Young Latino Men Struggling To Turn Work Experience Into Full-Time Jobs, Says New Report

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Latinos are the youngest and fastest-growing segment of the American labor force, but launching their careers continues to be a struggle in today's tough economy. Last week, national employment numbers for June showed that the rate of unemployment among Hispanics increased to 7.8 percent. NCLR's (National Council of La Raza) recently released report titled "Giving Them an Edge? The Effects of Work Experience on the Employment Prospects of Latino Young Men" examines how Latino men in the millennial generation, ages 16 to 30, are weathering a particularly difficult job market.

NCLR's analysis found that although prior work experience helps young Latino men find employment, they still have trouble leveraging that work experience into full-time employment. Despite the fact that Hispanic millennials actually have more work experience than their peers, that work experience made no measurable difference in the likelihood that Latino men in their late 20s have a full-time job. And while unemployment remains disproportionately high for Latino workers, underemployment rates are even more alarming. Underemployment, a broader measure than unemployment that includes part-time workers who would prefer full-time work, is at a staggering 41.9 percent for Latino millennials who lack a college degree and at 16.2 percent for all Latinos.

A number of factors play a role in why these disparities exist for young Latino men, including the concentration of Hispanic workers in low-wage sectors of the economy and the limited job opportunities available through networks of friends and family. Undocumented immigration status also prevents many millennials from finding full-time work, as does implicit bias in hiring practices.

"In order to ensure that the U.S. economy continues to grow, this country has to do a better job of utilizing the wealth of talent that Latino millennials bring to American businesses," said Catherine Singley Harvey, Manager of the Economic Policy Project at NCLR and author of the report. "That's going to require a combined effort from both lawmakers and business leaders, who are best positioned to effectively address inequities in the job market."

The report recommends developing job creation policies targeted to youth and rewarding job assistance programs that place young people in full-time jobs. It also encourages the business sector to address bias in hiring and to re-evaluate how they factor prior work experience into the job selection process.

For more information about the report, contact Joseph Rendeiro at (202) 776-1566.

SOURCE National Council of La Raza

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