United States: Duration of Unemployment - 15 Weeks & Over

Macro

2026-07-02

Description

The Number Unemployed for 15 Weeks & Over is released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and measures the number of individuals who have been unemployed for 15 weeks or more and are still actively seeking work during the reporting period. This is a key indicator reflecting long-term unemployment and the overall health of the labor market.

An increase in this figure typically indicates persistent challenges in certain sectors of the economy or the potential onset of a recession, leading to a rise in long-term unemployment. Conversely, a decrease in this figure may suggest that the labor market is improving or that the economy is in a recovery phase, with long-term unemployed individuals finding jobs more quickly.

This data is released monthly, reflecting changes in the number of individuals unemployed for 15 weeks or more in the United States during the previous month.

Published by
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Choice)
Frequency
Monthly
Next Update
Hashtags

AI Data Insight

The number of people unemployed for 15 weeks and over in the US dropped to 2.989 million in June, a slight improvement from the previous value of 3.065 million. However, nonfarm payrolls only added 57,000 jobs during the month, falling far short of expectations. The drop in the unemployment rate to 4.2% mainly reflects a massive exit of the labor force from the market. The difficulty for the long-term unemployed to return to the workplace remains high, and overall labor demand is weakening.

AI Data Insight

The number of people unemployed for 15 weeks and over in the US dropped to 2.989 million in June, a slight improvement from the previous value of 3.065 million. However, nonfarm payrolls only added 57,000 jobs during the month, falling far short of expectations. The drop in the unemployment rate to 4.2% mainly reflects a massive exit of the labor force from the market. The difficulty for the long-term unemployed to return to the workplace remains high, and overall labor demand is weakening.

Description

The Number Unemployed for 15 Weeks & Over is released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and measures the number of individuals who have been unemployed for 15 weeks or more and are still actively seeking work during the reporting period. This is a key indicator reflecting long-term unemployment and the overall health of the labor market.

An increase in this figure typically indicates persistent challenges in certain sectors of the economy or the potential onset of a recession, leading to a rise in long-term unemployment. Conversely, a decrease in this figure may suggest that the labor market is improving or that the economy is in a recovery phase, with long-term unemployed individuals finding jobs more quickly.

This data is released monthly, reflecting changes in the number of individuals unemployed for 15 weeks or more in the United States during the previous month.

Published by
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Choice)
Frequency
Monthly
Next Update
Hashtags