Jim Roye That’s interesting. I researched the Labor Force Participation rate figure and the official definition says nothing about accounting for (or not accounting for) those who elect not to work. Technically, those who elect not to work are unemployed. Technically.

I am with you on the fact that realistically we wouldn't want to count retirees as unemployed because they won’t be working again in their lifetimes, but I don’t know about college students and stay at home parents. If you’re in population, you’re not institutionalized, and you’re not employed- you’re unemployed. I’m not saying 37% is the number we should focus on but it’s certainly higher than 3.8%, in my opinion.