Posted on 07/22/2026 9:34:35 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
It’s hot NILF summer for American workers.
The number of adults who are “not in the labor force” (NILF) surged to an all-time high in June to 105.8 million, according to figures from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The record comes after a massive surge of 832,000 workers dropping out of the labor force in June alone. The overall number of NILFs is higher than at the height of the Great Recession or the COVID pandemic.
The definition is broad — it covers all Americans age 16 and over who aren’t currently working, including retirees and students.
Leading labor economist Nicholas Eberstadt told The Post that drilling down into the data reveals a startling pattern of dropouts, particularly among men.
“We’ve got a big problem…with the flight from work of prime-age men. And what’s been carrying the overall prime-age labor force participation has been the strong involvement of women, not men,” said Eberstadt, who holds the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute.
Some 5.3 million workers — 5% of NILFs — have dropped out because they are discouraged or they’re not even bothering to look for work.
In addition, up to 22% of America’s NILF population are on long-term illness, disability, or other forms of benefits — representing more than 23.3 million Americans.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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a centrally-planned, printed fiat monetary system allows Fed.gov to have massive $2.5 trillion federal deficits, which in turn supports A LOT of welfare, and a lot of permanent government bloat and marxist politics, particularly in places like NY City, Chicago and LA
More retirement
I retired when I turned 60 and I see no reason to ever return to the workforce.
That is opposite of Singapore where every able bodied adult in working age range works. Because there are no food stamps and no unemployment checks in Singapore.
Well, there’s the answer. This is a demographic trend, not some kind of Chicken Little scenario.
Had been substitute teaching, then I did something stupid (got involved in a fight between students that a fellow teacher was being beaten around in, she said I was her hero but the sub agency said I broke the rules and that was the end of that). That was the end of March.
I've been looking for something since then, have been applying and going to places physically and going to temp agencies. If I had a car with less than 200,000 miles on it I would sign up for Uber or Door Dash or some other gig.
Prior to substitute teaching I had been an artificial intelligence trainer. I was making pretty good money too, until the positions started getting slashed.
I'm now trying to scrape up enough money to pay back rent and eviction filing to keep from losing the apartment next week.
Magnify that kind of predicament by millions.
Is this a Great Depression yet? I don't know. It's a "great" something, that's for sure.
Several of our neighbors / friends have adult children who have claimed some sort of “disability” and are not working. Most of these “kids” are lazy bums who don’t even help cut their parents lawn or help with household chores. They are getting away with collecting a government check and have no plans to ever work again.
Two things can be true at the same time: the population is getting older, and we are paying more people to go on welfare.
Former wrench-slinger with a desk job - I could do this forever....
NILF includes retirees, students 16+, stay at home parents, people with disabilities.
This is a very clever article...meant to deceive.
I know of at least 10 16-25 year olds in my neighborhood alone who live at home and don’t work.
The workforce number proportionately slides in direct ratio to government handout fraud. Everyone earns thru a NGO or NFP, compliments of the American taxpayer.
But why would you want to?! I love being able to get up when I want to and to do what I want to. Work would bring me zero joy.
I’m not in that bad of a situation but I have been trying to get a job for almost seven months.
I have 24 years of experience in medical devices, 38 years of science experience (private, government and academia), 50 years of total work experience.
Yet I’m still not qualified, so I’m forming my own LLC.
Probably non-citizens as well.
from the article: “ Very roughly speaking, there are about 7 million of these men who are out of the labor force for the 25-to 54-year-olds,” said Eberstadt, whose 2016 book, “Men Without Work,” discussed the phenomenon of American men in their prime leaving the workforce.”
I’d figure half of those are doing some work, for cash, and the other half live in tents on the sidewalks of our great cities.
Or they live at home with their parents.
How are Somolians running “Learing Centers” counted?
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