The Great Recession left a crater in the labor market that has been devastating for unemployed Americans of all ages. After more than two years of unemployment at well over 8%, there is a hole of more than 11 million jobs, with average spells of unemployment lasting nearly nine months. The weak labor market has been particularly tough on young…

Examines recent trends and cyclical changes in the number of discouraged workers and other persons outside the labor force who report wanting regular jobs. Both the incidence of discouragement and its sensitivity to labor market conditions vary widely across demographic groups. (Author/CT)

In an overview of the main factors that have contributed to the currently high rates of unemployment in OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, the author examines in particular labor supply; structural and technological change; the functioning of the labor market; and macroeconomic policies. (Author/CT)

Uses data from the National Longitudinal Surveys to examine the relationship between local area unemployment rates and the labor supply behavior of youths, aged 18 to 24, in 1970. (PR)

Describes recent research efforts to document the size of the illegal alien population and its economic and societal impact. Discusses legislative and other federal responses to the problem. (SK)

About three-quarters of current unemployment in these countries is due to deficient labor force demand. Changes in economic policy and improvement in labor mobility are necessary elements in solving the problem. (Author/SK)

Papers concerning the need for labor market concepts and information at a variety of levels are presented in this conference report, along with discussions of major issues. Major areas emphasized in this document are (1) data needs for manpower planning and policy-making by public officials for rural areas, (2) employer needs for labor market…

This article presents a broad overview of the current employment situation in industrialized market economy countries and provides a general framework for examining some of the major employment issues confronting developed countries today. It argues for a broader approach to these issues and for a change in policy at the national level. (CT)

Discusses business-school partnerships designed to confront the declining number of high school graduates, the ever-worsening dropout problem, and projected shortages of technically skilled workers. Describes regional and national collaborative programs sponsored by Digital, Hewlett-Packard, Lockheed, and Atlantic-Richfield. Includes six…

The conventional approach to analysis of employment problems in the modern sector, namely comparison of workforce supply and demand, is inapplicable in the traditional sector, where a distinction needs to be made between the concepts of workforce underutilization and its availability. The author discusses these concepts and presents their policy…

The project focuses on two loosely-related hypotheses regarding a contradiction existing in the results of previous research on the relationship between labor force participation and unemployment. This contradiction is the persistent tendency of the estimated effect of unemployment on labor force participation--and hence estimates of "hidden…

Work years are being compressed into a smaller portion of midlife while non-work time (schooling and retirement) is growing rapidly. Analysis of these trends suggests greater future interest in flexible retirement ages, reduction of work time (work sharing) to attenuate unemployment, and part-time jobs among older workers. (MF)

Suggests that work training programs based on the concepts of democracy and entrepreneurship may facilitate improvements in employment opportunities for disadvantaged and minority youth. Attributes unemployment to deficiencies in the current economic and social structure, and discusses design and implementation problems in current employment…

The assumption that Mexican emigration to the United States provides benefits to Mexico in the form of jobs for unemployed Mexicans and wage remittances has kept Mexican officials from discouraging illegal emigration. In fact, emigration drains the Mexican economy and should be a cause for Mexican government concern. (Author/MJL)

A study estimated the aggregate effects of antipoverty policies on wages and unemployment of different groups. The context was one in which emphasis was on labor supply policies, such as welfare reform or job training, and not on policies to increase labor demand for the poor, such as public employment or subsidizing private employers to hire the…