For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, March 29, 2023 USDL-23-0586

Technical information: (202) 691-6378 • cpsinfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/cps 

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

CHARACTERISTICS OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE APPLICANTS 

AND BENEFIT RECIPIENTS — 2022

In 2022, about one-quarter of the unemployed (26 percent) who worked in the past 12 months 

had applied for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

reported today. Of the unemployed who had not applied for benefits, more than one-half (55 

percent) did not apply because they did not believe they were eligible to receive UI benefits.

Only people who have previously worked are eligible for UI benefits, and they generally must

apply shortly after separating from their last job. Therefore, estimates presented in this news 

release are restricted to people who had worked at some point in the 12 months prior to the 

survey. In 2022, about two-thirds of the unemployed had worked in the last 12 months. Other 

unemployed people, including those who entered the labor force for the first time and those who 

last worked more than a year ago, are excluded from these data.

This information was obtained in a supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), a

monthly sample survey of about 60,000 households that provides data on employment and

unemployment in the United States. This supplement, which was conducted in February and 

May 2022, was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Chief Evaluation Office.

Estimates in this news release—referred to as 2022 estimates—are averages of data collected in

both months. The official measure of unemployment from the CPS is based on job search 

activity and current availability for employment, rather than on the application for or receipt of 

UI benefits. A more detailed description of the concepts and definitions used in the supplement is 

included in the Technical Note in this news release.

Highlights from the 2022 data:

• The majority—about 7 in 10—of unemployed people who worked in the past 12 months had 

not applied for UI benefits since their last job. (See tables 1 and 3.)

• Unemployed people covered by a union contract on their last job were more than twice as 

likely to have applied for UI benefits as those who were not covered: 57 percent versus 24 

percent. (See table 2.)

• Among unemployed people who had not applied for UI benefits, 55 percent did not apply 

because they thought they were ineligible to receive benefits. About 17 percent of the 
-2-

unemployed did not apply because they expected to start working soon. Another 10 percent 

cited attitudes about or barriers to applying, such as they did not need the money, had a 

negative attitude about UI, did not know about UI, or had problems with the application 

process. (See table 3.)

• Fifty-five percent of unemployed people who had applied for UI benefits since their last job 

received benefits. (See table 1.)

Unemployment Insurance Applicants

In 2022, 26 percent of the unemployed who worked in the past 12 months had applied for UI

benefits after separating from their last job. (See table 1.)

The likelihood of applying for UI benefits varied by reason for unemployment. Among job losers 

and people who completed temporary jobs, 37 percent had applied for UI benefits since

their last job. The figure was lower for people with other reasons for unemployment: 11 percent

for job leavers and 10 percent for reentrants to the labor force who worked in the last year. (Job

leavers are unemployed people who left their jobs voluntarily, and reentrants are unemployed

people who have past work experience but were not in the labor force before beginning their

current job search.)

People with longer durations of unemployment were more likely to apply for UI benefits than

were people with shorter durations of joblessness. For example, 37 percent of people looking for

work for 15 to 26 weeks and 36 percent of those looking for 27 weeks and over had applied for

UI benefits, higher than the share for those unemployed for less than 5 weeks (19 percent).

The share of unemployed men who applied for UI benefits was little different from the share of 

unemployed women who applied: 27 percent and 24 percent, respectively. There was also little 

difference in the likelihood of applying for benefits by race or Hispanic ethnicity.

The likelihood of applying for UI benefits increased with age. About 8 percent of unemployed

people ages 16 to 24 had applied since their last job, compared with 31 percent of those ages 25

to 54 and 35 percent of those 55 years and over.

Among unemployed people age 25 and over, 36 percent of unemployed people who were high 

school graduates (no college) applied for UI benefits, little different from the percentage for 

people with some college or an associate degree (38 percent). This was higher than the share of 

people with a bachelor’s degree and higher (23 percent). 

Among major occupational groups, people last employed in natural resources, construction, and 

maintenance occupations were more likely to have applied for UI benefits (37 percent) than 

people last employed in management, professional, and related occupations (25 percent), in 

service occupations (22 percent), and in production, transportation, and material moving 

occupations (19 percent). (See table 2.)
-3-

Among industries, unemployed people who last worked in education and health (17 percent), 

leisure and hospitality (19 percent), other services (21 percent), and in wholesale and retail trade 

(22 percent) were the least likely to have applied for UI benefits. This compared with 38 percent 

for those who last worked in construction and 39 percent for those who last worked in 

manufacturing.

