/u/thesprunk explains how normal US unemployment figures are bogus, and that the reality is bleaker.

We have recovered most of the jobs lost since 2008, and U6 has proven that most of them were not part time (or rather not anymore than what is normal). We have not recovered fully, and it makes sense why. Cut 7.8% out of our quarterly GDP, and then another 4.5% the next quarter, and the effects are going to be felt far and wide. We lost $500 billion YTY from 2008-2009 in our GDP. Unemployment hit a staggering 10.5% before we could cut off the bleeding, and all of this was only 4 years ago. Recovers take time. Especially since we have done nothing to help curb employment, beyond a far too small stimulus, and a couple small measures. We mostly kicked the market in the butt at the beginning and then stepped away and watched it crawl at a snail's speed. We should have given it another kick long before now.