Not Working Now the Norm for Teens

Having a part-time or summer job used to be the normal situation for many teenagers. The labor force participation of teens averaged around 59 percent from 1978 to 2000. The rate started falling dramatically in 2001 – both in Oregon and the nation – but never rebounded as it had after past recessions.

Oregon's strong job growth since 2013 was able to attract more young adults into the labor force, and the participation rate of those, ages 20 to 24 years, rose slightly to 72 percent in 2015. The labor force participation rate of teens continued its downward trend, falling to 34 percent despite the strong job growth.

Read the full article from Nick Beleiciks: Not Working Now the Norm for Teens.