This document provides information on how to calculate the official unemployment rate. It explains that the labor force consists of the employed plus the unemployed in a country or region. Those not included in the labor force are stay-at-home parents, full-time students not looking for work, and retirees. If an unemployed person stops looking for work, they drop out of the labor force. It then gives a quick example of calculating the labor force and unemployment rate for the fictional country of Obamastan.

1. H O W T O C A L C U L AT E
THE OFFICIAL
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

2. BIG QUESTION
• How is the Labor Force calculated?
• This icon means DEVICES MUST BE POWERED OFF…and
placed in the upper-right-hand corner of your desk…upside
down.
• This icon means DEVICES MAY BE USED WITH MY
PERMISSION
• This icon means DEVICES MAY BE POWERED and placed in
the upper-right hand corner of your desk

3. OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYMENT (U3)
• Labor Force= # of employed + # of unemployed
• Labor force does not include
1. Stay-at-home parents
2. Full-time students (not looking for work)
3. Retirees
• MAIN Point: If you are unemployed AND stop LOOKING
for work…
…You drop out of the labor force

4. QUICK EXAMPLE
Obamastan
Population 700
Part-time Workers 100
Full-time Workers 300
Unemployed 50
Labor Force 450 =(100+300+50)

5. TEXT YOUR ANSWER TO 22333

6. TEXT YOUR ANSWER TO 22333

7. NOW TO COURSESITES
• You will now take a quiz on Coursesites.
• Please use your device and navigate to:
www.coursesites.com
Or open the Blackboard mobile App. When
prompted to search for school, enter
“Coursesites”
Login info: andress2014
Password: eagles

8. CLICK THE LOGIN BUTTON
Website Blackboard App

9. USERNAME: ANDRESS2014
PASSWORD: eagles
Website Blackboard App

10. CLICK: ANDRESS_ECON
Website Blackboard App

11. • Website: click “Practicum
Unemployment Quiz”
Blackboard App Step 1:
Click “Unemployment
Rate”
Step 2: Then click “Practicum
Unemployment Quiz”

12. THANK YOU
You can spend some time
exploring the coursesites course
Or I can answer questions