While the official unemployment rate is decreasing, the “participation” ratio is decreasing. This means less people as a percentage of the total population are actively searching for full time work.

Some of those leaving the workforce are retirees, but the graph to the right is interesting because it shows the decrease from those in prime working ages. This shows how bad the employment is, even beyond the unemployment figures.

The graph below shows the huge gains women have made in the past 60 years.

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