(Dallas Express)—Nearly a quarter of Americans are “functionally unemployed,” according to a new report from the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP).
The report revealed a True Rate of Unemployment (TRU) of 24.3% in May 2025, a slight increase from 24.2% in April. This contrasts with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ official unemployment rate of 4.2%, which has remained unchanged over the same period.
LISEP’s TRU measures the percentage of the U.S. labor force without full-time jobs of at least 35 hours per week who want them, those without jobs, or those earning less than $25,000 annually before taxes — classified as “functionally unemployed.”
“The percentage of American workers unable to secure full-time, above-poverty-wage jobs continues to tick upward,” the report stated.
Unlike the BLS rate, which counts someone as employed if they worked one hour in the prior two weeks, LISEP’s measure aims to capture labor market nuances, including those in poverty-wage jobs or seeking full-time work.
- Read More: dallasexpress.com
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.
Reach out to Augusta Precious Metals to learn more about protecting your wealth and retirement with physical precious metals.
