>>>I looked at the link and this line:
>>>
>>> The nonlabour force includes those who are not looking for work,
>>>
>>>just supports what I said. If you have given up, stopped looking for work, and gone on the dole, you are no longer considered unemployed.
>>
>>But my question was : WHEN did that become the criteria......
>
>It didn't. The official definition of unemployment has not changed. Marcia is just trying to move the goalposts. I like her in some ways, and respect her professionally without qualification, but god she can be an aggravating woman.

I've a feeling Marcia may be right in that the definition of 'unemployed' *has* changed over time. I know it's the case in the UK - don't know whether (or when) it happened in the U.S. If it *did* change in the last five years I don't see any dramatic downward trend in the graphs....