Unemployed people who were covered by a union contract on their last job were more than twice 

as likely to have applied for UI benefits, 57 percent compared with 24 percent of those who were

not covered.

Reason for Not Applying for Unemployment Insurance Benefits

In 2022, the majority—about 7 in 10—of unemployed people who worked in the past 12 months 

had not applied for UI benefits since their last job. Of these unemployed people, 55 percent did 

not apply because they believed they were ineligible. Eligibility issues include: their work was 

not covered by UI, they quit their job, were terminated for misconduct, had insufficient past 

work, or had previously exhausted their benefits. (See tables 1 and 3.)

Approximately 1 out of 10 unemployed people who had not applied for UI benefits had not done 

so because of attitudes about or barriers to applying—for example, they did not need the money 

or want the hassle, had a negative attitude about UI, did not know about UI or did not know how 

to apply, or had problems with the application process.

About 17 percent of unemployed people had not applied for UI benefits because they expected to 

start work soon. Other reasons for not applying for UI benefits include personal reasons or 

planned to file for benefits soon.

About 4 percent of unemployed people who had not applied for UI benefits did not provide a

reason for not applying.

Unemployment Insurance Benefit Recipients

In 2022, 55 percent of unemployed people who had applied for UI benefits after separating from 

their last job received benefits. (See table 1.)

Among unemployed applicants, 59 percent of job losers and people who completed temporary

jobs received benefits. This was higher than the figures of 35 percent for job leavers and 34

percent for reentrants to the labor force who received UI benefits.

Applicants who were unemployed less than 5 weeks were less likely to receive benefits (42

percent) than were those with longer durations of joblessness. For example, 72 percent of

applicants unemployed for 27 weeks and over had received benefits.

The shares of men and women who received UI benefits were little different (58 percent and 51

percent, respectively). There was also little difference in the likelihood of receiving benefits by 

race or Hispanic ethnicity.
-4-

Applicants who were covered by a union contract in their last job were more likely to have

received UI benefits than those who were not covered. About four-fifths (81 percent) of 

applicants who were covered by a union contract had received benefits since separating from 

their last job, compared with one-half (50 percent) of applicants who were not covered. (See 

table 2.)

People Marginally Attached to the Labor Force

Some individuals may be eligible for UI benefits even though they were not classified as

unemployed in the survey. In 2022, 14 percent of people marginally attached to the labor force

had applied for UI benefits since separating from their last job. (These estimates are restricted to 

people who had worked in the past 12 months.) (See table 4.)

People marginally attached to the labor force are those who are neither employed nor

unemployed, who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months (but not in the

last 4 weeks), and were available to take a job. If they had looked for work in the last 4 weeks,

they would be counted as unemployed.

More than one-half (56 percent) of people marginally attached to the labor force had not applied 

for UI benefits since separating from their last job because they believed they were ineligible to 

receive benefits. Another 10 percent had not applied due to attitudes about or barriers to applying 

for UI benefits, and 28 percent had not applied for UI benefits for other reasons. Six percent of 

people marginally attached to the labor force who had not applied for UI benefits did not provide 

a reason for not applying. (See table 5.)
Technical Note

The data presented in this news release were collected 

through a supplement to the February and May 2022

Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a 

monthly survey of about 60,000 eligible households 

that provides data on employment and unemployment 

for the nation’s civilian noninstitutional population 

age 16 and over. The CPS is conducted by the U.S. 

Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

(BLS).

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Chief Evaluation 

Office sponsored the collection of the February and 

May 2022 supplement to obtain information about the 

number and characteristics of those who do and do not 

file for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, as well 

as information on those who receive benefits. These 

data provide information not available from the UI 

program administrative data or the monthly CPS.

One of the most persistent misconceptions about the 

CPS unemployment measure is that it is based on the 

number of people who apply for or receive UI benefits. 

However, data on UI program participation cannot be 

used to determine unemployment because the CPS 

concept includes people who are not eligible for 

benefits, who have exhausted their benefits, and who 

do not apply for benefits. The monthly CPS does not 

include questions about UI participation.

