The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate dropped to 5 percent in October this year — but does that tell the whole story?
Most economists look beyond the "main" unemployment number to other metrics that can give a more textured view of the employment situation. On jobs day, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts out a slew of figures, each of which provide their own view of the economy.
One of those figures in the U-6 rate. Many economists prefer the U-6 rather than the main unemployment number (also known as the U-3) because it captures people who work part time but would like to be working full time but can't.