---
title: 1 in 5 Workers, Laid Off In Past 5 Years, Still Jobless - CareerArc social recruiting
description: “While the worst effects of the Great Recession are over for most Americans, the brutal realities of diminished living standards...
---

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# [1 in 5 Workers, Laid Off In Past 5 Years, Still Jobless - CareerArc social recruiting](https://careerarc.com/blog/1-in-5-workers-laid-off-in-past-5-years-still-jobless)

 Written by [Tallulah David](https://careerarc.com/blog/author/tallulah-david) | Apr 14, 2015 3:59:26 PM

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> *“While the worst effects of the Great Recession are over for most Americans, the brutal realities of diminished living standards endure for the 3 million American workers who remain jobless years after they were laid off.” — Carl Van Horn, director of the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University.*

On the heels of positive news that [the unemployment rate dipped below 6 percent for the first time since 2008](http://money.cnn.com/2014/10/03/news/economy/september-jobs-report-unemployment-below-6-percent/), a recent study revealed the often overlooked, lasting impact the Great Recession has made on the long-term unemployed.  
 The Heldrich Center at Rutgers University published findings of their [national survey conducted with 1,153 Americans, including 394 unemployed workers still searching for jobs](http://www.heldrich.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/products/uploads/Work_Trends_September_2014_0.pdf), and unearthed new quantifiable data on the enduring financial and emotional plight of the long-term jobless.  
 Here are the top 3 findings from the report:

| 1. | ### 20 percent of workers laid off in the last five years still have not found jobs. |
| --- | --- |
| As of last August, 3 million Americans—nearly 1 in 3 unemployed workers—have been unemployed for at least 6 months. In addition, 2 million Americans have remained jobless for more than a year.According to the report, the percentage of unemployed workers who have been jobless for more than six months is now more than double what it was in the pre-recession era. Although long-term unemployment dipped from 46 percent in 2010, it is “still above the 26 percent level experienced in the worst previous recession in 1983.” |  |
| 2. | ### Only 1 in 5 of the long-term unemployed received help from a government agency when looking for a job. |
| The study also uncovered that only 22 percent enrolled in a training program to develop skills for a new job, and 60 percent received no government assistancebeyond unemployment benefits.“These long-term unemployed workers have been left behind to fend for themselves as they struggle to pull their lives back together,” said Van Horn, who co-authored the study.While access to government assistance has been limited, outplacement services have become more affordable and accessible in just the past few years. [Over 7.9 million jobs have been lost since the Great Recession](http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/02/news/economy/jobs_gone_forever/), and companies determined to help more transitioning employees have relied on new offerings—[like virtual outplacement and career coaching](http://www.careerbeam.com/outplacement/)—to assist workers in securing their next opportunity more quickly.<https://careerarc.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/rutgers-chart-1.jpg> |  |
| 3. | ### Of those who were able to land work, nearly half were making less than they had in their former jobs. |
| Aside from the lack of career search support, training programs, and job prospects, the challenges of the long-term jobless are further compounded by financial hardship. Due to their length of unemployment, about half of the long-term unemployed predict it will take 3 to 10 years for their families to recover financially. Another 1 in 5 say it could take even longer, or worse yet, that they will never fully recover. |  |

 

### Solutions & Additional Resources

[7 ways the long-term unemployed are being “Left Behind”](http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2014/09/7_ways_the_long-term_unemploye.html)  
 More significant stats sourced from Rutgers’ unemployment study.  
[Six Tips for Unemployed Executives](http://www.cnbc.com/id/102033683)  
 Specific advice for leaders who are searching for their next post.  
[Learn More About Virtual Outplacement](http://www.careerarc.com/outplacement)  
 It takes an average of 32 weeks for an unemployed person to get a new job.  
[Highly Educated, Unemployed And Tumbling Down The Ladder](http://www.cnbc.com/id/102082203#)  
 This recent article investigates why workers with advanced degrees still find themselves underemployed or jobless in this new economy.

[View full post](https://careerarc.com/blog/1-in-5-workers-laid-off-in-past-5-years-still-jobless)

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