/ ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt; NAmE / noun [ U ]
1.
the fact of a number of people not having a job; the number of people without a job :
an area of high / low unemployment
rising / falling unemployment
It was a time of mass unemployment .
measures to help reduce / tackle unemployment
the level / rate of unemployment
unemployment benefit / statistics
2.
the state of not having a job :
Thousands of young people are facing long-term unemployment .
—compare employment