It's a big issue and one reason you can't compare the current headline U-3 statistic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment#United_States_Bureau_of_Labor_s

It's a big issue and one reason you can't compare the current headline U-3 statistic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment#United_States_Bureau_of_Labor_statistics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment#United_States_Bur...) with those reported during the Great Depression. It is, however, the "firmest" statistic, since U4-6 require things like surveys to estimate how many would be workers are "discouraged" through "underemployed". And you have to do that to distinguish them from e.g. voluntary stay at home mothers (and fathers).