The stock of unemployed workers at any given time consists mostly of
A) people who have short spells of unemployment.
B) people who have long spells of unemployment.
C) people who have been laid off from one employer and become employed by another.
D) people who have searched for jobs, but who have become discouraged.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The majority of unemployed workers experience short spells of unemployment, meaning they are able to quickly find new employment. This is supported by data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows that the average duration of unemployment is 9.3 weeks as of March 2021. While there are certainly individuals who experience long spells of unemployment (choice B) or become discouraged in their job search (choice D), they make up a smaller proportion of the total pool of unemployed workers. Choice C, people who have been laid off and then re-employed, does not necessarily pertain to the current stock of unemployed workers, as these individuals are no longer technically unemployed.

The Stock of Unemployed Workers at Any Given Time Consists