Final answer:
A travel agent laid off due to the economy and minimized vacation travel is considered unemployed, given they are actively seeking new employment. The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on unemployment, especially in industries like travel and tourism.
Step-by-step explanation:
A travel agent who is laid off because the economy is in a slump and vacation travel is at a minimum would be considered unemployed. This is because, based on the criteria set by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, a person is classified as unemployed if they are without a job, currently available for work, and have actively been looking for work in the previous four weeks.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers in the travel industry faced unemployment due to significant downturns in travel and tourism.
The impact of a recession and a high unemployment rate can be devastating, as experienced throughout the COVID-19 crisis. People in the travel sector, including travel agents, suffered greatly as vacation travel plummeted and spending on non-essential services dried up.