Only people who have previously worked are eligible 

for UI benefits, and they generally must apply shortly 

after separating from their last job. Therefore, 

estimates presented in this news release are restricted 

to people who had worked at some point in the 12 

months prior to the survey. In 2022, about two-thirds

of the unemployed had worked in the last 12 months. 

Other unemployed people, including those who

entered the labor force for the first time and those who 

last worked more than a year ago, are excluded from 

this news release.

The estimates in this release—referred to as 2022

estimates—are weighted averages of data collected in 

February and May 2022. Data are weighted to produce 

nationally representative estimates. The supplement 

weights are controlled to population estimates thatare 

averaged over the 2 months. May data are

disproportionately represented in the estimates 

because two-thirds of the data were collected in May,

when the full CPS sample received the supplement 

questions. One-half of the CPS sample was asked 

these questions in February.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech 

disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access 

telecommunications relay services.

Definitions

The principal definitions used in this news release are 

described below. Additional information about CPS 

concepts and definitions is available on the BLS 

website at www.bls.gov/cps/definitions.htm.

Unemployed who worked in the past 12 months. In the 

CPS, people are classified as unemployed if they were 

not employed during the survey reference week; were 

available for work during the survey reference week 

(except for temporary illness); and had made at least 

one specific, active effort to find employment 

sometime during the 4-week period ending with the 

survey reference week. People who were waiting to be 

recalled to a job from which they had been laid off 

need not have been looking for work to be classified 

as unemployed.

Data in this news release exclude unemployed people 

with no previous work experience and those who last 

worked more than 12 months prior to the survey. 

However, all unemployed persons expecting to be 

recalled from temporary layoff are included, 

regardless of whether they worked in the 12 months 

prior to the survey.

Marginally attached to the labor force who worked in 

the past 12 months. People marginally attached to the 

labor force are those who are neither employed nor 

unemployed, who want a job, have searched for work 

during the prior 12 months, and were available to take 

a job during the survey reference week, but had not 

looked for work in the 4-week period ending with the 

survey reference week. If they had looked for work in 

the 4-week period, they would be counted as 

unemployed.

Data in this news release on people marginally 

attached to the labor force refer to those who worked 

in the past 12 months, a subset of total marginally 

attached.

Unemployment Insurance (UI). The federal-state UI 

program provides unemployment benefits to eligible 

workers (as determined under state law). The UI 

payments (benefits) are intended to provide temporary 

financial assistance to unemployed workers. Each 

state administers a separate UI program within 

guidelines established by federal law. Eligibility for UI 

benefits, amounts, and the length of time benefits are 

available are determined by the state law under which 

UI claims are established. For more information about

state UI programs, visit 

https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/uifactsheet.asp.
UI benefit applicants. In the CPS, UI applicants are 

people who applied for UI benefits since separating 

from their last job. Whether a person applied for UI 

benefits was determined through answers to the 

question: “Have you applied for unemployment

benefitssince your last job?” Data in this news release 

refer to unemployed individuals and peoplemarginally

attached to the labor force who had worked in the past 

12 months.

UI benefit recipients. In the CPS, these individuals are 

UI applicants who received UI benefitssince separating 

from their last job. Thisinformation was obtained from

the following question: “Have you received any 

unemployment benefits since your last job?” This 

question was asked of people who had applied for UI 

benefits since their last job. Data in this news release 

refer to unemployed individuals and people 

marginally attached to the labor force who had worked 

in the past 12 months.

Union coverage on last job. Data in this news release 

refer both to union members and to those who were 

covered by a union contract on their last job. Union 

coverage on the last job is based on the question: 

“Were you a union member or covered by a union 

contract on your last job?”

Main reason for not applying for UI benefits. This 

information is based on responses to the question: 

“There are a variety of reasons why people might not 

apply for unemployment benefits. What are the 

reasons you have not applied for unemployment 

benefits since your last job?” Interviewers could 

record more than one reason. If respondents provided 

more than one reason, interviewers asked which was 

their main reason.

Comparability of the estimates

Previous supplements collected data on UI applicants 

and benefit recipients in 2018, 2005, 1993, 1989, and 

1976. The 2022 supplement questions used to identify 

UI applicants and benefit recipients were similar to the 

2018 and 2005 supplements but were different from 

questions used in earlier years.

