Technical information:  (202) 691-6378      USDL 02-478
               http://www.bls.gov/cps/
                                            For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902      Tuesday, August 13, 2002


            EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTH--SUMMER 2002


   The number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 2.4
million from April to July, the traditional summertime peak for youth
employment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
reported today.  This year's seasonal expansion in youth employment was
about the same size as last year's.  Nevertheless, the proportion of youth
in the labor force this July, 69.5 percent, was down from 70.8 percent last
July and was the lowest rate for any July since 1971.  The number of
unemployed youth rose by 530,000 between April and July 2002; this was
larger than the seasonal increases in the prior 3 years.  (Because this
analysis focuses on the seasonal change in youth employment and unemploy-
ment that occurs every spring and summer, the data used are not seasonally 
adjusted.)
   
Labor Force
   
   The youth labor force--16- to 24-year-olds working or actively looking
for work--grows sharply between April and July each year as large numbers 
of high school and college students take or search for summer employment 
and many recent graduates begin or seek permanent jobs.  This summer, the 
youth labor force rose by 2.9 million to a total of 24.6 million in July.  
(See table 1.)
   
   Although the April-to-July increase in the number of youth in the labor
force was about the same as last year, the labor force participation rate
for youth--the proportion of their population working or looking for
work--declined from 70.8 to 69.5 percent.  The over-the-year decrease in 
labor force participation may be due, in part, to the softness in the labor 
market in 2002.  In addition, declines in participation in recent years may 
reflect an increase in school enrollment during the summer.  In July 2002, 
26.0 percent of 16- to 24-year-olds were enrolled in school, up from 16.3 
percent in July 1994.  About half of the youth enrolled in school in 
July 2002 were in the labor force compared with three-fourths of those not 
in school.
   
   In July 2002, the labor force participation rate for young men, which 
has been trending down since 1990, was at its lowest July point on record, 
72.2 percent.  The July 2002 participation rate for young women 
(66.7 percent) was relatively unchanged from July 2001.  The July 2002 
participation rates for both young whites (72.5 percent) and young blacks
(57.3 percent) decreased from their July 2001 values.  (See table 2.)
   
Employment
   
   Nearly 21.6 million youth were employed in July 2002.  The employment-
population ratio for youth--the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian 
noninstitutional population employed--was 60.9 percent.  The ratio decreased 
from its level of 63.5 percent in July 2001 and was the lowest July value 
since 1971.  In July 2002, the employment-population ratios for young men 
(63.1 percent), young women (58.6 percent), young whites (64.7 percent), and 
young blacks (44.4 percent) were all lower than in July 2001.
   
                                  - 2 -                                         

   In July 2002, 36 percent of employed youth worked in retail trade
(including fast food restaurants) and 27 percent worked in services.  Also,
large percentages of employed youth worked in government, manufacturing,
and construction.  (See table 3.)
   
Unemployment
   
   Three million youth were unemployed in July 2002; they were not working
but were actively looking for work and were available to take a job.  The
youth unemployment rate was 12.4 percent, up from 10.4 percent in July 2001
and the recent low of 9.6 percent in July 2000.  In July 2002, the
unemployment rate for young men (12.6 percent), young women (12.2 percent),
and young whites (10.7 percent) was higher than in July 2001.  The July
2002 rate for young blacks (22.5 percent), however, was little changed from
July 2001.  (See table 2.)
Technical Note


     The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current Population
Survey (CPS), a national sample survey of 60,000 households conducted monthly
for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census Bureau.  The data
in this release relate to the employment status of youth (16- to 24-year-olds)
during the months of April-July.  This period was selected as being the most
representative time frame in which to measure the full summertime transition
from school to work.  July is the peak summer month of youth employment.

     Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.

Reliability

     Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling
error.  When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there
is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population
values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error, varies
depending upon the particular sample selected, and this variability is measured
by the standard error of the estimate.  There is about a 90-percent chance,
or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by no
more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population value because of
sampling error.  BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level
of confidence.

     The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling error
can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the
population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in the sample,
inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information,
and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.

     For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and
information on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error" section of Employment and Earnings.

