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Philip Klein

The McJobs report

Once a month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports two main sets of employment numbers. Under one measure, based on a survey of employers, the economy added 114,000 jobs in September. Under another measure, based on a smaller survey of households, the economy added 873,000. But a more detailed look at these numbers shows that 572,000 — or about 67 percent — of the reported job gains that contributed to the reduction in the unemployment rate came from workers who had to settle for part time work. BLS explains that, “The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) rose from 8.0 million in August to 8.6 million in September. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.” This is why a broader measure of unemployment, which takes into account those who were forced to accept inferior jobs, remained flat at 14.7 percent.

This report is part of a broader trend that we’ve seen over the past few years, in which job gains have been concentrated in lower-wage positions. And this isn’t just spin from the Romney campaign.

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The Fool in all his Glory

Schadenfreude on October 5, 2012 at 2:08 PM

But it’s a recovery when we’re working three part-time jobs, living with our unemployed college-educated kids, on food stamps, and paying $3.75 for a gallon of gas to get to said three part-time jobs.

IT’S A RECOVERY!

Punchenko on October 5, 2012 at 2:11 PM

We would you like fries with 7.8% rate?

Oil Can on October 5, 2012 at 2:17 PM

Is The Mooche proud?

SouthernGent on October 5, 2012 at 2:20 PM

I am certain that when Joe Sixpack hears the jobless figure he thinks about it through a full time employment filter. To add in part time work does not give a true look at the health of the labor force. The part time numbers should be published separately. Besides,how many of those 800,000+ jobs are being filled by the same persons?

oldernwiser on October 5, 2012 at 2:26 PM

Every jobs comes with the line “Do you want fries with that?”

portlandon on October 5, 2012 at 2:26 PM

the economy added 873,000 [jobs in September]

ObamaMath

faraway on October 5, 2012 at 2:33 PM

I can see it coming – Obama will bring up the “improved” unemployment rate at the next debate. Hopefully Mitt will be ready to zap him with something like, “I don’t believe that when people get frustrated and quit looking for work that we should spike the football.”

cep on October 5, 2012 at 2:39 PM

It’s arithmetic.

-Obama

Dack Thrombosis on October 5, 2012 at 2:44 PM

“Leave our Chicken Nugget economy alone!” cried the Liberal.

RepubChica on October 5, 2012 at 2:48 PM

The upward revisions from July and August were all government jobs. ZERO from the private sector. Something smells fishy.

Wigglesworth on October 5, 2012 at 2:48 PM

I was conversing with the young woman ringing up my purchases in a small baby clothes store (but with a national name), and she told me that everyone employed there is part time–including her, and she is the store supervisor.

Of course we know why employers, especially small businesses, prefer to hire part-timers.

Then she has to interrupt my purchase to hurry up to the front of the store, where two women have just entered with large carry bags. As soon as she greets them, they turn and leave.

She apologizes, explaining that they have been losing a lot of merchandise to shoplifters. Shoplifting has also become a huge problem in the downtown area of our NE town, which has easy access to I-95. The criminals cruise into town, quickly hit a succession of stores, stuffing merchandise into large purses or bags, and make a quick getaway. Out-of-state license tags in most cases.

Such is the state of our “recovering” economy in the fourth year of President Magic’s reign.

Meredith on October 5, 2012 at 2:58 PM

But a more detailed look at these numbers shows that 572,000 — or about 67 percent — of the reported job gains that contributed to the reduction in the unemployment rate came from workers who had to settle for part time work.

So, in the Dear Leader’s admin part time jobs count as full time jobs when calculating the unemployment rate?

Imagine the Dem/MSM reaction if a GOP admin did this and showed a 0.3% drop a month before the election, a drop that changed the only part of the unemployment number the “fractions challenged” portion of the population (a large segment of the Dem base) sees by an entire percentage point.

farsighted on October 5, 2012 at 3:04 PM

So when does he tap into the prudent oil reserves to make gas $3 again? That’s gotta be soon, right?

SailorMark on October 5, 2012 at 3:04 PM

Meredith on October 5, 2012 at 2:58 PM

I hear you. My son was shocked this summer when he got a part-time job at a restaurant just to make a few bucks for gas and movies, and met 40-year-olds whose only job was waiting tables there.

Even restaurant jobs don’t pay like they used to; the standard practice now is to pool all the tips and split them, so a waiter who works his butt off and gives extra superior service gets the same tips as the 19-year-old slacker who stands around the host station.

Best job my son has had was at a local family-owned bakery that pays kids $8 an hour cash. He was stunned when he got the restaurant job this summer and found out how small his paycheck was after all the taxes.

rockmom on October 5, 2012 at 3:32 PM