This report from the Wall Street Journal by Phil Izzo provides some interesting statistics on unemployment in the U.S. including an interactive map that shows the UE rates by state. Franchisors need to understand that the published national unemployment rate of 8.9%doesn't include those have given up looking for work. This article explains U-6, used by the Labor Department to measure underutilization in the labor market. Actual unemployment in a specific state should be an important consideration by franchisors when designing or executing their expansion strategy. Read the complete article