                                  - 3 -

Definitions

     The principal definitions used in this release are described briefly
below.

     Employed persons are (a) all those who, during the survey reference
week, did any work at all as paid employees, worked in their own business,
profession, or on their own farm, or who worked 15 hours or more as unpaid
workers in a family-operated enterprise; and (b) all those who did not work
but had jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent due to
illness, bad weather, vacation, child-care problems, labor disputes or
personal reasons, whether or not they were paid by their employers for the
time off and whether or not they were seeking other jobs.

     Unemployed persons are all persons who had no employment during the
reference week, were available for work, except for temporary illness, and
had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4 weeks
preceding the survey.  Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from
which they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be
classified as unemployed.

     Civilian labor force comprises all persons classified as employed or
unemployed.

     Unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed persons as a
percent of the civilian labor force.

     Not in the labor force includes all persons who are not classified as
employed or unemployed.

     Industry and class of worker for the employed relate to the job held in
the survey reference week.  Persons with two or more jobs are classified in
the job at which they worked the greatest number of hours.  In terms of class-
of-worker categories, wage and salary workers are those who receive wages,
salaries, commissions, tips, or pay-in-kind from a private employer or from a
government unit; self-employed persons are those who work for profit or fees
in their own business, profession, or trade, or operate a farm; and unpaid
family workers are persons working without pay for 15 hours a week or more in
an enterprise operated by a member of their family.
     Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian population 16 to 24 years of age by sex and race, April-July 2002

     (Numbers in thousands.  Data are not seasonally adjusted.)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                          April-July    
                                                                                                          changes(1)    
                Employment status, sex, and race               April      May       June      July                      
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                       Number    Percent 
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                              TOTAL                                                                                     
                                                                                                                        
     Civilian noninstitutional population...................   35,390    35,397    35,335    35,450        60       0.2 
       Civilian labor force.................................   21,688    22,121    24,098    24,633     2,945      13.6 
             Participation rate.............................     61.3      62.5      68.2      69.5       8.2      13.4 
         Employed...........................................   19,169    19,536    20,910    21,584     2,415      12.6 
             Employment-population ratio (2)................     54.2      55.2      59.2      60.9       6.7      12.4 
         Unemployed.........................................    2,519     2,586     3,188     3,049       530      21.0 
           Looking for full-time work.......................    1,732     1,838     2,432     2,254       523      30.2 
           Looking for part-time work.......................      787       748       756       795         7        .9 
           Unemployment rate................................     11.6      11.7      13.2      12.4        .8       6.9 
       Not in labor force...................................   13,702    13,276    11,236    10,816    -2,885     -21.1 
                                                                                                                        
                               Men                                                                                      
                                                                                                                        
     Civilian noninstitutional population...................   17,763    17,768    17,734    17,789        26        .1 
       Civilian labor force.................................   11,184    11,533    12,517    12,846     1,663      14.9 
             Participation rate.............................     63.0      64.9      70.6      72.2       9.2      14.6 
         Employed...........................................    9,797    10,119    10,808    11,232     1,435      14.6 
             Employment-population ratio (2)................     55.2      57.0      60.9      63.1       7.9      14.3 
         Unemployed.........................................    1,387     1,414     1,709     1,615       228      16.4 
           Looking for full-time work.......................    1,012     1,029     1,307     1,172       160      15.8 
           Looking for part-time work.......................      375       385       402       443        68      18.1 
           Unemployment rate................................     12.4      12.3      13.7      12.6        .2       1.6 
       Not in labor force...................................    6,579     6,235     5,217     4,943    -1,636     -24.9 
                                                                                                                        
