Chart 1-1. More than half of the population 16 years of age
and over works full time
Employed full time
(116.4 million)
Others not in
the labor force
(75.2 million)
Employed part time for
noneconomic reasons
(21.0 million)
Employed part time for
economic reasons
(4.4 million)
Unemployed (7.6 million)
2005
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Marginally attached workers,
including discouraged workers
(1.5 million)
Chart 1-1. More than half of the population 16 years of age
and over works full time
• More than half of the 226 million persons in the civilian noninstitutional
working-age population in 2005 were employed full time. An additional 11
percent were working part time, with a large majority of these workers
preferring a part-time schedule.
• Of the third of the population not in the labor force (neither working nor
looking for work), a relatively small number (1.5 million) were classified as
"marginally attached" workers—persons who want to work, are available for
work, and had looked for a job in the past year but are not currently looking
either because they are discouraged about job prospects or because certain
conditions, like family responsibilities, impede their entry into the job market.
• The vast majority of persons not in the labor force do not want to work.
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