Kentucky’s low workforce participation rate is the focus of a report released today by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.
Although the state’s unemployment rate ranked 27th in the nation in 2016, Kentucky’s workforce participation rate was 4th lowest among the 50 states at 57.6%. Looking at this data, Kentucky would need to add approximately 165,000 people to the workforce to reach the national average participation rate of 62.7%.
Currently 15% of American men (one in seven) between the ages of 25 and 54 are not working. The newly released report takes a close look at the various factors that affect our state’s workforce participation, which has been steadily declining in recent years. These factors include incarceration, disability, drug and alcohol abuse, and demographics such as educational attainment, poverty, and health status.
Read the full report, “Workforce Participation in Kentucky.”
Add Comment