chômage

Chômage is the state of being without paid employment while actively seeking work and being available to take a job. It is a central concept in labor economics and social policy, used in Francophone contexts to discuss unemployment and related labor-market phenomena.

Measurement: The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force that is unemployed. The labor force includes employed and unemployed individuals. Data are typically collected through labor force surveys, with definitions following the International Labour Organization.

Types and causes: Frictional unemployment arises from normal job searches and transitions. Structural unemployment reflects mismatches between workers’ skills or locations and job openings, often due to long-term changes in the economy. Cyclical unemployment follows fluctuations in aggregate demand. Other factors include region, education, automation, and demographics.

Consequences: Unemployment reduces household income and consumption, increases poverty risk, and can affect health and well-being. For the economy, it implies lost output and inefficiency in resource use.

Policy responses: Governments use macroeconomic stabilization and active labor market policies to reduce chômage, including job-search assistance, retraining, and wage subsidies. Unemployment benefits provide income support, while reforms may aim to improve hiring conditions and job matching in the labor market.