Unemployment, the background to the problem / B.J. Chapman and F.H. Gruen.

Abstract

This paper investigates various facets of recent Australian unemployment experience, including measurement, incidence, duration and comparisons with earlier recessions. While "unemployment" has a clear meaning to most of us, establishing definite, acceptable boundaries between the employed, the unemployed and those classified as "not in the labour force" is by no means straightforward. There are a large number of borderline cases where there is some legitimate room for doubt as to whether a person is "unemployed" or "not in the labour force". While the Statistician's definition of unemployment includes those looking only for part-time work, it excludes those who would work if they were offered a job, even though they are no longer actively looking for a job. It is shown that at a time when jobs are becoming increasingly scarce this definition leads to some significant under-statement in the increasing numbers wanting work. Show more