Francis Murillo, 21, had a job this summer, putting her in the minority for her age group.
Getting a job is a less-than-common occurrence, and now that Murillo is back at school, away from home and her summer job, she’s rejoined the majority of her peers who either aren’t looking for work or just can’t find it.
“I don’t care where I’m working,” said the Johnson City, Tenn., resident last week while looking for another job in Chattanooga. “It’s really hard.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 48.8 percent of those between 16 and 24 had a job in July, normally the peak of employment when school is out.
The share of teens and young adults employed this summer was the lowest on record.