Thursday, May 31, 2012

Only 75% of Americans in prime earning years of age 25-54 have jobs, falloff sharpest for men

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5/29/12, "Job recovery is scant for Americans in prime working years," Washington Post, Peter Whoriskey

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The proportion of Americans in their prime working years who have jobs is smaller than it has been at any time in the 23 years before the recession, according to federal statistics, reflecting the profound and lasting effects that the downturn has had on the nation’s economic prospects.

By this measure, the jobs situation has improved little in recent years. The percentage of workers between the ages of 25 and 54 who have jobs now stands at 75.7 percent, just a percentage point over what it was at the downturn’s worst, according to federal statistics.

During their prime years, Americans are supposed to be building careers and wealth to prepare for their retirement. Instead, as the indicator reveals,

  • huge numbers are on the sidelines....

The falloff has been sharpest for men, for whom the proportion had been on a slow decline before the recession. The percentage of prime-age men who are working is smaller now than it has been in any time before the recession, going all the way back to 1948, according to federal statistics. The proportion of prime-age women is at a low not seen since 1988....

About 4 million workers have simply stopped looking, and so do not show up in the tally used for the unemployment rate."...via Instapundit

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