| Became employed | Left the labor force | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 5.4 | 9.1 |
| 1995 | 4.8 | 8.3 |
| 1996 | 4.7 | 7.6 |
| 1997 | 4.5 | 7.6 |
| 1998 | 4.2 | 6.9 |
| 1999 | 4.1 | 6.8 |
| 2000 | 4 | 6.5 |
| 2001 | 4.1 | 6.9 |
| 2002 | 5.6 | 8.7 |
| 2003 | 6.1 | 9.6 |
| 2004 | 6 | 9.6 |
| 2005 | 5.4 | 8.6 |
| 2006 | 5.1 | 8.3 |
| 2007 | 5.2 | 8.7 |
| 2008 | 5.6 | 9.5 |
| 2009 | 8.4 | 15.2 |
| 2010 | 10.4 | 20 |
| 2011 | 10 | 21.4 |
Median number of weeks of unemployment
Share:
Unemployed Americans are spending a longer time looking for jobs before they give up and leave the labor force. In 2011, the median number of weeks that unemployed persons would spend looking for jobs was 21.4 weeks, more than 2X as long as unemployed persons were willing to look before leaving the labor force in 2007.