Table 4. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force 
from age 18 to age 44 in 1978-2008 by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
  
                                                                Percent of total weeks
                                                                
      Age and characteristic                                                        Not in
                                                         Employed    Unemployed   labor force

Total, ages 18 to 44 in 1978-2008 (1) ...............      77.2         4.4          17.6
  Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      64.5         8.8          26.3
  Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................      77.2         5.5          16.9
  Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................      79.3         3.7          16.3
  Ages 33 to 38 in 1990-2002 ........................      81.8         2.9          14.8
  Ages 39 to 44 in 1995-2008 (3) ....................      81.5         2.9          14.3

Men, ages 18 to 44 in 1978-2008 (1) .................      83.8         4.9          10.5
  Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      68.8         9.8          20.7
  Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................      84.8         6.4           8.3
  Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................      88.0         4.1           7.1
  Ages 33 to 38 in 1990-2002 ........................      89.3         3.0           7.1
  Ages 39 to 44 in 1995-2008 (3) ....................      87.3         3.1           8.4

Women, ages 18 to 44 in 1978-2008 (1) ...............      70.3         4.0          25.0
  Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      59.9         7.6          32.0
  Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................      69.3         4.6          25.8
  Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................      70.3         3.4          25.9
  Ages 33 to 38 in 1990-2002 ........................      74.1         2.7          22.8
  Ages 39 to 44 in 1995-2008 (3) ....................      75.6         2.8          20.5

White non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 44 in 1978-2008 (1) ..      79.3         3.7          16.3
  Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      67.3         7.7          24.5
  Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................      79.5         4.6          15.4
  Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................      81.3         3.0          15.1
  Ages 33 to 38 in 1990-2002 ........................      83.5         2.2          13.8
  Ages 39 to 44 in 1995-2008 (3) ....................      82.9         2.4          13.5

Black non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 44 in 1978-2008 (1) ..      68.7         8.2          22.2
  Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      51.8        14.4          33.4
  Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................      67.8        10.2          21.5
  Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................      70.8         7.5          20.8
  Ages 33 to 38 in 1990-2002 ........................      75.1         5.9          18.6 
  Ages 39 to 44 in 1995-2008 (3) ....................      75.6         5.6          17.6

Hispanic or Latino, ages 18 to 44 in 1978-2008 (1) ..      71.9         5.4          21.8
  Ages 18 to 22 in 1978-1986 (2) ....................      59.9         9.4          30.2
  Ages 23 to 27 in 1980-1991 ........................      70.7         6.3          22.4
  Ages 28 to 32 in 1985-1996 ........................      74.0         4.4          20.8
  Ages 33 to 38 in 1990-2002 ........................      77.0         3.7          18.4
  Ages 39 to 44 in 1995-2008 (3) ....................      78.4         3.7          16.2

   1 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, or who had not
yet turned age 45 when interviewed in 2008-09.
   2 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978.
   3 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 45 when interviewed in 2008-09.
   NOTE:  Totals do not add to 100 percent due to a small number of respondents whose employment
status cannot be determined for all weeks. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists
of men and women who were born in the years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed
in 1979. These individuals were ages 43 to 52 in 2008-09. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
groups are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the
overall totals, are not shown separately because their representation in the survey sample is
not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates.