7 million lost jobs: Gone forever?

"Most economists don't expect the employment picture to significantly improve anytime this year -- or over the next few years for that matter.

"The unemployment rate, which stood at 10% in November, is expected to stay uncomfortably high for the foreseeable future. Some experts even suggest that the labor market won't be able to fully recover from the 7.2 million jobs lost since the start of 2008 before another recession and round of job losses."