Black Male Worker Jobless Rate: 16.5 Percent Under Obama

In December 2010, the official “seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for Black male workers over 20 years-of-age in the United States was still 16.5 percent under the Democratic Obama Administration; while the unemployment rate for Black female workers over 20-years-of-age increased from 13.1 to 13.2 percent between November and December 2010, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data. According to the officially “seasonally adjusted” data, the number of Black workers over 16 years-of-age with jobs also dropped by 23,000 between November and December 2010; while the jobless rate for Black youths between 16 and 19-years-of-age was still 44.2 percent in December 2010.

Between November and December 2010, the official “not seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for Latino or Hispanic workers in the United States increased from 12.7 to 13 percent; while the “not seasonally adjusted” number of unemployed Latino or Hispanic workers increased by 56,000. According to the “not seasonally adjusted” data, the number of Latino or Hispanic women workers with jobs dropped by 24,000 between November and December 2010; while the official “not seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for Latino or Hispanic youths between 16 and 19-years-of-age increased from 30 to 32.2 percent.

The official “seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate for white youths between 16 and 19 years-of-age increased from 21.1 to 22.5 percent between November and December 2010; while the number of white youths between 16 and 19 years-of-age with jobs also dropped by 99,000 during this same period. Between November and December 2010, the official “not seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for white male workers over 20 years-of-age also increased from 8.6 to 8.8 percent; while the “not seasonally adjusted” number of white male workers over 20 years-of-age with jobs dropped by 212,000 during this same period.

For all male workers over 16 years-of-age in the United States, the official “not seasonally adjusted” jobless rate increased from 9.9 to 10.2 percent between November and December 2010; while the “not seasonally adjusted” number of officially unemployed U.S. male workers over 16 years-of-age increased by 167,000 during this same period.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ January 7, 2010 press release:

“The number of unemployed persons decreased…to 14.5 million in December, and the unemployment rate dropped to 9.4 percent…

“In December, the number of job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs dropped…to 8.9 million. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed at 6.4 million and accounted for 44.3 percent of the unemployed…

“The civilian labor force participation rate edged down in December to 64.3 percent…

“The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was essentially unchanged in December at 8.9 million. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job…

“About 2.6 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in December, little different than a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted, and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed…

“Among the marginally attached, there were 1.3 million discouraged workers in December, an increase of 389,000 from December 2009. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them…

“…Within construction, there were job losses in heavy and civil engineering (-13,000) and in residential building (-6,000)…”