The 2022 estimates are not strictly comparable with 

those from prior years. Changes in survey methods 

affect the comparability of estimates over time. For 

example, the questions were not the same in all 

supplements. Also, collection periods differed across 

supplements, and the supplements were not always 

administered to all CPS respondents. For example, the 

2022 supplement was collected in 2 nonconsecutive

months (February and May). Data in February were

collected from half of the CPS sample, and data in May 

were collected from the full CPS sample. In contrast, 

the supplement in 2018 was collected in May and 

September from the full CPS sample. The supplements 

for 2005, 1993, and 1989 were collected in 4 different

months, and the questions were asked of about onefourth of the CPS sample (the outgoing rotations). 

(Specifically, the 2005 supplement data were collected

in January, May, July, and November; the 1993 

supplement was administered in February, June, 

August, and November; and the 1989 supplement was

conducted in May, August, and November 1989 and in 

February 1990.) The 1976 supplement was 

administered to the full sample in May 1976.

Other factors should also be considered when 

analyzing the data. Different points in the business 

cycle, changesin state UI laws, and the seasonal nature 

of applying for UI benefits can further complicate 

comparisons of data over time. For example, the 

unemployment rate in 2022 was relatively low by 

historical standards, and partially reflected economic 

recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. These 

factors may impact the number and characteristics of 

people who apply for UI benefits.

Reliability of the estimates

Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both 

sampling and nonsampling error. When a sample, 

rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there is 

a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the 

true population values they represent. The component 

of this difference that occurs because samples differ by 

chance is known as sampling error, and its variability 

is measured by the standard error of the estimate. 

There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of 

confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will 

differ by no more than 1.6 standard errorsfrom the true 

population value because of sampling error. BLS 

analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent 

level of confidence.

The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. 

Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, 

including the failure to sample a segment of the 

population, inability to obtain information for all 

respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness 

of respondents to provide correct information, and 

errors made in the collection or processing of the data.

General information about the reliability of data from 

the CPS is available at 

www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.
Table 1. Unemployment insurance (UI) benefit applicants and recipients among unemployed persons who had worked in the past 12

months by selected characteristics, 2022

[Numbers in thousands]

Characteristic

Unemployed who

worked in the

past 12 months1

UI benefit applicants

Total Percent of

unemployed

UI benefit recipients

Total

Percent of

UI benefit

applicants

Percent of

unemployed

Did not

apply for UI

benefits

Age

Total, 16 years and over 4,149 1,075 25.9 591 55.0 14.2 2,998

16 to 24 years 1,081 85 7.9 32 37.5 3.0 977

25 to 54 years 2,369 743 31.3 423 57.0 17.9 1,576

55 years and over 699 247 35.3 136 54.9 19.4 445

Sex

Men 2,319 630 27.2 363 57.6 15.7 1,638

Women 1,830 444 24.3 227 51.2 12.4 1,360

Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

White 2,889 693 24.0 392 56.6 13.6 2,144

Black or African American 861 273 31.7 133 48.7 15.4 570

Asian 165 45 27.4 28 - 17.1 115

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity 871 188 21.6 85 45.1 9.7 664

Disability status

With a disability 342 66 19.4 37 - 10.7 273

With no disability 3,807 1,008 26.5 554 54.9 14.6 2,725

Foreign born status

Foreign born 655 171 26.1 82 48.2 12.6 476

Native born 3,494 904 25.9 508 56.3 14.5 2,522

Reason for unemployment

Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs 2,411 899 37.3 530 59.0 22.0 1,478

Job leavers 731 77 10.6 27 35.3 3.7 638

Reentrants 1,006 98 9.8 33 33.7 3.3 882

Duration of unemployment

Less than 5 weeks 1,805 344 19.0 145 42.3 8.0 1,441

5 to 14 weeks 1,377 376 27.3 215 57.2 15.6 970

15 to 26 weeks 590 220 37.2 132 60.3 22.4 362

27 weeks and over 377 136 35.9 98 72.4 26.0 225

Certification and licensing status

With a certification or license 610 198 32.5 97 48.9 15.9 399

Without a certification or license 3,539 876 24.8 494 56.3 14.0 2,599

Educational attainment

Total, 25 years and over 3,068 990 32.3 559 56.5 18.2 2,021

Less than a high school diploma 294 80 27.3 32 40.5 11.1 202

High school graduates, no college2 1,071 381 35.6 230 60.4 21.5 666

Some college or associate degree 897 343 38.2 194 56.5 21.6 550

Bachelor's degree and higher3 807 185 23.0 102 55.2 12.7 603

1

 Includes a relatively small number of persons who did not provide information about applying for UI benefits, not shown separately.

