Wall Street Journal (01/11/13) Ben Casselman

Persistent U.S. long-term unemployment is showing signs of abating as job seekers out of work for six months or longer begin to find work. In December, the long-term unemployed comprised 39.1% of all job seekers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first time that number has fallen below 40% in more than three years. Furthermore, unemployment recently has declined more quickly among long-term job seekers than among the wider population. Still, the news is not all good. Although the number of job seekers unemployed for between six months and two years has declined by 12% in the past year, those people unemployed for three years or longer continue to face difficulty finding a job.