                              Women                                                                                     
                                                                                                                        
     Civilian noninstitutional population...................   17,627    17,629    17,601    17,660        33        .2 
       Civilian labor force.................................   10,504    10,588    11,581    11,787     1,283      12.2 
             Participation rate.............................     59.6      60.1      65.8      66.7       7.1      11.9 
         Employed...........................................    9,372     9,417    10,102    10,353       981      10.5 
             Employment-population ratio (2)................     53.2      53.4      57.4      58.6       5.4      10.2 
         Unemployed.........................................    1,132     1,172     1,479     1,435       303      26.7 
           Looking for full-time work.......................      720       808     1,125     1,082       362      50.3 
           Looking for part-time work.......................      413       363       354       352       -61     -14.8 
           Unemployment rate................................     10.8      11.1      12.8      12.2       1.4      13.0 
       Not in labor force...................................    7,123     7,041     6,020     5,873    -1,250     -17.5 
                                                                                                                        
                              White                                                                                     
                                                                                                                        
     Civilian noninstitutional population...................   28,158    28,188    28,218    28,242        84        .3 
       Civilian labor force.................................   17,993    18,353    20,039    20,472     2,479      13.8 
             Participation rate.............................     63.9      65.1      71.0      72.5       8.6      13.5 
         Employed...........................................   16,207    16,471    17,786    18,280     2,073      12.8 
             Employment-population ratio (2)................     57.6      58.4      63.0      64.7       7.1      12.3 
         Unemployed.........................................    1,786     1,882     2,253     2,192       406      22.7 
           Looking for full-time work.......................    1,214     1,290     1,668     1,575       362      29.8 
           Looking for part-time work.......................      573       592       586       617        44       7.7 
           Unemployment rate................................      9.9      10.3      11.2      10.7        .8       8.1 
       Not in labor force...................................   10,165     9,835     8,179     7,770    -2,395     -23.6 
                                                                                                                        
                              Black                                                                                     
                                                                                                                        
     Civilian noninstitutional population...................    5,282     5,287     5,293     5,297        15        .3 
       Civilian labor force.................................    2,765     2,806     3,032     3,037       272       9.8 
             Participation rate.............................     52.4      53.1      57.3      57.3       4.9       9.4 
         Employed...........................................    2,152     2,233     2,279     2,353       200       9.3 
             Employment-population ratio (2)................     40.7      42.2      43.1      44.4       3.7       9.1 
         Unemployed.........................................      613       573       753       684        71      11.6 
           Looking for full-time work.......................      441       456       638       560       119      27.1 
           Looking for part-time work.......................      173       117       114       124       -49     -28.3 
           Unemployment rate................................     22.2      20.4      24.8      22.5        .3       1.4 
       Not in labor force...................................    2,517     2,481     2,261     2,260      -256     -10.2 

       1 Changes are calculated using unrounded data.
       2 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.
 
 
 
 


     Table 2.  Employment status of the civilian population 16 to 24 years of age by sex and race, July 1999-2002

     (Numbers in thousands.  Data are not seasonally adjusted.)
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                     Employment status, sex, and race                        1999           2000           2001           2002     
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                                   TOTAL                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                  
     Civilian noninstitutional population.............................      34,000         34,422         35,066         35,450   
       Civilian labor force...........................................      24,672         24,748         24,842         24,633   
             Participation rate.......................................        72.6           71.9           70.8           69.5   
         Employed.....................................................      22,178         22,368         22,252         21,584   
             Employment-population ratio (1)..........................        65.2           65.0           63.5           60.9   
         Unemployed...................................................       2,494          2,379          2,591          3,049   
           Looking for full-time work.................................       1,888          1,746          1,896          2,254   
           Looking for part-time work.................................         607            633            694            795   
           Unemployment rate..........................................        10.1            9.6           10.4           12.4   
       Not in labor force.............................................       9,327          9,674         10,224         10,816   
                                                                                                                                  
                                    Men                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                  
     Civilian noninstitutional population.............................      17,076         17,286         17,560         17,789   
       Civilian labor force...........................................      12,975         13,030         13,030         12,846   
             Participation rate.......................................        76.0           75.4           74.2           72.2   
         Employed.....................................................      11,638         11,766         11,659         11,232   
             Employment-population ratio (1)..........................        68.2           68.1           66.4           63.1   
         Unemployed...................................................       1,337          1,264          1,372          1,615   
           Looking for full-time work.................................       1,053            995          1,045          1,172   
           Looking for part-time work.................................         284            269            327            443   
           Unemployment rate..........................................        10.3            9.7           10.5           12.6   
       Not in labor force.............................................       4,102          4,256          4,530          4,943   
                                                                                                                                  
