Jobs Picture Comparison: January 2009 v. March 2012

I ran the numbers comparing January, 2009, to March, 2012:

 Jan. 2009:

Civilian labour force:  153,716m
Employed:  142,099m
Unemployed:  11,616m
Not in labour force:  81,023m
Not in the labour force, but who want a job now:  5,682m
Participation Rate:  65.5%
Average Weeks Unemployed:  19.8
Unemployment rate:  7.6%

March 2012

Civilian labour force:  154,707m
Employed:  142,034m
Unemployed:  12,673m
Not in labour force:  87,897m
Not in the labour force, but who want a job now:   6,299m
Participation rate:  63.8%
Average Weeks Unemployed:  39.4
Unemployment rate:  8.2%

Change:

Civilian labour force:  + .64%
Employed:  - 4.58%
Unemployed:  + 8.34%
Not in labour force:  + 7.82%
Not in the labour force, but who want a job now:   +10.86%
Participation rate:  - 2.67%
Average Weeks Unemployed:  + 98.99%
Unemployment rate:  + 7.31%


Hope.  Change.  Chronic unemployment.