What is seasonal adjusted unemployment figures.
By bobmnu
@bobmnu (8157)
United States
February 3, 2012 10:00pm CST
When the Government reports the Unemployment you do not get the raw data it is always "seasonally adjusted". How is that figured? I know that the Unemployment rate includes only those who are currently collecting unemployment. It does not include those who have run out of unemployment benefits even though they may still want to work. People who have taken a part time job because they can't find full time work are not counted as unemployed.
Just what is the government reporting?
2 people like this
3 responses
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
4 Feb 12
Best I have figured, is they are just reporting based on the unemployment numbers ...those collecting unemployment and those "new" claims filed. But like you said, that doesn't cover those that have run out of UE but still unemployed. Those people are lost in the black hole...they are not counted as part of the work force, but are not included in the UE force either...
And I notice that they were saying today that UE has dropped due to alot of new jobs...but they didn't say WHAT kind of new jobs....fast food jobs? Part time or full time jobs? Jobs for teens for iTune money or jobs for minimum wage or jobs with a livable salary of $40k at least? Just saying it went up is not saying anything. With all the dollar menus at fast foods, they could be busier and high more there, but you cna't live on a fast food salary. Or maybe they hire 2 part timers so they don't have to pay benefits but still have "full time" help.
They also never mention that jobs increase due to holiday hireing, but then the next month, UE rises. Right now, the hiring is temporary for stores to due year end inventory counting...come mid February, they'll be laid off and UE will go up! Come tax refund time in the spring, t hey will say consumer spending has gone up...well that is cause everyone got tax refunds and used it to buy things that have worn out and they didnt have the money to replace them until now..and things like clothes, appliances, kid stuff etc...not cars, or large ticket items. But it only goes up cause of that then come May it will drop again.
1 person likes this
@knoodleknight18 (917)
• United States
5 Feb 12
Coffee you put it pretty well. The government basically reports a conservative number for unemployment.
I recently heard on a guest on a news report unemployment is closer to 18%.
If you really want to see how bad things are consider how many people don't pay federal income tax, then add at least the 10% that are looking for work. Not countung all the poor elderly, that's about how many people are struggling to get out of poverty.
@crossbones27 (52905)
• Mojave, California
5 Feb 12
It has always been that way, why are people acting like this is new. The government always tries make there numbers look as best as possible. It is the downfall of our system and every politician does it.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
5 Feb 12
How the number have been calculated has changed several time over the years. The problem with the figures is it only counts the people who are receiving Unemployment compensation. It does not includ people who lost their job and went back to school for retraining, people who are receiving government assistance (other than those receiving disability), those who are working part time because they can't find full time work and those who have used up their Unemployment Compensation. I have heard that the real unemployment number is between 10.5% and 20%. It would be nice if we could trust the Government would give us the truth.
@crossbones27 (52905)
• Mojave, California
5 Feb 12
I totally agree, and I know what they are doing and have been doing. The government will just tell you "we don't want to cause unnecessary panic." That is the one good thing about the information age though. No matter how much they lie to us we can always find out the real truth. Now many of your average American may just believe anything they hear, but that is their fault for not looking at different sources of information. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink it." Hopefully one day the government will figure that out and just quit lying to us, but when people choose to be ignorant we are always going to have that problem.
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
5 Feb 12
As far as I know it is only counting those who are getting unemployment, and since most states are no longer continuing to renew the benefits, this in reality is Far from correct. It also does not count those only working part time jobs, or 2-3 part time jobs just to make ends meet. Personally anymore since they keep on cutting everything you know all these figures are what they want to try and make us believe, and not the real truth. I personally feel the real amounts probably almost double what they are saying, but since it is Election yr. Obama is trying to make himself look good.
