It&#x27;s a big issue and one reason you can&#x27;t compare the current headline U-3 statistic (<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Unemployment#United_States_Bureau_of_Labor_statistics" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Unemployment#United_States_Bur...</a>) with those reported during the Great Depression.<p>It is, however, the &quot;firmest&quot; statistic, since U4-6 require things like surveys to estimate how many would be workers are &quot;discouraged&quot; through &quot;underemployed&quot;.  And you have to do that to distinguish them from e.g. voluntary stay at home mothers (and fathers).