                                   Women                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                  
     Civilian noninstitutional population.............................      16,923         17,136         17,506         17,660   
       Civilian labor force...........................................      11,697         11,718         11,812         11,787   
             Participation rate.......................................        69.1           68.4           67.5           66.7   
         Employed.....................................................      10,540         10,603         10,593         10,353   
             Employment-population ratio (1)..........................        62.3           61.9           60.5           58.6   
         Unemployed...................................................       1,157          1,115          1,219          1,435   
           Looking for full-time work.................................         834            751            851          1,082   
           Looking for part-time work.................................         323            364            368            352   
           Unemployment rate..........................................         9.9            9.5           10.3           12.2   
       Not in labor force.............................................       5,226          5,419          5,694          5,873   
                                                                                                                                  
                                   White                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                  
     Civilian noninstitutional population.............................      27,138         27,431         27,892         28,242   
       Civilian labor force...........................................      20,425         20,519         20,606         20,472   
             Participation rate.......................................        75.3           74.8           73.9           72.5   
         Employed.....................................................      18,763         18,913         18,781         18,280   
             Employment-population ratio (1)..........................        69.1           68.9           67.3           64.7   
         Unemployed...................................................       1,662          1,606          1,824          2,192   
           Looking for full-time work.................................       1,244          1,146          1,322          1,575   
           Looking for part-time work.................................         417            459            502            617   
           Unemployment rate..........................................         8.1            7.8            8.9           10.7   
       Not in labor force.............................................       6,713          6,913          7,287          7,770   
                                                                                                                                  
                                   Black                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                  
     Civilian noninstitutional population.............................       5,102          5,158          5,231          5,297   
       Civilian labor force...........................................       3,242          3,200          3,158          3,037   
             Participation rate.......................................        63.5           62.0           60.4           57.3   
         Employed.....................................................       2,532          2,549          2,530          2,353   
             Employment-population ratio (1)..........................        49.6           49.4           48.4           44.4   
         Unemployed...................................................         709            651            627            684   
           Looking for full-time work.................................         581            519            473            560   
           Looking for part-time work.................................         128            132            154            124   
           Unemployment rate..........................................        21.9           20.3           19.9           22.5   
       Not in labor force.............................................       1,860          1,959          2,073          2,260   

       1 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.
 
 
 

     Table 3.  Employed persons 16 to 24 years of age by industry, class of worker, and race, July 2001-02

     (Numbers in thousands.  Data are not seasonally adjusted.)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                    Total               White               Black       
                  Industry and class of worker                                                                          
                                                                                                                        
                                                                2001      2002      2001      2002      2001      2002  
                                                                                                                        
           Total employed...................................   22,252    21,584    18,781    18,280     2,530     2,353 
                                                                                                                        
       Agriculture .........................................      703       783       678       725        15        34 
       Nonagricultural industries...........................   21,549    20,801    18,103    17,555     2,516     2,318 
         Private wage and salary workers....................   19,625    18,830    16,556    16,011     2,250     2,025 
           Mining...........................................       58        30        52        30         3         -  
           Construction.....................................    1,539     1,283     1,471     1,187        37        80 
           Manufacturing....................................    1,851     1,595     1,597     1,376       181       159 
           Transportation and public utilities..............      872       768       691       611       147       128 
           Wholesale trade..................................      509       563       441       480        57        64 
           Retail trade.....................................    7,828     7,738     6,541     6,593       958       809 
           Finance, insurance, and real estate..............    1,028       989       861       823       119       100 
           Services.........................................    5,941     5,864     4,901     4,912       749       685 
                                                                                                                        
         Government.........................................    1,617     1,624     1,289     1,247       240       257 
           Federal..........................................      203       219       160       149        31        57 
           State............................................      609       452       471       329       101        68 
           Local............................................      805       953       658       769       108       132 
                                                                                                                        
         Self-employed and unpaid family workers............      307       347       258       297        25        36 

     NOTE: Dash represents zero.