Posted inJobs & Wages
Underemployment Explained
Underemployment is broader than official unemployment. Learn U-3 vs. U-6, involuntary part-time work, marginal attachment, discouraged workers, and what the data can—and cannot—show.
Posted inJobs & Wages
Wage Growth Explained
Wage growth tracks changes in worker pay, but nominal raises and real purchasing-power gains are not the same. Learn how BLS measures hourly earnings, real earnings, and the Employment Cost Index.
Posted inJobs & Wages
JOLTS Explained: What Job Openings Data Actually Measure
JOLTS measures job openings, hires, quits, layoffs, and other separations using an establishment survey. Learn what each series means—and what online job-posting counts do not tell you.
Posted inJobs & Wages
Labor-Force Participation Rate Explained
The labor-force participation rate measures the share of the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and older that is working or actively looking for work.
Posted inEconomy & Inflation
What Causes a Recession?
Recessions are broad declines in economic activity, not simply two negative GDP quarters. Learn how the NBER dates recessions and what forces can cause downturns.
Posted inJobs & Wages
Employment Cost Index Explained: What the ECI Says About Wages and Benefits
The Employment Cost Index tracks changes in employer labor costs while controlling for shifts in the mix of jobs. Learn how wages, salaries and benefits fit into the measure.
Posted inJobs & Wages
Payroll Employment Explained
Payroll employment measures jobs reported by employers, not individual workers. Learn how the CES survey works, what it includes, and why payroll estimates get revised.
Posted inJobs & Wages
Unemployment Rate Explained
Learn exactly how the unemployment rate is calculated, who counts as unemployed, who does not, and why participation and broader labor measures matter.
Posted inJobs & Wages
Understanding the U.S. Job Market
A guide to payrolls, unemployment, labor-force participation, wages, JOLTS, and the key datasets that explain the U.S. labor market.
Posted inEconomy & Inflation
How the U.S. Economy Works
A plain-English guide to GDP, inflation, jobs, interest rates, consumer spending, business investment, government activity, and trade—and how the pieces fit together.