Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrel.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-7391  USDL 99-110

                                        For release:   10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902  Friday, April 30, 1999
                                     

        EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTHS:
                  RESULTS FROM A NEW LONGITUDINAL SURVEY


   More than half (57 percent) of youths participate in some type of work
activity while age 14, and nearly two-thirds (64 percent) work at some
point while age 15, according to a new survey from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.  Work, as defined in the
survey, can include "employee" jobs, in which youths have an on-going
relationship with a particular employer, such as a restaurant or
supermarket, and/or "freelance" jobs outside the home, where the youth is
doing tasks such as baby-sitting or yard work.
   
   These findings are from the first round of the National Longitudinal
Survey of Youth 1997, a nationally representative sample of 9,022 young men
and women who were 12 to 16 years of age on December 31, 1996.  The survey
provides information on employment experiences, schooling, family
background, social behavior, and other characteristics.
   
   This release focuses on four aspects of the lives of these youths who
were ages 12 to 17 when interviewed in 1997: overall employment, employment
while in school, educational experiences, and home characteristics.
Highlights from the longitudinal survey include:
   
   --Female youths were much less likely than male youths to hold an employee
job at some time while either age 14 or 15 and were more likely to engage in
freelance jobs.
   
   --From age 14 to age 15, youths moved toward more formal work arrangements,
working more in employee jobs and less in freelance jobs. Twenty-four percent
of youths held an employee job while age 14, and 38 percent of youths held an
employee job while age 15.
   
   --Twenty-eight percent of youths ages 14 to 16 worked during both school
and summer months in 1996.  On average, this group worked about 59 percent
of all weeks during the school year.
  
   --Sixteen percent of youths who had attended ninth grade or higher in 1997
had been involved in gifted and talented programs.
   
   --Youths ages 12 to 15 spent an average of 17 hours per week watching
television, but only 11 hours doing homework or reading for pleasure combined.
Working youths spent less time watching television than those not working.
   
                                  - 2 -

Work Activity of Youths While 14 and 15
   
   More than half (57 percent) of all youths worked in either employee
jobs or freelance jobs or both at some point while age 14.  (See table 1.)
While age 14, the majority of young workers engaged in freelance jobs
rather than employee jobs.  The percent of youths who worked while age 15
increased to 64 percent, and their employment shifted away from freelance
work and into employee jobs.
   
   While age 14, 59 percent of female youths and 55 percent of male youths
were engaged in work activities.  Female youths were more likely than male
youths to work in freelance jobs.  The percent of 15-year-olds of both
sexes who worked in employee jobs was notably higher than for 14-year-olds.
However, female youths still were more likely to work at a freelance job.
While age 15,  nearly one-half of working females were employed only in
freelance jobs, compared with approximately one-third of working males.
   
   Differences in employment activities also are apparent by race and
ethnic group.  While age 14, 64 percent of whites engaged in work
activities compared with 43 percent of blacks and 41 percent of Hispanics.
While age 15, the percent of whites and of Hispanics who engaged in work
activities was significantly higher (72 percent and 48 percent,
respectively) than when age 14, but black employment remained nearly
constant (44 percent).
   
   The percent of youths who worked at employee jobs increased markedly
between ages 14 and 15.  (See table 2.)  While age 14, 24 percent of youths
worked at employee jobs compared with 38 percent of youths while age 15.
Accompanying this increase in more formal employment was an increase in
average real hourly earnings, from $5.53 to $5.71.
   
   Although male youths were more likely than female youths to work at an
employee job while age 14, both sexes worked the same number of weeks (25
weeks).  While age 15, male youths worked slightly more weeks than female
youths (27 and 24 weeks, respectively).
   
   At these ages, whites were more likely to work at employee jobs than
blacks or Hispanics, and, when employed, worked more weeks.  While age 15,
twice as many whites worked at employee jobs as blacks (44 percent and 22
percent, respectively).  Weeks worked while age 15 averaged 27 weeks for
white youths and 21 weeks for both black and Hispanic youths.
   
