Black Worker Unemployment Rate Increases To 14 Percent In December 2012

The official “seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate for all Black workers in the United States jumped from 13.2 to 14 percent between November and December 2012; while the total number of unemployed Black workers increased by 155,000 (from 2,422,000 to 2,577,000) during the same period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The official “seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for Black male workers over 20 years-of-age jumped from 12.9 to 14 percent between November and December 2012; while the unemployment rate for Black female workers over 20 years-of-age increased from 11.5 to 12.2 percent during the same period. The number of unemployed Black male workers over 20 years-of-age increased by 104,000 (from 1,060,000 to 1,164,000) between November and December 2012; while the number of jobless Black female workers over 20 years-of-age increased by 64,000 (from 1,085,000 to 1,149,000) during the same period.. Although the number of unemployed Black youths between 16 and 19 years-of-age decreased by 13,000 (from 277,000 to 264,000) between November and December 2012, the official jobless rate for Black youths increased from 39.3 to 40.5 during the same period.

The official “seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for white youths between 16 and 19 years-of-age also increased from 20.3 to 21.6 percent between November and December 2012; while the number of unemployed white youths increased by 65,000 (from 946,000 to 1,011,000) during the same period. In addition, the “not seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for white male workers over 20 years-of-age increased from 6 to 6.4 percent between November and December 2012; while the “not seasonally adjusted” number of jobless white male workers over 20 years-of-age increased by 254,000 (from 3,894,000 to 4,148,000) during the same period.

For white female workers over 20 years-of age, the official “seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate increased from 6.2 to 6.3 percent between November and December 2012; while the number of unemployed white female workers over 20 years-of-age increased by 79,000 (from 3,358,000 to 3,437,000) during the same period. In addition, the officiall “seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate for all white workers in the United States (male, female and youth) increased from 6.8 to 6.9 percent between November and December 2012; while the total number of jobless white workers in the United States increased by 69,000 (from 8,416,000 to 8.485,000) during the same period.

According to the “not seasonally adjusted” data, the unemployment rate for Latino male workers over 20 years-of-age increased from 7.8 to 8.4 percent between November and December 2012; while the number of jobless Latino male workers over 20 years-of-age increased by 84,000 (from 1,050,000 to 1,134,000) during the same period. The “not seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate for Latina female workers over 20 years-of-age was still 9.4 percent in December 2012; while the “not seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for Latino youth between 16 and 19 years-of-age was still 26.6 percent in that same month.

According to the “seasonally adjusted” data, the official jobless rate for all Latino workers in the United States (male, female and youth) was still 9.6 percent in November 2012; while the total number of unemployed Latino workers in the United States (male, female and youth) increased by 65,000 (from 946,000 to 1,011,000) between November and December 2012. In addition, between November and December 2012, the unemployment rate for all Asian-American workers increased from 6.4 to 6.6 percent, according to the “not seasonally adjusted” data; while the number of unemployed Asian-American workers increased by 31,000 (from 530,000 to 561,000) during the same period.

The official “seasonally adjusted” jobless rate for all female workers in the United States over 16 years-of-age increased from 7.6 to 7.8 percent between November and December 2012; while the total number of unemployed female workers over 16 years-of-age increased by 209,000 (from 5,512,000 to 5,721,000) during the same period. In addition, the unemployment rate for female workers over 20 years-of-age increased from 7 to 7.3 percent between November and December 2012; while the number of jobless female workers over 20 years-of-age increased by 187,000 (from 4,918,000 to 5,105,000) during the same period.

The official “seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate for all youths between 16 and 19 years-of-age in the United States was still 23.5 percent in December 2012; while the “not seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate for all male workers in the United States over 16 years-of-age increased from 7.5 to 7.9 percent between November and December 2012.

Between November and December 2012, the total number of unemployed U.S. workers increased by 164,000 (from 12,042,000 to 12,206,000) according to the “seasonally adjusted” data, while the official jobless rate for all U.S. workers was still 7.8 percent in December 2012.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ January 4, 2013 press release:

“…Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult women (7.3 percent) and blacks (14.0 percent) edged up in December…

“In December, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was essentially unchanged at 4.8 million and accounted for 39.1 percent of the unemployed…The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers), at 7.9 million, changed little in December. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.

“In December, 2.6 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force…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 because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.

“Among the marginally attached, there were 1.1 million discouraged workers in December…Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them…

"Employment in clothing and accessories stores fell by 19,000…Employment in…mining and logging, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, professional and business services, and government, showed little change over the month…”