UNEMPLOYED PERSONS: People who are NOT actively engaged in the production of goods and services, but ARE actively seeking employment in the production of goods and services. This is one of three official categories used to classify individuals by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) based on information obtained from the Current Population Survey. The other two categories are employed persons and not in the labor force. The sum of employed persons and unemployed persons constitute the civilian labor force. While the general notion of unemployed persons is people who are willing and able to work, but not working, the BLS has specific criteria designed to capture unemployment. See also | employed persons | not in the labor force | unemployment | labor | unemployment rate | Bureau of Labor Statistics | Current Population Survey | civilian labor force | labor force | unemployed | job losers | job leavers |
