Employment: Men staying on the sidelines

Why is there a lack of workers in the labor market?

A hiring sign.
(Image credit: Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

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There's a troubling puzzle in America's jobs picture, said Catherine Rampell in The Washington Post: "Where did all the workers go?" The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week that the economy added another 263,000 jobs in November, surpassing expectations. But while businesses remain keen on hiring, labor force participation — the share of adults either working or actively looking for work — fell for a third straight month, and at 62.1 percent "remains depressed relative to pre-pandemic days." The downward trend within the so-called prime working age population (ages 25 to 54) is particularly mystifying. The pandemic could still be a factor, with some workers suffering from long COVID. So could burned-out workers staying on the sidelines because they have re-evaluated their priorities. Regardless, it is "not a sign of a healthy labor market."

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