As experts predict a weak summer job market for teens, twelve states are considering ill-conceived policies that have serious unintended consequences for teens searching for work this summer. According to outplacement consultancy firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.’s summer 2011 employment outlook, little improvement is expected from last year when the country experienced the lowest level of teen summer hiring since 1949. And according to an […]

A preliminary analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows that teen unemployment averaged 30.8 percent in Alabama in 2010. That’s the ninth highest in the country, and up from 27.9 percent in 2009. In states like Alabama, teens contended with extra barriers to employment because of a 40 percent increase in the federal minimum wage between 2007 and 2009. “Last […]

A preliminary analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows that teen unemployment averaged 34.1 percent in Washington in 2010. That’s the third highest in the country, and up from 30.5 percent in 2009. In states like Washington, teens contended with extra barriers to employment because of an indexed state minimum wage. “Last year, more than one in three Washington teens […]

A preliminary analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows that teen unemployment averaged 31.5 percent in Arizona in 2010. That’s the seventh highest in the country, and up from 31.1 percent in 2009. In states like Arizona, teens contended with extra barriers to employment because of an indexed state minimum wage. “Last year, more than one in four Arizona teens […]

A preliminary analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows that teen unemployment averaged 34.4 percent in California in 2010. That’s the second highest in the country, and up from 32.8 percent in 2009. In states like California, a proposed 2011 increase in the state minimum wage threatens to make the situation even worse. “Last year, more than one in three […]

A preliminary analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows that teen unemployment averaged 36.3 percent in Georgia in 2010. That’s the highest in the country, and up from 29 percent in 2009. In states like Georgia, teens contended with extra barriers to employment because of a 40 percent increase in the federal minimum wage between 2007 and 2009. “Last year, […]