Final answer:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the individual who has been without a job for two years but is still actively looking for employment would be classified as unemployed.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which person would be classified as unemployed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), it's important to understand the criteria the BLS uses. According to their definition, an individual is considered unemployed if they are not currently working but are available for work and have actively searched for employment in the preceding four weeks. Based on this information:
- A college student in an unpaid internship is not classified as unemployed because they are not actively seeking paid work.
- A retiree is not in the labor force unless they are actively seeking work.
- Someone who has been out of work for two years and continues to look for work is considered unemployed.
- An individual who hasn't worked for two months and isn't searching for a job is not in the labor force.
- An employee who currently hates their job but is searching for another would still be considered employed.
- Importantly, someone who decides to accept a part-time position while looking for full-time work is still considered employed, even though they have not found their desired full-time employment.
Thus, the person who has been jobless for two years but is still actively job-hunting would be identified as unemployed by the BLS.