Why the Unemployment Rate Refuses to Budge

Reader Comments
Back to article

A lot of good points about the truth of statistics. There is another large group of people that are not counted and being considered in the official stats.
It is the independent contractors and commission only types of employment. In a lot of states real estate agents, loan officers, mortgage processors, appraisers, etc. were/are 1099 independent contractors. Also anyone that had a small company and was considered an 'officer'. I know there are alot of specialty trade construction workers that are not counted because they were a 1 man shop. For example, tax wise they filed a schedule C (sole proprietor or single member LLC) since they worked for themselves and contracted with general contractors that do 'onsie-twosies'. In the real estate/mortgage professions they contracted with a licensed broker. There are probably millions of these people that are no longer making an income from the aforementioned professions and are also looking for work but have never been counted in the statistics from day one.
Has anyone seen statistics for the small biz owners and independent contractors that aren't counted as unemployed? Just curious......

Mel of TX 3:31PM July 20, 2010

I wonder how many of the 162000 jobs were real jobs --not gov't make work or waste?

JOHN of FL 5:58PM May 14, 2010

A wise entrepreneur once told me that before you start your own business, you should have at least 3 months of salary under your belt and expect it to be eaten up. If this is really the case, I don't think I'll personally be able to start any time soon. Some people have a rich relative to help them get started, but my family is far from rich. Is it possible to get a successful business started with a budget of $75 per month for the next 3-12 months?

KW of GA 9:59PM April 29, 2010

The Democrats plan for Cap and Trade. That ought to be a real job killer. Oh and lets not forget amnesty for illegals which if it comes to pass adds 10 - 20 million to the roles of those under the social blanket.
At least the government cannot take away our unalienable rights since they aren't the one who granted it to us.

Jeff of WI 10:15PM April 06, 2010

Can someone please tell me where these jobs were filled and at what salaries?
I just want some actual facts behind the figures. Not that I dont believe them or anything.....

Cisco Kid of TX 11:59AM April 06, 2010

Government unemployment statistics are as factual as "Global Warming."
Which puts it in the Al Gore, and Tooth Fairy category.
I assure you the unemployment figures will really get 'doctored' in October just before the November elections.
I decided at a very young age that I did not want "a job."
Whenever you have a job, it's kinda like welfare, you have to take whatever you can get.
Unless you are extremely lazy or stupid or both, you should start your own business!
When you work for someone else (usually someone dumber than you are), you will only get the crumbs that fall from the table. If you are the owner of the business you can look in your bathroom mirror each morning and congratulate for the success or blame for the failure on said business.
More than likely you will end up eating steak off fine china, rather than crumbs on the floor.
God gave you a brain, use it!

Justin of AZ 11:18AM April 06, 2010

Mr Shook stated the plain truth behind how the government acquires its ,
monthly unemployment numbers....
Kind of reminds me of the way the American public was informed in December 2008 that the USA was in or started into official recession one year prior to its actual announcement! (December 2007).
Using the unemployment benefits expiration as a measuring stick for actual unemployment in this country allows many to believe that unemployment rates are falling....or rising. We should use a more trueful method in determining how these rates are to be obtained, by acquiring better available statistic gathering from all State and local unemployment centers nationwide, private staffing and employment recruiting, etc. than these national statistics will be of better use for all american citizens and their government. This is especially necessary for the increasingly callous behavior of so many of are "Honourable members of the US Congress" who insist on using these "unreliable" statistics for their own political beefits and misuse.

Bob from Colorado of CO 12:00PM April 05, 2010

I read recently that nearly 4 million former college students have defaulted on student loans: Consequently, they face a vicious catch 22 cycle; many of these former students have minimal job skills, but they're disqualified from further educational programs as well as job training until they pay off their debt. I am 48,been unemployed 2 years now. Having only fastfood service as my background, my husband put me through two years of college, but then his business when bankrupt, so I defaulted on $17,000 in student loans ( probably $30,000+ now with the penalty fees): Assuming I ever land a job, it will be minimum wage: With luck, I'd probably have my loans paid off by my 112th birthday give or take a year. So why fight it? I'll just stay home, live on my husband's SSI and become a burden on society after he passes on.

Cindy Merrill of KY 5:49AM April 04, 2010

When an unemployed worker reaches the point where their benefits run out, or "expire" because they've not yet found employment, they are no longer counted as unemployed. They are considered "no longer looking for work". They may be desperately seeking employment--that doesn't mean a thing. They no longer count. The "true" unemployment rate in the USA is about 18%; not the government's often proclaimed 9.7%.

Barry W. Shook of IN 8:06PM April 02, 2010