Employment While in School
   
   Thirty-six percent of enrolled youths ages 14 to 16 had worked at an
employee job at some point while school was in session during the 1996
calendar year; 28 percent worked both while school was in session and also
during the summer, and 8 percent worked only during the school months.  An
additional 6 percent worked only during the summer months.  (See table 3.)
Even at these young ages, a group comprising nearly 30 percent of all
students had established a fairly strong attachment to the formal labor
market and worked far more intensively than students employed in only the
school or summer months; these youths worked 59 percent of the school weeks
and 77 percent of the summer weeks.  In contrast, youths who worked only
during the summer worked 54 percent of the summer weeks, and those who
worked only during the school year worked only 23 percent of the school
weeks.

                                  - 3 -

   Male youths were more likely to work in employee jobs during the school
year than female youths (39 percent and 34 percent, respectively).  The
difference in employment occurs because male youths were more likely than
female youths to work during both school and summer months.  Among those
who worked, there was little difference between the sexes in the percent of
weeks worked.
   
   Approximately 43 percent of whites ages 14 to 16 worked in employee
jobs during the school year, compared with 24 percent of Hispanics and 21
percent of blacks.  Whites were more likely to work during both school and
summer months (34 percent) than either blacks (14 percent) or Hispanics (16
percent).
   
Educational Experiences
   
   Of youths who had attended ninth grade or higher in 1997, 14 percent
had been retained a grade at some point in their schooling, while 2 percent
had ever skipped a grade.  (See table 4.)  Male youths were more likely
than female youths to be retained and less likely to have skipped a grade.
Blacks were more likely than whites to be retained, but also more likely to
have skipped a grade.
   
   Sixteen percent of youths who had attended ninth grade or higher in
1997 had been involved in gifted and talented programs.  A nearly equal
percentage, 14 percent, had taken remedial math or English classes.  Male
youths were more likely than female youths to have taken remedial classes.
Whites were nearly twice as likely as either blacks or Hispanics to have
been in gifted and talented programs.
   
Home Characteristics
   
   A majority (58 percent) of youths ages 12 to 15 have a computer at
home, with whites more likely to have one (66 percent) than blacks (36
percent) or Hispanics (38 percent).  (See table 5.)  Youths ages 14 to 15
who were currently working were more likely to have a computer at home.
Nearly all youths (90 percent) had a quiet place to study.
   
   Youths ages 12 to 15 ate dinner with their families an average of 5
nights a week and did something "fun" with their family nearly 3 days a
week.  White youths ate dinner with their families nearly one more day a
week than blacks, while blacks did something religious with their families
twice a week, compared with about one-and-a-half days a week for whites and
Hispanics.  Youths ages 14 to 15 who were currently working spent the same
number of days per week engaged in family activities as those who were not
currently working.
   
   On average, youths ages 12 to 15 spent 17.2 hours per week watching
television, compared with 5.9 hours per week doing homework and 4.7 hours
per week reading for pleasure.  Female youths spent slightly more time than
male youths doing homework and reading for pleasure and slightly less time
watching television.  Black youths spent more time watching television than
whites or Hispanics.  Among 14 to 15 year olds, working made little
difference in the number of hours spent doing homework or reading for
pleasure; however, working youths spent less time watching television.
Technical Note


   The estimates in this release were obtained using data from the
National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97).  This survey is
conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of
Chicago and the Center for Human Resource Research at The Ohio State
University, under the direction and sponsorship of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.  Partial funding support for
the survey is provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention of the Department of Justice, the National School to Work Office
of the Department of Education and the Department of Labor, and the
National Institute for Child Health and Human Development of the Department
of Health and Human Services.
   
