• Definition: Cyclical unemployment occurs due to cyclical trends in the business cycle.
  • Relation to Economic Slowdowns:
    • When economic output (GDP) falls (slowdown/recession), the business cycle is low.
    • During slowdowns, overall demand for labor declines.
    • Businesses reduce hiring or lay off workers due to decreased demand.
    • This causes cyclical unemployment to rise.
    • It is a direct consequence of economic contractions.