Underemployment, 2000–2011 (in millions)

	2000	2007	2010	2011
Unemployed	5.7	7.1	14.8	13.7
Involuntary part time*	3.2	4.4	8.9	8.6
Marginally attached**	1.2	1.4	2.5	2.6
Total underemployed	10.1	12.9	26.2	24.9
Underemployment rate***	7.0%	8.3%	16.7%	15.9%

* Want and are available for full-time work

** Not looking for work but want and would take a job and have looked for work sometime in the last year

*** Total underemployed workers as a percent of the sum of the civilian labor force and marginally attached workers

Source: Authors' analysis of Current Population Survey public data series

Documentation and methodology

Underlying data are from the Current Population Survey public data series. Involuntary part time refers to those who work part time for economic reasons, i.e., those who want and are available for full-time work, but who have had to settle for a part-time schedule. Marginally attached refers to those who are currently neither working nor looking for work but indicate that they want and are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the past year.