 'employed' person has done any work as paid employees, worked in their own business, or worked without pay for at least 15 hours in a family business or farm.

What is the Current Population Survey?

A monthly survey conducted on 60,000 U.S. households to assess the employment status of each member aged 16 and older.

Who is considered 'unemployed'?

An individual who is not employed during the survey week, available for work, and has made specific efforts to find employment in the last month.

What percentage of unemployed individuals have been unemployed for less than 5 weeks?

33%.

What are discouraged workers?

Individuals who have given up looking for employment after long-term unemployment and are not included in the labor force.

What is the unemployment rate for individuals with a Bachelor's degree or more as of August 2025?

2.5%.

What definition corresponds to U-3 in unemployment metrics?

Total unemployed (official rate), which was 4.3% in August 2025.

What is the difference between the unemployment rate and the labor force participation rate?

The unemployment rate measures those actively seeking work, while the labor force participation rate measures the proportion of the working-age population that is either employed or actively seeking employment.

Who is considered 'not in the labor force'?

Individuals who are neither employed nor unemployed, such as students, retirees, or those with family responsibilities.

What were the unemployment statistics for Massachusetts in July 2025?

Labor Force size = 3.961 million, Employed = 3.770 million, Unemployed = 190,913, Unemployment Rate = 4.8%.

What does the labor force participation rate indicate?

It measures the active portion of an economy's labor force and the percentage of working-age individuals who are either working or looking for work.

What factors might cause a person to be classified as having a disability?

Sensory limits (sight, hearing), mobility limits, mental limits, or emotional limits.

What is the labor force participation rate for persons with a disability?

As of August 2025, the labor force participation rate for persons with a disability is 25.10%.

Which demographic has the highest unemployment rate according to the 2024 data?

Hispanic individuals had an unemployment rate of 4.8%.

What is a unique characteristic of multiple job holders in employment statistics?

They are counted only once in employment statistics, regardless of how many jobs they hold.