Final answer:
A person out of work who would like to work but has ceased actively looking for a job is called a discouraged worker.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person who is out of work and would like to work but has given up looking for employment is known as a discouraged worker. This term refers to individuals who have stopped seeking employment due to the lack of suitable positions available or the belief that no jobs are available for them. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is: a. A discouraged worker.
An important distinction made by the U.S. Bureau of the Census when measuring the unemployment rate is whether individuals are actively looking for work. To be considered unemployed, one must be jobless, available to work, and actively seeking employment within the past four weeks. Contrary to this, discouraged workers are not actively looking for work and are thus not included in the unemployment statistics, though they are still part of the larger category of people who are 'out of the labor force.'