Idaho’s marginal labor force — individuals who want to work but are not working currently and haven’t been looking for work recently — is relatively small in scale. However, this group of potential workers could be an important resource for employers needing to fill open positions.
The U.S.’s marginal labor force is estimated to be around 1-2% of the non-labor force but is comprised of those who are the most likely to accept employment if an opportunity arose.1 If Idaho’s patterns are similar, this would mean there is a marginally attached population of roughly 5,000-10,000 non-working people ready and willing to take on employment in addition to the approximately 37,000 unemployed people statewide who are actively seeking a job.
Successfully integrating this fringe population back into the labor force is mutually beneficial for both employers and workers by creating a more efficient labor market with more participants while reducing barriers to employment.
Defining the marginal labor force
Marginally attached workers are just beyond the outer edges of the labor force but aren’t considered active participants as they don’t meet the definition of being either: 1) employed or 2) unemployed and actively seeking work.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics defines the marginal labor force as people who:
- Are not currently working
- Are both willing and available to work
- Have completed an active job search within the most recent 12 months but have not actively searched over the most recent four weeks. For this reason, they are not considered to be unemployed.2
Figure 1. Status of Idaho’s 2024 civilian population that is age 16 and over, BLS survey estimates
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics3
What causes people to be in the marginal labor force
Job searches are stressful events — for both employers and job seekers. In periods of low unemployment, the candidate pool is slim, and employers may have a low applicant response rate for filling open positions. In periods of high unemployment, employees may find it harder to compete and are more likely to become discouraged before successfully finding a job.
No matter the economic situation, there is likely to be an ongoing mismatch between the needs of employers and workers. Even in a balanced labor market, there will be employers who struggle to hire skilled workers while some workers will fail to land jobs.
The marginal labor force sits in the gray area between being employed and actively looking for work. This could be a voluntary decision or the result of a potential barrier from seeking or accepting employment.
While some people are part of the marginal labor force by choice, most are presumed to be there involuntarily.
In 2024, the most common reasons for being part of the U.S.’s marginal labor force included:
- A lack of child care
- Limited access to transportation
- A lack of job prospects discouraged job seekers from looking for work.
None of the examples mentioned above are a result of desirable personal choice, but these factors do prevent workers from applying for jobs they are otherwise qualified for.
Figure 2. Reasons given for being marginally attached to the U.S. labor force, 2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics4
The labor force participation rate measures the share of residents over age 16 who are actively involved in the labor force (the sum of employed and unemployed) compared with the total population. The marginal labor force may be more prevalent in areas with lower labor force participation.
Idaho counties with labor force participation rates below 60% tend to be rural, have a median age exceeding 40 years, provide limited public transportation and/or child care options, have lower educational attainment and have a higher share of their population with a disability.
Figure 3. Comparison of Idaho counties by labor force participation rate (LFPR), below and above 60%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau5
How does the marginal labor force become more employable?
Making the marginal labor force more visible should also make them more employable. It provides a larger pool of skilled labor for employers to draw on while keeping workers from potentially getting discouraged or not making full use of their skills.
The marginal labor force can increase their marketability to employers by working to eliminate barriers to employment.
This may include:
- Learning new computer and trade related skills
- Receiving assistance with resumes and interviews
- Seeking transportation/child care alternatives
- Reaching out to public partners who may have funding and professional resources to assist with a targeted job search.
The Idaho Department of Labor, along with state and community partners, provides many of these workforce services at no charge to job seekers. With guidance from some of these free public resources, common obstacles may be overcome and lead to successful employment.
Employers may be better able to attract the marginal labor force if they are willing to consider reasonable requests in order to hire a qualified candidate. Employers who have a reputation for being open to flexible scheduling or disability accommodation may be able to attract talent through informal social networks better than those who are more rigid. Ensuring job postings are seen by the marginal labor force is another important step in making an initial connection.
Employing the marginal labor force may take more effort initially from both employers and job seekers, but the end result could be mutually beneficial and create a better functioning labor market within Idaho’s communities.
Lisa.Grigg@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
208-696-2256
Footnotes
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Persons not in the labor force by desire and availability to work 2024. Accessed August 2025. https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat35.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, Concepts and Definitions (CPS). Accessed August 2025. https://www.bls.gov/cps/definitions.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2024. Accessed August 2025. https://www.bls.gov/lau/
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, 2024. Accessed August 2025. https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat35.htm
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Population Estimates 2024. Idaho Department of Labor, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages 2024. Accessed August 2025
This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY25 as part of a Workforce Information grant (40%) and state/nonfederal funds (60%) totaling $885,703.
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