That sounds pretty plausible and indeed the number of people who want a job but are no longer in the labor force has risen. However, it is still not high, at least given the size of the labor force. The ratio of frustrated workers who have given up looking for work, which in April 2013 stood at 4.1 percent, is less than the 4.7 percent seen in 1994. And in 1994, the unemployment rate was closer to 6 percent, not the 7.5 percent we have today.