Sample
   
   The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 is a nationally
representative sample of 9,022 young men and women who were 12 to 17 years
of age when first surveyed in 1997.  This sample of over 9,000 youths is
composed of two subsamples: a cross-sectional sample designed to represent
the noninstitutionalized, civilian segment of young people living in the
U.S. in 1997 and born between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1984; and a
supplemental sample of youths designed to oversample Hispanic and black
youths living in the U.S. in 1997 and born between January 1, 1980, and
December 31, 1984.  All results are weighted using the 1997 survey weights
that correct for oversampling.  When weighted, the data are representative
of all Americans living in the U.S. in 1997 and born from 1980 to 1984.
   
   The NLSY97 is the newest survey in the National Longitudinal Surveys
Program.  The NLSY97 collects extensive information on youths' labor market
behavior and education experiences.  Data on family and community
backgrounds are included in the survey.  In the first round of the survey,
one of the youths' resident parents or parent figures also completed an
hour-long interview.
   
Definitions
   
   Freelance job. A freelance job is doing one or a few tasks without a
specific "boss", like baby-sitting or mowing lawns, or working for oneself.
   
   Employee job.  An employee job is where the youth has an on-going
relationship with a particular employer such as working in a supermarket or
restaurant.
   
   The respondent is read the following introduction prior to survey
questions about freelance and employee jobs:
   
   "We are going to discuss two sorts of jobs with you.  We'll call one
type working as a freelancer or being self-employed: that is, working one
or a few tasks for several people and not having a "boss" (for example,
baby-sitting or mowing lawns) or working for yourself (for example, running
a business).
   
   We'll refer to the second type as working as an employee: that is, you
had an on-going relationship with a particular employer (for example,
working in a supermarket or restaurant, or being in the military)."
   
   Work activities.  Work activities include any paid employment, or any
work done for a family business with or without pay.  This includes both
freelance and employee jobs.
   
   Usual hourly earnings. Usual hourly earnings includes tips,
commissions, overtime, and bonuses. Wages greater than $30.00 per hour and
less than $1.00 per hour were not included in the analysis.
   
   Hours per Week Spent on Activities.  Youths reporting that, during a
typical week, they spent more than 10 hours a day, or 20 hours during the
weekend, doing any one activity, such as doing homework or watching TV,
were not included in the analysis of that activity.
   
   Fun Activity.   To define the number of days a week the family engages
in a "fun" activity, the respondent is asked, "In a typical week, how many
days from 0 to 7 do you do something fun as a family, such as play a game,
go to a sporting event, go swimming, and so forth?"
   
   Religious Activity.  To define the number of days a week a family
engages in a religious activity, the respondent is asked, "In a typical
week, how many days from 0 to 7 do you do something religious as a family,
such as go to church, pray, or read the scriptures together?"
   
   Race and ethnicity groups. In this release, the findings are reported
for the following three groups:  white (non-Hispanics), blacks (non-
Hispanics), and Hispanics.  These three groups are mutually exclusive but
not exhaustive.  American Indians, Alaskan natives, and Asians and Pacific
Islanders are included in the totals but not shown separately. The race and
ethnic categories used in this release are different from those used in
other BLS publications.  In other BLS publications, estimates are often
published for the following groups:  whites, blacks and those of Hispanic
origin.  These groups are not mutually exclusive, as Hispanics are included
in both the white and black population groups.
   
   Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-606-STAT; TDD phone:
202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577.
   
Table 1.  Percent employed of individuals aged 14 to 15 in 1994-97: Individuals aged 14 
to 16 on December 31, 1996, by type of job, sex, race, and Hispanic origin


                                                Percent employed

                                                                                  Both  
                                                                                employee 
     Age in 1994-97 and         Any      Any       Any     Employee  Freelance    and
       characteristic           job    employee  freelance   jobs      jobs    freelance
                                         job       job       only      only       jobs


      Total, while age 14 ....  57.2     23.8      42.8      14.4      33.3       9.4

Male youths ..................  55.2     28.1      36.8      18.5      27.1       9.7
Female youths ................  59.2     19.3      49.1      10.1      39.9       9.2

