Millions of potential workers sidelined: Missing workers,* January 2006–November 2014
| Date | Missing workers |
|---|---|
| Jan-2006 | 530,000 |
| Feb-2006 | 110,000 |
| Mar-2006 | 110,000 |
| Apr-2006 | 250,000 |
| May-2006 | 210,000 |
| Jun-2006 | 110,000 |
| Jul-2006 | 60,000 |
| Aug-2006 | -120,000 |
| Sep-2006 | 120,000 |
| Oct-2006 | -50,000 |
| Nov-2006 | -220,000 |
| Dec-2006 | -500,000 |
| Jan-2007 | -460,000 |
| Feb-2007 | -210,000 |
| Mar-2007 | -150,000 |
| Apr-2007 | 650,000 |
| May-2007 | 560,000 |
| Jun-2007 | 360,000 |
| Jul-2007 | 370,000 |
| Aug-2007 | 840,000 |
| Sep-2007 | 410,000 |
| Oct-2007 | 800,000 |
| Nov-2007 | 280,000 |
| Dec-2007 | 250,000 |
| Jan-2008 | -320,000 |
| Feb-2008 | 220,000 |
| Mar-2008 | 50,000 |
| Apr-2008 | 340,000 |
| May-2008 | -60,000 |
| Jun-2008 | 20,000 |
| Jul-2008 | -70,000 |
| Aug-2008 | -90,000 |
| Sep-2008 | 180,000 |
| Oct-2008 | 60,000 |
| Nov-2008 | 420,000 |
| Dec-2008 | 420,000 |
| Jan-2009 | 710,000 |
| Feb-2009 | 620,000 |
| Mar-2009 | 1,050,000 |
| Apr-2009 | 750,000 |
| May-2009 | 650,000 |
| Jun-2009 | 650,000 |
| Jul-2009 | 1,040,000 |
| Aug-2009 | 1,320,000 |
| Sep-2009 | 2,050,000 |
| Oct-2009 | 2,270,000 |
| Nov-2009 | 2,300,000 |
| Dec-2009 | 3,120,000 |
| Jan-2010 | 2,770,000 |
| Feb-2010 | 2,680,000 |
| Mar-2010 | 2,460,000 |
| Apr-2010 | 1,940,000 |
| May-2010 | 2,510,000 |
| Jun-2010 | 2,960,000 |
| Jul-2010 | 3,210,000 |
| Aug-2010 | 2,830,000 |
| Sep-2010 | 3,200,000 |
| Oct-2010 | 3,570,000 |
| Nov-2010 | 3,340,000 |
| Dec-2010 | 3,830,000 |
| Jan-2011 | 3,950,000 |
| Feb-2011 | 4,080,000 |
| Mar-2011 | 3,960,000 |
| Apr-2011 | 4,020,000 |
| May-2011 | 4,070,000 |
| Jun-2011 | 4,220,000 |
| Jul-2011 | 4,650,000 |
| Aug-2011 | 4,130,000 |
| Sep-2011 | 3,970,000 |
| Oct-2011 | 4,010,000 |
| Nov-2011 | 4,150,000 |
| Dec-2011 | 4,230,000 |
| Jan-2012 | 4,490,000 |
| Feb-2012 | 4,120,000 |
| Mar-2012 | 4,220,000 |
| Apr-2012 | 4,690,000 |
| May-2012 | 4,190,000 |
| Jun-2012 | 4,070,000 |
| Jul-2012 | 4,540,000 |
| Aug-2012 | 4,690,000 |
| Sep-2012 | 4,480,000 |
| Oct-2012 | 3,840,000 |
| Nov-2012 | 4,400,000 |
| Dec-2012 | 4,180,000 |
| Jan-2013 | 4,370,000 |
| Feb-2013 | 4,700,000 |
| Mar-2013 | 5,240,000 |
| Apr-2013 | 5,130,000 |
| May-2013 | 4,780,000 |
| Jun-2013 | 4,710,000 |
| Jul-2013 | 5,050,000 |
| Aug-2013 | 5,230,000 |
| Sep-2013 | 5,380,000 |
| Oct-2013 | 6,060,000 |
| Nov-2013 | 5,710,000 |
| Dec-2013 | 6,100,000 |
| Jan-2014 | 5,850,000 |
| Feb-2014 | 5,660,000 |
| Mar-2014 | 5,290,000 |
| Apr-2014 | 6,220,000 |
| May-2014 | 5,950,000 |
| Jun-2014 | 5,980,000 |
| Jul-2014 | 5,860,000 |
| Aug-2014 | 5,910,000 |
| Sep-2014 | 6,320,000 |
| Oct-2014 | 5,750,000 |
| Nov-2014 | 5,770,000 |
* Potential workers who, due to weak job opportunities, are neither employed nor actively seeking work
Note: Volatility in the number of missing workers in 2006–2008, including cases of negative numbers of missing workers, is simply the result of month-to-month variability in the sample. The Great Recession–induced pool of missing workers began to form and grow starting in late 2008.
Source: EPI analysis of Mitra Toossi, “Labor Force Projections to 2016: More Workers in Their Golden Years,” Bureau of Labor Statistics Monthly Labor Review, November 2007; and Current Population Survey public data series