America’s labor markets have been transforming in myriad ways since the onset of the pandemic. Just about every important labor metric is out of whack: job quits, new hires, and job openings are all at record levels, while the number of jobless workers available to fill open positions is at historic lows. It all adds up to a frustrating shortage of workers for U.S. employers.
In the first part of a two-part article, I explain what’s causing the labor shortage and why it’s unlikely to ease anytime soon. In the next article, I look at how the shortage is shifting the balance of power from employers to workers, and what it means for wages and working conditions.
Read my article in Dialogue & Discourse on Medium here.
Posted: by Andrew J. Nelson
