WASHINGTON – Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) responded to recent announcements of minimum wage increases in four states (Montana, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington). These increases come with a myriad of real unintended consequences that are particularly harmful to less-educated and minority groups. Each of these states is already suffering a high average teen unemployment rate (see below) and is at risk for creating further job […]

An analysis of recently-released Census Bureau data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows teen unemployment continues to rise. As of May 2011, teen unemployment in seven states and the District of Columbia was still averaging over 30 percent. New jobs numbers released today show that teen unemployment nationwide rose in June to 24.5 percent, up from 24.2 percent in May. There were 47,000 more unemployed […]

An analysis of recently-released Census Bureau data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows teen unemployment continues to rise. As of May 2011, teen unemployment in seven states and the District of Columbia was still averaging over 30 percent. New jobs numbers released today show that teen unemployment nationwide rose in June to 24.5 percent, up from 24.2 percent in May. There were 47,000 more unemployed […]

An analysis of newly-released Census Bureau data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows teen unemployment averaging above 25 percent in 25 states as of April 2011. When the analysis is broadened to include discouraged teens that have given up looking for work, the picture worsens across all states, with jobless rates averaging above 27 percent in 23 states and the District of Columbia. A full […]

An analysis of newly-released Census Bureau data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows teen unemployment averaging above 25 percent in 25 states as of April 2011. When the analysis is broadened to include discouraged teens that have given up looking for work, the picture worsens across all states, with jobless rates averaging above 27 percent in 23 states and the District of Columbia. A full […]

An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows that 25 states had teen unemployment rates above 25 percent, according to the most recent data available (see chart below). Nationally, the teen unemployment rate rose slightly to 24.5 percent in March 2011; the rate for black teens rose to 42.1 percent. So far this year, five states have considered legislation […]