Data shows that seniors now outnumber teens in the labor force for the first time ever. According to Bloomberg News, 6.6 million seniors looked for work between January and July, compared to 5.9 million 16 to 19 year-olds. Experts say that the change is due to older workers staying at jobs longer to save more for retirement. Others point to the negative effect the change is having on teenagers, who have an unemployment rate of 25% nationwide. They say that teenagers need entry level jobs to help prepare them for later employment. Economists suggest a lower minimum wage for teens that would make them more desirable to employers.
See "Working seniors outnumber teens in labor force", Tom Abate, San Francisco Chronicle, July 13, 2010