PERSONS NOT IN THE LABOUR FORCE
Persons not in the labour force represent that group of the population who, during the reference week of the ABS monthly LFS, are neither employed nor unemployed (see diagram 8.2). Interest in this group centres primarily on their potential to participate in the labour force.
There were 5.5 million people aged 15 years and over not in the labour force at September 2008 (table 8.42). Some 15% of people (820,300) outside the labour force were marginally attached to the labour force. These people wanted to work and were either actively looking for work but were not available to start work in the reference week, or were not actively looking, but available to start work (in the reference week or within four weeks). Of people not in the labour force, a slightly higher proportion of women were marginally attached compared with men (15% and 14% respectively). Of those marginally attached, a higher proportion of men were actively looking for work compared with women (11% and 7%).
In September 2008 there were 73,900 discouraged jobseekers. Discouraged jobseekers are people who are marginally attached to the labour force, want to work and are available to start work, but are not actively looking for work as they believe they will not find a job for labour market related reasons, such as 'No jobs in locality or line of work', 'Considered too old by employers' or 'Lacked the necessary schooling, training, skills or experience'. Of men who were marginally attached to the labour force, 11% were discouraged jobseekers, compared with 8% of women.
8.42 LABOUR FORCE STATUS(a) - September 2008 |
|
 | | | | | Males | Females | Persons |
| | | | | '000 | '000 | '000 |
|
| Civilian population aged 15 years and over | 8 298.7 | 8 435.2 | 16 733.9 |
| Persons in the labour force | 6 137.5 | 5 088.0 | 11 225.5 |
| | Employed | 5 886.0 | 4 856.5 | 10 742.5 |
| | Unemployed | 251.5 | 231.5 | 483.0 |
| Persons not in the labour force | 2 161.2 | 3 347.2 | 5 508.4 |
| | With marginal attachment to the labour force | 304.1 | 516.1 | 820.3 |
| | | Wanted to work and were actively looking for work | 33.2 | 37.0 | 70.2 |
| | | | Were available to start work within four weeks | 23.1 | 24.5 | 47.6 |
| | | | Were not available to start work within four weeks | 10.1 | 12.5 | 22.6 |
| | | Wanted to work but were not actively looking for work and were available to start work within four weeks | 270.9 | 479.1 | 750.0 |
| | | | Discouraged jobseekers | 34.7 | 39.3 | 73.9 |
| | | | Other | 236.3 | 439.9 | 676.1 |
| | Without marginal attachment to the labour force | 1 857.1 | 2 831.0 | 4 688.1 |
| | | Wanted to work but were not actively looking for work and were not available to start work within four weeks | 119.3 | 240.7 | 360.0 |
| | | Did not want to work | 1 575.7 | 2 451.9 | 4 027.6 |
| | | Permanently unable to work | 162.1 | 138.4 | 300.5 |
|
| (a) Civilian population aged 15 years and over. |
| Source: ABS Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia (6220.0). |
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