The U.S. labor market remains resilient with expected job growth slowing slightly in June, while the unemployment rate edges up to 4.3%. Teen summer employment is declining due to a tighter job market influenced by economic uncertainty and policy impacts, including immigration restrictions. Despite concerns about data reliability and political interference, experts trust the official statistics, though recent immigration policies may complicate economic interpretations and Federal Reserve decisions.
Teenagers are facing a tough summer job market due to economic uncertainty, with rising unemployment rates and fewer available positions, making it difficult for teens like Ugenie Labranche to find work despite their efforts and desire for experience.
A group of Black teenagers and the mother of one of them were fired from their summer jobs at a Burger King in Clinton, Mississippi. The mother, who was the store manager, believes nepotism was the reason after her son and his friends were hired and their story went viral. The company claimed the firing was due to the minor being paid an adult wage, a policy the mother says was not initially enforced.
Teenagers seeking summer jobs are experiencing the best labor market since just after World War II, with increased wages and more employers willing to train young employees. While there are fewer job postings for teens compared to last year, opportunities in the personal-services sector, such as sports and recreation camps, restaurants, and hotels, are abundant. Additionally, some employers in the legal and financial fields are open to hiring teenagers. The robust job market for teens is driven by a lack of older applicants, benefiting both businesses and young workers.
Teenagers are expected to make up nearly one in five summer hires this year, with many drawn by sharply higher pay and a desire to get out of the house after long stretches of remote classes and other pandemic-related constraints. The share of 16- to 19-year-olds working or job hunting hit nearly 37% for all of last year, the highest since 2009, Labor Department figures show. Their participation rate peaked at almost 47% last July and that will likely be topped this summer, with the rate so far in 2023 already surpassing last year’s pace. The trend is partly reversing a longstanding decline in teen employment.
The tightest labor market in decades has led to a surge in summer job opportunities for teenagers, with hourly pay rising about 5% in April from a year ago at restaurants, retailers, and amusement parks. Some states are rolling back restrictions to let teens work more hours and, in some cases, more hazardous jobs, but labor rights groups see it as a troubling trend. Economists suggest allowing more legal immigration as a key solution to workforce shortages.
The City of Houston is looking to hire 20,000 young Houstonians for summer jobs to prepare them for the workforce. The initiative, called Hire Houston Youth, is open to youth between the ages of 16 and 24 and includes jobs in the private and nonprofit sectors. The Center for Pursuit, a nonprofit that provides care and employment training services for individuals with intellectual disabilities, is also highlighted in the article.
