San Francisco’s real unemployment rate nearer to 17%-- 77,000 not 45,600 out of work

October 14, 8:12 AMSF Politics ExaminerArthur Bruzzone

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA --  The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a simple calculator at Its web site which measures several “adjusted” unemployment rates.  What it shows is that on top of the official base unemployment rate – in San Francisco 10.1%, as reported today  --- there are thousands of others who don’t show up. 

When it’s all added up, the actual San Francisco unemployment rate is more like 17%.

Let’s look at what the Bureau of Labor Statistics include in itsr adjusted unemployment rate: 

Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, Persons who have completed temporary jobs, Total unemployed plus discouraged workers,Total unemployed, discouraged and ‘marginally attached workers, And the final one, measuring the total employment picture, Total unemployed, marginally attached, plus total employed part time for economic reasons.

You can do it yourself by using the calculator.

What it shows is that the real unemployment statistic is roughly seven percent (7%) higher than the core unemployment figure.

For San Francisco, with a workforce of approximately 452,000, and a reported unemployment rate of 10.1%, the actual unemployed in the city is more like 77,000.

As I pointed out in an earlier post, the city’s economic downturn doesn't seem to concern the city’s political leaders.  For several years, their social engineering proposals and initiatives have taken a higher priority than job creation. 

Quite the contrary.  The prime job creator – small businesses – have been hit hard by City Hall’s mandates, making starting or maintaining a small business in San Francisco especially difficult in a economic downturn.   The highest minimum wage in the state, mandated sick leave, mandated health care benefits, zoning restrictions, and obscure but obscure regulations are now taking their toll.

Ask the 77,000 in the city who are unemployed or under-employed.

(For more on defining the real unemployment rate, read Daniel Gross' piece at Slate, January 3, 2004)