Joseph McLaughlin

No Country for Young Men: Deteriorating Labor Market Prospects for Low-Skilled Men in the United States

The labor market fate of the nation’s male teens and young adults (ages 20—29) has deteriorated along most employment, weekly wages, and annual earnings dimensions in recent decades. The employment rates reached new post—World War II lows in 2009, with the less well educated faring the worst. The deterioration in the labor market well-being of these young men has had a number of adverse consequences on their social behavior. Less-educated young men, especially high school dropouts, are far more likely to be incarcerated than their peers in earlier decades. They are considerably less likely to be married and more likely to be absent fathers, with gaps in marriage rates across educational groups widening substantially since the 1970s. The decline in marriage among less-educated young adults, high assortative mating among younger married couples, and growing gaps in earnings across educational groups have contributed to a substantial widening in income and wealth disparities among the nation’s young families.

The Massive Shedding of Jobs in America

Profits are rising sharply in the United States, but wages are not. The unemployment rate remains high, and a rapid increase in jobs is not forecast. Clearly, American business has shed jobs in short order. The resulting rise in productivity is not being shared by workers. How much longer can this go on? The authors analyze the disturbing numbers.

The Great Recession of 2008-2009 and the Blue-Collar Depression

Blue-collar workers have been devastated in the current recession. And their jobs are not likely to come back. Andrew Sum and his economics team dissect the disturbing facts. There is a crying need, they argue, for new jobs programs.

The Great Dislocation of 2007-2009 and Its Impact on Workers

Amid the concerns about high unemployment rates for all age groups, there is always an assumption that workers will ultimately get jobs back when the economy recovers. But the number of workers who have permanently lost their jobs is high. The authors add up the enormous losses to the workers and the economy.