BLS-DOL logo spacing layout MLR:TED Banner spacing layout
spacing layoutBLS Home What's New Help Contacts Search spacing layout

Accessibility Information

 Originally Published December 27, 2007
spacing layout spacing layout spacing layout spacing layout
MLR:TED Logo

Duration of unemployment, 2006
spacing layout
Desk Blotter

Overall, 14.4 million persons experienced some unemployment in 2006, essentially unchanged from 2005. The number of persons that experienced some unemployment during the year was down by 2.4 million from its recent high of 16.8 million in 2002.

Extent of unemployment among workers who were unemployed during the year, 2006
[Chart data—TXT]

About 450,000 persons worked year round with unemployment lasting only 1 or 2 weeks.

Of the 12.1 million persons who worked during part of the year and also experienced some unemployment, about 4.7 million were unemployed for periods ranging from 1 to 10 weeks. About 4.8 million were unemployed for periods ranging from 11 to 26 weeks. The remaining 2.6 million individuals were unemployed for 27 weeks or longer.

About 1.9 million individuals had looked for a job but did not work at all in 2006. Of these, 1.1 million looked for a job for 15 weeks or longer.

Among those who experienced unemployment in 2006, the median number of weeks spent looking for work was 13.8, down from 14.6 in 2005.

These data are from the Current Population Survey. To learn more, see "Work Experience of the Population in 2006," USDL news release 07-1923.  

 

Related TED article:

40 Best of The Editor's Desk is now available in print! This publication features 40 of the best The Editor's Desk (TED) articles from 2006. To obtain a free copy, you can send email to ted@bls.gov with your mailing address included in your request; or mail a request to the Office of Publications and Special Studies, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C., 20212; or call 202-691-5200.

 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is an agency within the U.S. Department of Labor.

Other Publications:
MLR Online | News Releases | Issues in Labor Statistics | CWC Online | Handbook of Methods

Additional "The Editor's Desk" information:
About T.E.D | T.E.D. Archives | Feedback | Publications Home Page

Additional BLS information:
BLS Homepage | What's New | Help | Contacts | Search

E-Mail: ted@bls.gov
Last Updated: December 31, 2007