Competing explanations for youth unemployment (demography, minimum wages, education and training, economic conditions) have profoundly different implications for policy. The history of youth unemployment in Australia and the United States is explored and the causes of the problem as well as some solutions are evaluated. (LC)

As of March 2008, over half of U.S. states are facing projected budget shortfalls for the coming fiscal year. During economic downturns such as this, opportunities available to hard-working, low-wage families are diminished. These conditions create growing concerns for policymakers who must, with fewer state resources, enhance opportunities and…

Examines the comparative labor market experience of youth in the United States and eight other developed countries from 1960-1979, focusing upon unemployment levels and rates. Finds that the situation worsened in industrialized nations after the 1974-75 recession and that Japanese and German youth continue to have the most favorable job prospects.…

This booklet summarizes state labor laws of special interest to women and highlights trends evidenced in the past dozen years. Although focus is on state laws, information is provided on their federal counterparts to the extent needed to clarify the effect of the state enactments. The content covers minimum wage, premium pay for overtime, equal…

Public health, once the gem of American social programs, has turned to dross. During the 20th century, the public-health sector wiped smallpox and polio off the U.S. map; virtually eliminated rickets, rubella, and goiter; stopped epidemic typhoid and yellow fever; and brought tuberculosis--once the leading cause of death in U.S. cities--under…

The relationship between wage differentiation and long-term unemployment was examined in a study that considered data regarding long-term unemployment and minimum wages in the United States, Japan, and 10 member nations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Data regarding wages and unemployment in the 11 countries were…

This booklet is a guide to the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (also known as the Wage-Hour Law) which apply to minors employed in agriculture. The content is as follows: coverage of the child labor provisions regarding agricultural employment, minimum age standards for employment in agriculture, school hours and employment in…

An important part of the strategies for reducing youth unemployment in Australia and the United States is to improve the education and training of young persons, especially those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. However, this approach fails to recognize that youth unemployment is also caused by the demographic bulge of youth entering the…

The United States of America is often called the "land of opportunity," a place where hard work and sacrifice lead to economic success. Across generations, countless families have been able to live out that promise. However, more than one out of four American working families now earn wages so low that they have difficulty surviving…

Over 3,000,000 youths aged 16-24 fall into the category of unemployed or persons who are discouraged and no longer actively seeking work. This number accounts for more than half of the unemployment in the U.S. and represents a personal tragedy for the youths as well as a considerable loss of productivity for society while adding a drain on its…

This inventory of research and evaluation projects completed during calendar years 1970-1979 for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Education, and Research (ASPER) of the Department of Labor contains summaries of projects on economic, social, and policy background; the labor market; the nature and impact of Department of Labor…

This collection of papers on the youth employment problem consists of 15 papers that cover the dimensions, causes, and consequences of youth unemployment and that also focus on problems in measuring the extent of the problem, the dynamic aspects of youth labor force participation, and problems associated with adequately assessing the consequences…