With the economy in the dumps (经济窘困，心情低落) this past year, you’d think the nation’s teens would be falling all over (<口>感激万分) themselves to get jobs this summer. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' (美国劳工统计局) most recent data shows a continued decline (下降) in the number of teens participating in the job market. In April, 38.1 percent of teens ages 16 to 19 were in the labor force, down from 41 percent in the same month last year.
"Over the year, the number of teens not in the labor force rose from 10,063,000 to 10,575,000,” says labor department analyst (分析员) James Walker.
So is it just lazy teens coddled (悉心照料，这里是被动语态) by their parents who, despite a recession (经济衰退), still won’t get off their butts (烟蒂) and go out and do an honest day's work?
There may be some of that. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Some are bypassing (绕过) paying jobs (有偿工作) to volunteer. Others are starting their own businesses. And still others are creating their own work arrangements, such as babysitting (照看小孩) for family members.