The state's jobless rate remains exceptionally high according to an obscure federal government measure of unemployment that takes into account those who are under-employed and those who got discouraged and stopped looking.

Using this measure, known as the U6 index, North Carolina's jobless rate was 17.6 percent in the first quarter of the year. That's nearly twice as high as the statewide jobless rate of 9.7 percent reported in March under the widely used jobless measure that's commonly publicized.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the broader jobless measure this morning. The U6 is relatively new, not compiled until 2005, and it's issued every quarter, as opposed to every month.

Because the U6 index is a broader measure of unemployment some consider it to be the more accurate measure of economic health. The U6 is generally 75 percent higher than the standard measure that's much better known.

At its highest, North Carolina's jobless rate was 17.9 percent, as measured by the U6 for parts of 2011.
 

Federal jobless data issued this morning shows that North Carolina's unemployment rate has reached an all-time high using the government's most comprehensive measure.

The state's jobless rate was 17.9 percent in the third quarter, according to the so-called U6 index issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The previous high was 17.8 percent, set last year.

The U6 index includes people who are not counted in the more commonly cited jobless measure, the U3, which shows a 10.5 percent jobless rate for the third quarter.

The U6 was not tracked until 2005 and is still relatively obscure. Because it takes a broader view of unemployment, some consider the U6 index a more accurate picture of the national and regional economic situation. The U6 rate generally tends to be about 75 percent higher than the standard measure of unemployment, or U3 index.

North Carolina's jobless rate remains near all-time high levels using the federal government's broadest measure of unemployment.

The state's jobless rate was 17.5 percent in the second quarter, according to the U6 index issued today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The U6 index includes people who are not counted in the more commonly used jobless measure: people who are forced to take part-time jobs because they can't find full-time work, and those who become so discouraged they give up looking for work.
 

North Carolina's jobless rate remains near all-time high levels using the federal government's broadest measure of unemployment.

The state's jobless rate was 17.5 percent in the first quarter, according to the U6 index issued Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The U6 index includes people who are not counted in the more commonly used jobless measure: people who are forced to take part-time jobs because they can't find full-time work, and those who become so discouraged they stop looking for work.

North Carolina's jobless rate hovers near all-time high levels using the federal government's broadest measure of unemployment issued Friday.

For the fourth quarter, that measure was 17.4 percent using the U6 index, which includes people who are forced to take part-time jobs and those who have become discouraged and stop looking for work.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics didn't start tracking the U6 index until 2005. It is still obscure and not widely cited, but some say it gives a more accurate picture of joblessness than the more commonly used U3 index, which showed a statewide jobless rate of 9.8 percent for December.