Unemployment facts for kids

Unemployment or joblessness happens when a person who is old enough to work (usually from 15-18 years old up to 60-65 years old) does not have a paid job. This means they don't earn a salary. In some places around the world, there are special groups or programs to help people who are unemployed.

What is Unemployment?

The unemployment rate tells us how many people who want to work can't find a job. We figure this out by dividing the number of people without jobs by the total number of people who are old enough to work in a country. Many things can change this rate. These include what the government does and how old most people in the country are. Having a lot of unemployment is usually not good for a country.

It's normal for some people to be without a job for a short time. This might happen when they are looking for a new job. So, "full employment" doesn't mean absolutely no one is out of work. Governments try to create more jobs. They know it's not possible to have zero unemployment.

Who is Most Affected?

Sometimes, people with certain challenges find it harder to get or keep a job. For example, people with Autism or other mental disabilities can sometimes face difficulties at work. This means that only a small number of autistic people have jobs.

Images for kids

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  Unemployment in Mexico 2009

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  The Beveridge curve showing job vacancy and unemployment rate (from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics)

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  A government unemployment office with job listings, West Berlin, West Germany, 1982

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  Migrant Mother, photograph by Dorothea Lange, 1936

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  Demonstration against unemployment in Kerala, South India, India on 27 January 2004

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  Unemployment rate in Germany in 2003 by states

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  Supply-side economics suggests lower taxes lead to more jobs. Data from the United States shows different results.

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  Lower taxes for high-income earners (top 10%) don't always mean more jobs. But lower taxes for lower-income earners (bottom 90%) often do.

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  Unemployed men outside a soup kitchen in Depression-era Chicago, Illinois, United States, 1931

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  WPA poster promoting the benefits of employment

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  The Japanese unemployment rate, 1953–2006

See also

In Spanish: Desempleo para niños