• Desperate workers are workers who have stopped looking for work because they did not find suitable employment options or were not shortlisted when applying for a job. The causes of employee frustration are complex and varied.

  • Desperate workers are not included in the total unemployment figure. Instead, they are included in the U-4, U-5, and U-6 unemployment measures.
  • The U-4 rate is calculated by dividing the sum of unemployed and discouraged workers by the total labor force, including discouraged workers.
  • Politicians use labor underutilization rates like U-4 to create plans that help desperate workers get back to work and encourage companies to hire them.