2024 Employment Update
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest monthly report on how long unemployed workers are staying jobless.
During the month of December, a total of 6,452,000 people were without employment. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs; those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 31.8 percent worked less than five weeks, 27.9 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 17.6 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 22.7 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,611,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 22.3 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 27 percent lacked work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 20.6 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 30.1 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 540,000 new entrants to the job market, 31.8 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on January 24, 2025

During the month of November, a total of 6,708,000 people were without employment. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 29.1 percent worked less than five weeks, 28.9 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 17.2 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 23.9 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,838,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 20 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 30.5 percent lacked work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 21.7 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 27.8 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 667,000 new entrants to the job market, 23.5 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on December 26, 2024

During the month of October, a total of 6,524,000 people were without employment. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 32.1 percent worked less than five weeks, 27.6 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 15.7 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 24.6 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,667,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 21.3 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 31 percent lacked work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 18.6 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 29.2 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 630,000 new entrants to the job market, 23.5 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on November 26, 2024

During the month of August, a total of 7,415,000 people were without employment. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 32.9 percent worked less than five weeks, 32.3 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 13.9 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 20.9 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,743,000 people permanently lost their jobs. A total of 28.2 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 29.3 percent lacked work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 19.1 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 23.4 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 821,000 new entrants to the job market, 25.7 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks..
—Posted on September 26, 2024

During the month of July, a total of 7,685,000 people were without employment. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 34.3 percent worked less than five weeks, 33.1 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 12.2 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 20.4 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,669,000 people permanently lost their jobs. A total of 22.8 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 31.7 percent lacked work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 17.9 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 27.7 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 814,000 new entrants to the job market, 17.4 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on August 29, 2024

During the month of June, a total of 7,233,000 people were without employment. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 39.2 percent worked less than five weeks, 26.5 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 14 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 20.2 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,642,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 21.8 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 28.9 percent lacked work for five to 14 weeks, 20.7 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks, and the final 28.6 were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 997,000 new entrants to the job market, 13.9 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on July 29, 2024

During the month of May, a total of 6,235,000 people were without employment. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 36.5 percent worked less than five weeks, 25.3 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 16.8 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 21.4 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,724,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 28.2 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 27.8 percent lacked work for five to 14 weeks, 19.9 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks, and the final 24 were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 624,000 new entrants to the job market, 24.1 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on June 26, 2024

During the the month of April, a total of 5,894,000 people were unemployed. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 32 percent were employed less than five weeks, 28.3 percent were held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 18.1 percent for 15 to 26 weeks and 21.6 percent for 27 weeks and up.
Over the same period, 1,728,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 26.2 percent of the total worked for durations of less than five weeks, 31.1 percent were unemployed for 5 to 14 weeks, 21.1 percent for 15 to 26 weeks and 21.6 percent remained without employment for more than 27 weeks. Through April, there were 453,000 new entrants to the job market, 24.4 percent of which were without work for less than five weeks.
—Posted on May 24, 2024

For March of 2024, a total of 6,604,000 people were unemployed. This consists of jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs, those on temporary layoffs; those who permanently lost their jobs; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers, alongside reentrants as well as new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 28.9 percent were employed less than five weeks, 32.4 percent were employed for five to 14 weeks, 18.1 percent for 15 to 26 weeks and 20.6 percent for 27 weeks and up.
A total of 1,719,000 people permanently lost their jobs, 21.8 percent of which for work durations of less than five weeks, 35.2 percent were for 5 to 14 weeks, 21.1 percent for 15 to 26 weeks and 21.9 percent remained without employment for more than 27 weeks. Through March, there were 582,000 new entrants to the job market, 24.6 percent of which were without work for less than five weeks.
—Posted on April 26, 2024

For the month of February, a total of 6,970,000 people were unemployed. This comprises jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs; those on temporary layoffs; those with permanent job loss; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers and reentrants and new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 31.5 percent were unemployed for less than five weeks, 34 percent for five to 14 weeks, 16 percent for 15 to 26 weeks and 18.5 percent for 27 weeks and over.
A total of 973,000 people permanently lost their jobs, of which 28 percent was for less than five weeks, 28.2 percent for five to 14 weeks, 21.9 percent for 15 to 26 weeks, and the same percentage stayed unemployed for more than 27 weeks. There were 278,000 new entrants to the job market, of which 38.5 percent were unemployed for less than five weeks.
—Posted on March 27, 2024

For the month of January, a total of 6,778,000 people were unemployed. This comprises jobs lost and people who completed temporary jobs; those on temporary layoffs; those with permanent job loss; those who completed temporary jobs; those who left their employers and reentrants and new entrants to the job market.
Of the total, 37.8 percent were unemployed for less than five weeks, 29.8 percent for five to 14 weeks, 13 percent for 15 to 26 weeks and 19.4 percent for 27 weeks and over.
When it came to permanent job loss, the total was 1,621,000 people, of which 26.6 percent was for less than five weeks, 32.1 percent for five to 14 weeks, 14.7 percent for 15 to 26 weeks and 26.5 percent stayed unemployed for more than 27 weeks. There were 456,000 new entrants to the job market, of which 35.1 percent were unemployed for less than five weeks.
—Posted on February 26, 2024