Concerns are growing in many countries about the strains that persistently high levels of unemployment are placing on the social fabric. Over five years have passed since the onset of the global financial and economic crisis but an uneven and weak recovery has not generated enough jobs to make a serious dent in unemployment in many OECD countries. In April 2013, 8% of the OECD labour force was unemployed representing over 48 million people, almost 16 million more than in 2007. While there have been some encouraging signs of a recovery in employment growth in the United States, this has been offset by the return of recession in the euro zone with an associated further rise in its unemployment rate to a new record of 12.1% in April 2013. According to the most recent OECD economic projections (May 2013), unemployment in the OECD area is unlikely to fall below its current level until well into 2014.