2

 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.

3

 Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

NOTE: Estimates are an average of data collected in February and May 2022. Data exclude unemployed persons with no previous work experience and those

who last worked more than 12 months prior to the survey. However, all unemployed persons expecting to be recalled from temporary layoff are included,

regardless of whether they worked in the 12 months prior to the survey. Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do

not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Dash indicates no

data or data that do not meet publication criteria (values not shown where base is less than 75,000).
Table 2. Unemployment insurance (UI) benefit applicants and recipients among unemployed persons who had worked in the past

12 months by characteristics of last job, 2022

[Numbers in thousands]

Characteristic

Unemployed

who worked

in the past

12 months1

UI benefit applicants

Total Percent of

unemployed

UI benefit recipients

Total

Percent of

UI benefit

applicants

Percent of

unemployed

Did not

apply for UI

benefits

Total, 16 years and over 4,149 1,075 25.9 591 55.0 14.2 2,998

Union status on last job2

Union member or represented by a union 269 153 57.0 124 80.7 45.9 113

Nonunion 3,757 902 24.0 454 50.3 12.1 2,827

Occupation of last job3

Management, professional, and related occupation 904 229 25.4 133 57.8 14.7 665

Management, business, and financial operations occupations 372 144 38.6 73 50.9 19.6 228

Professional and related occupations 532 86 16.1 59 69.3 11.2 437

Service occupations 879 197 22.4 112 57.1 12.8 658

Sales and office occupations 916 264 28.8 126 47.7 13.7 644

Sales and related occupations 416 106 25.4 53 49.9 12.7 307

Office and administrative support occupations 500 158 31.7 73 46.2 14.6 336

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 591 220 37.1 132 59.9 22.3 365

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 67 21 - 13 - - 46

Construction and extraction occupations 456 178 39.0 111 62.1 24.2 271

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 68 21 - 9 - - 48

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 853 165 19.3 88 53.6 10.4 660

Production occupations 308 65 21.3 29 - 9.5 239

Transportation and material moving occupations 545 99 18.2 59 59.6 10.9 420

Industry of last job3

Agriculture and related industries 86 25 29.0 17 - 19.6 61

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 23 12 - 7 - - 10

Construction 513 192 37.5 124 64.7 24.3 314

Manufacturing 383 148 38.5 79 53.6 20.6 236

Wholesale and retail trade 621 136 21.9 72 52.8 11.5 469

Transportation and utilities 319 82 25.7 43 52.6 13.5 229

Information 51 13 - 4 - - 36

Financial activities 159 44 27.8 15 - 9.3 114

Professional and business services 586 151 25.7 92 61.3 15.7 424

Education and health services 562 95 17.0 46 48.5 8.2 463

Leisure and hospitality 589 109 18.6 56 51.6 9.6 467

Other services 154 32 20.8 25 - 16.3 111

Public administration 97 35 36.2 10 - 10.5 58

1

 Includes a relatively small number of persons who did not provide information about applying for UI benefits, not shown separately.

2

 Refers to union members and those covered by a union contract on their last job. Data do not sum to total because some individuals did not respond to the

question about union membership.

3

 Persons whose last job was in the U.S. Armed Forces are included in the unemployed total, but not shown separately.

NOTE: Estimates are an average of data collected in February and May 2022. Data exclude unemployed persons with no previous work experience and those

who last worked more than 12 months prior to the survey. However, all unemployed persons expecting to be recalled from temporary layoff are included,

regardless of whether they worked in the 12 months prior to the survey. Dash indicates no data or data that do not meet publication criteria (values not shown

where base is less than 75,000).
Table 3. Main reason for not applying for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits among

unemployed persons who had worked in the past 12 months, 2022

[Numbers in thousands]

