The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts as employed people who work part-time, but would prefer to work full-time. Suppose the people who had part-time jobs, but wanted full-time jobs, were counted as unemployed. Explain how the unemployment rate and the labor force participation rate would change.

The labor participation rate would not change because it counts the labor force as a percentage of the total adult population, and the labor force includes both the number of people employed and the number of people unemployed, so, even if those working part-time were counted as unemployed by the BLS, they would still be part of the Labor Force.

The labor participation rate formula is:

Labor Participation Rate = (Labor Force / Total Adult Population) x 100

The unemployment rate would indeed change, because it counts the number of unemployed as a percentage of the labor force. If those working part-time were counted as unemployed by the BLS, the number of people unemployed would obviously spike.

The formula is:

Unemployment Rate = (Number of Unemployed / Labor Force) x 100