DATA VIEW (NOT A FORECAST): PARTICIPATION RATE AT HISTORIC LOWS

Participation rate, on the other hand, has been declining since 2010 and now stands at levels lower than in 1980-ies.

However it is not a systemic problem with the labor market. The reason for the decline is that the percent of population that is employed or actively looking for work is shrinking as a part of total population as a direct effect of aging baby-boomers.