White ........................  64.3     27.5      48.3      16.1      36.8      11.4
Black ........................  43.3     16.0      33.1      10.2      27.3       5.8
Hispanic origin ..............  41.3     16.7      30.1      11.3      24.6       5.4

      Total, while age 15 ....  63.7     37.6      39.8      23.9      26.1      13.7

Male youths ..................  63.4     41.5      34.1      29.3      21.9      12.2
Female youths ................  64.1     33.5      45.8      18.2      30.6      15.3

White ........................  71.8     44.0      44.8      27.0      27.9      17.0
Black ........................  43.6     22.2      28.7      14.9      21.4       7.3
Hispanic origin ..............  47.9     26.5      28.1      19.8      21.4       6.7


  NOTE:  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 consists of young men and women who 
were ages 12 to 16 on December 31, 1996.  Race and Hispanic-origin groups are mutually 
exclusive.  Totals include American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian and Pacific Islanders 
not shown separately.  "While age 14" refers to the entire year between the individuals' 14th
and 15th birthdays.  The first six rows exclude individuals who were not yet 15 years of age  
when interviewed.  "While age 15" refers to the entire year between the individuals' 15th and
16th birthdays.  The last six rows exclude individuals who were not yet 16 years of age when 
interviewed.  Due to rounding, columns will not always add to totals.
Table 2.  Percent with an employee job, average number of weeks worked,
and average hourly earnings of individuals aged 14 to 15 in 1994-97:
Individuals aged 14 to 16 on December 31, 1996, by sex, race, and Hispanic
origin

                              Percent with    Average          Average
      Age in 1994-97 and       an employee   number of     hourly earnings
      characteristic              job      weeks worked  (in January 1997 dollars)


      Total, while age 14 ...     23.8         24.6            $5.53

Male youths..................     28.1         24.6             5.73
Female youths................     19.3         24.6             5.20

White .......................     27.5         26.3             5.46
Black .......................     16.0         17.0             5.48
Hispanic origin .............     16.7         17.9             6.08

      Total, while age 15 ...     37.6         25.9             5.71

Male youths..................     41.5         27.2             5.82
Female youths................     33.5         24.1             5.58

White .......................     44.0         27.1             5.66
Black .......................     22.2         20.6             5.90
Hispanic origin .............     26.5         20.5             5.59


  NOTE:  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 consists of young men and
women who were ages 12 to 16 on December 31, 1996.  Race and Hispanic-origin 
groups are mutually exclusive.  Totals include American Indians, Alaskan Natives, 
and Asian and Pacific Islanders not shown separately.  "While age 14" refers to 
the entire year between the individuals' 14th and 15th birthdays.  The first six 
rows exclude individuals who were not not yet 15 years of age when interviewed. 
"While age 15" refers to the entire year between the individuals' 15th and 16th 
birthdays.  The last six rows exclude individuals who were not yet 16 years of 
age when interviewed.  Due to rounding, columns will not always add to totals.  
The CPI-U was used to deflate hourly earnings to January 1997 dollars.
Table 3. Percent employed in employee jobs and percent of weeks worked in 1996 during 
the school year and/or during the summer among youths enrolled in school:  Individuals 
aged 15 to 16 on December 31, 1996, by sex, race, and Hispanic origin


                                                      
               Characteristic                 
                                             Percent   Percent of weeks employed
                                             employed    School year1/ Summer2/

      Employed during both the summer
             and the school year

     Total .................................   28.2        58.9         77.1

Male youths ................................   30.4        60.6         77.0
Female youths ..............................   25.9        56.8         77.1
 
White ......................................   34.3        60.2         77.8
Black ......................................   13.6        50.1         71.8
Hispanic origin ............................   16.0        50.7         72.5

     Employed only during the school year

     Total .................................    8.0        23.0          --

Male youths ................................    8.2        23.3          --
Female youths ..............................    7.7        22.7          --

White ......................................    8.4        23.1          --
Black ......................................    7.5        23.9          --
Hispanic origin ............................    7.6        21.3          --

