Gather some recent data related to the increasing rates of unemployment.
Recent data shows that the unemployment rate in the United States has risen to 4.8%, its highest level in nearly 5 years. Additionally, the number of job openings fell in February, indicating that employers are becoming slightly less confident in the economy.
According to a recent survey by the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) has reached 8.3% in May 2012, with more than 12 million Americans unemployed. From April 2012 to May 2012, the number of unemployed persons increased by 729,000. The unemployment rate for youths aged 16-19 years old is 23.2%, 1.5 percentage points higher than the overall unemployment rate. Approximately 4.5 million people have been unemployed for more than 6 months, with 4 out of 10 unemployed workers having been out of work for more than 27 weeks.