As We Reopen, We Must Help Young People in Unstable, Low-Paying Jobs

It is becoming increasingly clear that many young people – not just the elderly and those with underlying health conditions – are testing positive for the new coronavirus and, in some cases, are getting severely sick or dying.

Many young people also have lost their jobs because of the economic impact of the pandemic. According to the Pew Research Center, “young people, in particular, are set to be disproportionately affected by virus-related layoffs. Among the 19.3 million workers ages 16 to 24 in the economy overall, 9.2 million, or nearly half, are employed in service-sector establishments.”