Reasons people have left the labor force include going back to school, becoming ill or disabled, staying home to care for children or elders, taking early retirement, and becoming discouraged about one’s ability to get a job at all. Economist William Rodgers at Rutgers University’s Heldrich Center for Workforce Development said, in many cases, these people have found ways to survive and make ends meet without getting traditional employment again. And he said wage-growth will have to improve to make it worthwhile for many of these people to return to the job-hunt.
Meet the 2026 New Jersey Leadership Collective Fellows
New Jersey Leadership Collective’s mission is to train leaders who are committed to moving the communities they serve and the Garden State forward. They aim to make progressive change to legislation and policies through building collective power and taking collective...