Main reason for not applying for UI benefits

Unemployed persons1 who did

not apply for UI benefits

Total Percent

distribution

Total, 16 years and over 2,998 100.0

Eligibility issues 1,652 55.1

Job separation type (quit, misconduct, etc.) or work not covered by UI 956 31.9

Insufficient past work 361 12.0

Previous exhaustion of benefits 52 1.7

Any other reason concerning eligibility 283 9.5

Attitude about or barrier to applying for UI benefits 306 10.2

Do not need the money or do not want the hassle 163 5.4

Negative attitude about UI 15 0.5

Do not know about UI or do not know how to apply 85 2.8

Problems with application process 44 1.5

Other reasons for not applying for UI benefits 923 30.8

Expect to start working soon 505 16.8

Did not apply for personal reasons 65 2.2

Plan to file soon 97 3.2

All other reasons 257 8.6

Reason not provided 117 3.9

1

 Data exclude unemployed persons with no previous work experience and those who last worked more than 12

months prior to the survey. However, all unemployed persons expecting to be recalled from temporary layoff are

included, regardless of whether they worked in the 12 months prior to the survey.

NOTE: Estimates are an average of data collected in February and May 2022. Dash indicates no data or data

that do not meet publication criteria (values not shown where base is less than 75,000).
Table 4. Unemployment insurance (UI) benefit applicants and recipients among persons marginally attached to the labor force

who had worked in the past 12 months by selected characteristics, 2022

[Numbers in thousands]

Characteristic

Marginally

attached to the

labor force who

worked in the

past 12 months1

UI benefit applicants

Total

Percent of

marginally

attached

UI benefit recipients

Total

Percent of

marginally

attached

Did not apply

for UI

benefits

Age

Total, 16 years and over 510 73 14.3 47 9.1 423

16 to 24 years 154 13 8.2 7 4.3 137

25 to 54 years 285 47 16.6 32 11.3 228

55 years and over 71 13 - 8 - 59

Sex

Men 260 44 16.9 32 12.3 202

Women 251 29 11.5 15 5.9 221

Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

White 350 47 13.4 27 7.6 290

Black or African American 99 15 15.2 10 10.1 84

Asian 9 3 - 3 - 6

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity 108 24 21.7 22 20.6 85

Educational attainment

Total, 25 years and over 357 60 16.9 40 11.2 287

Less than a high school diploma 58 7 - 3 - 46

High school graduates, no college2 106 10 9.6 7 6.3 90

Some college or associate degree 120 26 21.8 21 17.4 94

Bachelor's degree and higher3 73 17 - 10 - 56

1

 Includes a relatively small number of persons who did not provide information about applying for UI benefits, not shown separately.

2

 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.

3

 Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

NOTE: Estimates are an average of data collected in February and May 2022. Persons marginally attached to the labor force are those who are neither

employed nor unemployed, who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the reference week,

but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks prior to the survey. All data in this table refer to the subset of persons marginally attached to the labor force who

have worked in the past 12 months. Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data

are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Dash indicates no data or data that do not

meet publication criteria (values not shown where base is less than 75,000).
Table 5. Main reason for not applying for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits among

persons marginally attached to the labor force who had worked in the past 12 months, 2022

[Numbers in thousands]

Main reason for not applying for UI benefits

Marginally attached1 who did not

apply for UI benefits

Total Percent

distribution

Total, 16 years and over 423 100.0

Eligibility issues 237 56.0

Job separation type (quit, misconduct, etc.) or work not covered by UI 144 34.0

Insufficient past work 60 14.3

Previous exhaustion of benefits - -

Any other reason concerning eligibility 33 7.7

Attitude about or barrier to applying for UI benefits 43 10.2

Do not need the money or do not want the hassle 22 5.1

Negative attitude about UI 3 0.8

Do not know about UI or do not know how to apply 11 2.6

Problems with application process 7 1.6

Other reasons for not applying for UI benefits 117 27.7

Expect to start working soon 36 8.5

Did not apply for personal reasons 18 4.4

Plan to file soon 17 4.1

All other reasons 46 10.8

Reason not provided 26 6.1

1

 Data refer to the subset of persons marginally attached to the labor force who have worked in the past 12

months. (Persons marginally attached to the labor force are those who are neither employed nor unemployed,

who want a job, have searched for work during the prior 12 months, and were available to take a job during the

reference week, but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks prior to the survey.)

NOTE: Estimates are an average of data collected in February and May 2022. Dash indicates no data or data

that do not meet publication criteria (values not shown where base is less than 75,000).