WSJ columnist warns teen job market is weakening

A Wall Street Journal opinion column argues that fewer teenagers are getting early work experience at a time when entry-level summer jobs are becoming harder to find. Columnist Jack Butler writes that this summer is expected to be “among the worst in decades” for teenagers seeking jobs in industries such as leisure, entertainment and food service, noting that teen employment is now around 35%, down from levels that routinely topped 50% in the 1970s and 1980s.

Butler argues that first jobs help young people learn basic workplace expectations, including responsibility, punctuality, customer service and problem-solving. He also points to minimum wage increases as one factor that can reduce entry-level opportunities in industries such as fast food.

The column touches on one of the key questions surrounding SQ 832: how a higher wage floor could affect first-job opportunities for teenagers and other entry-level workers.