The Employment Policies Institute issued a report that shows Michigan’s teen unemployment rate is around 28 percent, compared to around 24 percent nationally.
Michael Saltsman is with the Employment Policies Institute. He says the rise in teen unemployment over the past two years is a result of employers moving toward automation and self service.
I think you see other businesses sort of moving in that direction where maybe they have waiters and waitresses bus their own tables instead of having a bus boy do it.
Saltsman says high teen unemployment can affect the labor market in the long run.
I think it tells you that there’s, like I said, there’s a lot of competition for these jobs and there are just fewer of these jobs for these teens to fill. I think in terms of what it says for a state’s economy, what it says for a state’s workforce is that teens are sort of this next generation is missing out on the valuable skills you get from a first job.
Saltsman says the growth of technology and labor costs are decreasing the number of traditional summer jobs for teens.
