Rules of the Empire and Minimum Wage Laws are Making US Kids Fat and Lazy

The youth-unemployment rate fell in July to its lowest level since the recession began, but part of the reason is that four in 10 Americans between 16 and 24 years old didn’t work or seek a job this summer, reports WSJ.

The share of youth participating in the labor force fell to 60% in July from 60.5% last year. Last month’s reading is the second-lowest July figure on record, just above 59.5% in 2011. The historical average is 69%.The peak labor-force participation rate for youth was 77.5% in 1989. The government closely tracks July figures because the month is the usual peak for youth employment, says WSJ.

As recently as the early 2000s, labor-force participation among young people exceeded that of the broader population during the summer.

Among the reasons WSJ lists for youth not seeking summer jobs: They could be "simply relaxing."

No mention was made of minimum wage laws climbing across the country,

 -RW