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Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
HOUSEHOLD DATA
NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
A-38. Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability for work, age, and sex [In thousands]
Category Total Age Sex
May
2023		 May
2024		 16 to 24
years		 25 to 54
years		 55 years
and over		 Men Women
May
2023		 May
2024		 May
2023		 May
2024		 May
2023		 May
2024		 May
2023		 May
2024		 May
2023		 May
2024

Total not in the labor force

 99,916 100,672 17,432 17,335 21,299 21,112 61,185 62,225 41,618 42,191 58,298 58,481

Do not want a job now(1)

 93,912 94,413 15,118 14,955 19,036 18,739 59,759 60,718 38,716 39,096 55,196 55,317

Want a job(1)

 6,004 6,259 2,314 2,380 2,264 2,373 1,426 1,506 2,902 3,096 3,101 3,163

Did not search for work in previous year

 3,720 3,742 1,337 1,408 1,353 1,245 1,030 1,090 1,801 1,761 1,919 1,981

Searched for work in previous year(2),
but not in past 4 weeks

 2,284 2,517 977 972 911 1,128 396 416 1,102 1,335 1,182 1,182

Not available to work now

 807 1,036 505 515 233 413 68 108 336 539 471 497

Marginally attached (available to work now)(3)

 1,477 1,481 472 457 677 715 328 309 766 796 711 685

Discouraged over job prospects(4)

 396 445 95 99 191 252 111 94 232 273 165 172

Reasons other than discouragement

 1,080 1,036 377 358 486 463 217 215 534 523 547 513

Family responsibilities

 146 171 10 24 118 107 17 41 60 34 86 137

In school or training

 240 198 197 174 43 23 0 0 105 112 135 86

Ill health or disability

 110 122 8 16 51 54 51 52 52 65 58 57

Other(5)

 584 546 161 144 274 280 149 122 317 313 267 233

Footnotes
(1) Includes some persons who are not asked if they want a job, such as passive jobseekers.
(2) Persons who had a job in the prior 12 months must have searched since the end of that job.
(3) Persons "marginally attached to the labor force" are those who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the reference week, but had not looked for work in the past 4 weeks.
(4) Discouraged workers are persons marginally attached to the labor force who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for reasons such as thinks no work available, could not find work, lacks schooling or training, employer thinks too young or old, and other types of discrimination.
(5) Includes those who did not actively look for work in the prior 4 weeks for such reasons as child-care and transportation problems, as well as a small number for which reason for nonparticipation was not ascertained.

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

 

Last Modified Date: June 07, 2024