Even after recovery began, population and labor force growth kept the unemployment rate:

1. Recovery in employment does not immediately show in the rate. 2. The recession began with unemployment at 5.0 percent. 3. Population and labor force growth continued during the recovery. 4. Because of that growth, the rate at that point was still slightly above 6 percent. _Source: OpenStax Principles of Macroeconomics for AP Courses 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 7 'Unemployment'_