US Full-time workers unemployment rate
US Full-time workers unemployment rate stood at 4.1% in Sep 2026, according to FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). It is one of the indicators in the Unemployment table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1968 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Unemployment table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Employment Type | |||||||||||
| Full-time workers | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | |
| Part-time workers | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.6 |
Understanding US Full-time workers unemployment rate
The denominator of this indicator includes full-time workers and unemployed individuals seeking full-time jobs; the numerator is the share of those without a job within that group. Therefore, this is neither the share of full-time workers who lost jobs nor the underemployment rate. Part-time workers or those seeking only part-time work fall into a different scope. The distinction from the general unemployment rate lies in the type of job held or sought, rather than age, gender, or marital status.
When labour demand softens, the rate can rise due to full-time job losses; it also shifts when job seekers switch targets between full-time and part-time work. Consequently, it should be read alongside claims data, total unemployed counts, and employment-to-unemployment flows. Year-on-year comparisons help reduce seasonal employment influences, while month-on-month comparisons are useful for identifying short-term reversals if the series is seasonally adjusted. Do not mechanically add or compare with part-time labour rates due to different denominators; the newest period is also subject to revision.
Frequently asked questions
- Are part-time workers who want full-time work included in the numerator?
- No, because they are still classified as employed; that status relates more to underemployment than unemployment.
- Are unemployed people looking only for part-time work counted?
- They fall outside the full-time job search scope of this indicator.
- Is a rising rate caused solely by full-time layoffs?
- No. Shifts in the types of jobs sought by the unemployed can also change the numerator and denominator.