2025 Employment Update
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest monthly report on how long unemployed workers are staying jobless.
During the month of March, a total of 7,242,000 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, 28.8 percent worked less than five weeks, 32.3 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 16.9 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 22.1 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,129,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 28.4 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 34.1 percent were without work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 13.5 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 24 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 677,000 new entrants to the job market, 26.2 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on April 24, 2025
During the month of February, a total of 7,572,000 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, 29.3 percent worked less than five weeks, 35 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 15.5 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, 1,831,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 25.7 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 34.2 percent were without work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 16.9 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 23.2 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 605,000 new entrants to the job market, 25.7 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on March 24, 2025
During the month of January, a total of 7,467,000 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, 36.4 percent worked less than five weeks, 28.1 percent held jobs for five to 14 weeks, 15.6 percent were employed for 15 to 26 weeks, while the remaining 19.9 percent worked for a period of more than 27 weeks.
Within this period, 1,759,000 people permanently lost their jobs. 30 percent of this cohort worked for less than five weeks, 26.9 percent lacked work from periods of five to 14 weeks, 18.9 percent were unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks and the final 24.1 percent were jobless for more than 27 weeks. There were 549,000 new entrants to the job market, 31.8 percent of which were without work for more than 27 weeks.
—Posted on February 24, 2025