         Employed only during the summer

     Total .................................    6.4         --          53.6

Male youths ................................    6.9         --          53.8
Female youths ..............................    5.8         --          53.5

White ......................................    6.1         --          55.0
Black ......................................    7.2         --          55.5
Hispanic origin ............................    6.2         --          54.0


  1  The school year is defined as the 37-week period from January 7 through June 1, 
1996, and September 1 through December 21, 1996.
  2  Summer is defined as the 13-week period from June 2 through August 31, 1996.
  NOTE:  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 consists of young men and women 
who were ages 12 to 16 on December 31, 1996.  Race and Hispanic-origin groups are mutually 
exclusive.  Totals include American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian and Pacific 
Islanders not shown separately.  Youth who have dropped out of school or have graduated 
from high school anytime during 1996 are not included in the calculations.  All columns
exclude youth who have not turned 14 years of age by January 1, 1996.
Table 4.  Percent with various educational experiences of youths in 1997 who had attended
9th grade or higher in 1997:  Individuals aged 12 to 16 as of December 31, 1996, by sex, 
race, and Hispanic origin


                                                    Percent of youths


       Characteristic            Ever          Ever         Ever in     Ever took
                               retained      skipped      gifted and     remedial
                                a grade      a grade   talented program  classes


      Total .................    13.9          2.3          15.6           14.2

Male youths..................    16.7          1.7          14.7           15.5
Female youths................    11.1          2.9          16.5           12.9

White .......................    11.2          1.9          17.9           14.3
Black .......................    26.1          3.7           9.1           17.5
Hispanic origin .............    16.1          2.4           8.5           10.6


  NOTE:  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 consists of young men and women who 
were ages 12 to 16 on December 31, 1996.  Race and Hispanic-origin groups are mutually 
exclusive.  Totals include American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian and Pacific Islanders 
not shown separately.  All data in this table are reported by the parent.
Table 5.  Home characteristics of individuals aged 12 to 15 in 1997: Individuals aged 12 to 14 on December 31, 1996, 
by age, race, sex, Hispanic origin, and employment status

                        Percent of youths      Average number of days per        Average number of hours
                             that1/                  week that youths2/           per week that youths3/
                                                                      Do                                                                                                                          
                                               Have       Do       something                        Spent
   Characteristic        Have a    Have a     dinner   something   religious    Spent    Spent     reading
                        computer quiet place with the  fun with       with      doing   watching     for
                        at home   to study    family   the family  the family  homework    TV      pleasure


     Total .............. 58.1      90.1        5.2      2.7          1.5        5.9      17.2       4.7

Male youths.............. 57.9      90.6        5.3      2.7          1.5        5.3      17.9       4.1
Female youths............ 58.3      89.6        5.0      2.6          1.6        6.6      16.5       5.2

White ................... 66.3      91.2        5.4      2.7          1.4        5.8      15.6       4.7
Black ................... 35.9      87.2        4.6      2.8          2.1        5.7      22.9       4.7
Hispanic origin ......... 37.9      87.7        5.0      2.6          1.5        6.6      18.7       4.7

Ages 12 - 13 ............ 57.6      89.2        5.4      2.9          1.7        5.8      17.1       4.7

Ages 14 - 15 ............ 58.7      91.1        5.0      2.5          1.4        6.1      17.2       4.8
  Currently working ..... 66.9      93.3        5.1      2.5          1.4        6.2      15.6       4.7
  Not currently working.. 53.2      89.6        4.9      2.4          1.4        6.0      18.4       4.8


  1  Reference period is the preceding month.
  2  Reference period is the number of days in a typical week.
  3  Reference period is number of hours in a typical week.
  NOTE:  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 consists of young men and women who were ages 12 to 
16 on December 31, 1996.  Race and Hispanic-origin groups are mutually exclusive.  Totals include American 
Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian and Pacific Islanders not shown separately.