[bdeutsch]

As mentioned in two other posts, national and state unemployment figures are determined by the number of people actively drawing unemployment compensation. Once these benefits are consumed, people who remain without jobs are no longer tracked by these numbers (per se, there is not really an accurate way to track them any longer).

In a prior time in my life (timeframe of between 2001 - 2004), it took about 150,000 new jobs per month, just to keep up with new people entering the workforce. Not sure what that number is today. NET-NET of what I learned from this earlier time, is that government unemployment numbers generally under report the number of folks without jobs who are looking for one or who accept a part-time job but really want a full-time job.