Huffpo: the most Persistent Myth about Unemployment

[dkf]

The jobless rate is calculated based on survey data, not the unemployment insurance rolls. Roughly one-third of the nearly 15 million unemployed are not receiving benefits in the first place.

"Each month the Census Bureau conducts a survey of 60,000 households," Steinberg said in an email. "Each household provides labor force information on each member of the household. Everyone unemployed is counted as unemployed, no matter how long they have been unemployed. The survey does not ask about unemployment insurance benefits."

The survey does not simply ask respondents to say if the are "employed" or "unemployed," either.

"Respondents are never asked specifically if they are unemployed, nor are they given an opportunity to decide their own labor force status," according to the BLS website. "Similarly, interviewers do not decide the respondents' labor force classification. They simply ask the questions in the prescribed way and record the answers. Based on information collected in the survey and definitions programmed into the computer, individuals are then classified as employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force."

"Last week," an interviewer might ask, "did you have a job, either full or part time? Include any job from which you were temporarily absent."
Another typical question: "Have you been doing anything to find work during the last 4 weeks?"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/11/unemployment-rate-most-persistent-myth_n_806692.html

[Drale]

1. Im unemployed and can't recieved benifits

because I am a stupid and according to the unemployment office that is my primary occupation.

[whathehell]

3. You're joking, right?

as an experienced collector (and fighter for, I might add) unemployment, you just can't accept this b.s. from a UE counselor..You can go over his head and petition for benefits

[Drale]

4. For the 60 bucks Id get everyone week

its not worth the fuss. My parents pay for gas and tuition and thats all I really need right now.

[whathehell]

5. Well, good on ya..

When I had to "fight" for my unemployment, it was considerably more and I was considerably older!

The creepy supervisor I worked for LIED to the UE office just to spite me -- told the office I "quit"

when I was actually fired...When I got the office around to at least believing I was fired instead of

quitting, she actually got people to stone cold LIE again and said that I was "fired for cause"

as I had "cursed her out" which was a TOTAL fabrication.


It took me six months of weekly 130 miles round trips on public transportation,

and a "hearing"...but I got that sucker!

[upi402]

2. If you find gum under the table, you're not hungry

If you die... you're not hungry.

Were my party at?