Teen Employment Falls Despite Hiring Signs Everywhere
Caleb Coffman, staff writer
Walk past almost any place of business, and you will see a “Now Hiring” sign. Walk down a busy central street, and there will be 20. Many teens are eager to be employed, only to find the sign doesn’t apply to them. They are looking for jobs to not become reliant on parents and other sources but instead are being told they are too inexperienced.
The now hiring sign says one thing but, The Federal Reserve (The Fed) says something else. The Fed highlights that 2026 teen unemployment has been increasing. It tracks employment for individuals ages 16-19 showing how teens are working the least since the pandemic. Currently, teen unemployment is at 14.9 percent.
“I applied to 3 different places over the summer because I really wanted a job. I spent almost 2 days on my search and applications,” said Stryder Jones, a student at Johns Creek.
For the entirety of 2026, the Fed has the unemployment rate between 12.7 and 17.2 percent compared to last year where it was between 12.1 and 14.3 percent.
"Fleet Feet responded saying they would reach out for the next step and they never did, and the other two places just straight up didn't respond," said Jones.
"I heard back from Fleet Feet, but Lloyd's did not respond,” said Johns Creek student Caleb Ergle.
The lack of jobs for teens comes down to who the employers are hiring. Employers would prefer a 24-year-old who needs a filler job and is available all the time compared to a 16-year-old who has school sports and other activities. This lack of time causes a major scheduling issue. They also don’t have to worry about specific labor laws that apply to underage individuals. For example, in GA, it is not legal for a teen to work over 40 hours during a standard work week, while an adult employee does not come up with these restrictions. It is especially difficult for teens when they act in a professional manner and still get shut down.
“I went into both stores to meet the manager and see if the owner was there. I tried to talk to them a little bit, and then I asked them to get back to me,” said Ergle. “But only one did."
The final issue teens have is a need for a job, not just a want. Teens would like a job for a multitude of reasons, but many need one. Gas is expensive, sports and many have savings goals for college.
“I just really wanted money save," said Jones, highlighting how he has goals that can't be met without a job.
"I wanted a job because I wanted to make some money on the side for gas and food and whatever else I wanted to do but also start saving some," added Ergle.
The difference between the "Now Hiring" signs and the availability of jobs for teenagers is an indicator employers have changed who they are looking for. The preference by employers for older applicants who are easily available coupled with the limitations on the schedule when hiring teenagers explains why teens have been making applications but receiving no feedback. However, the pressure to earn money has not gone anywhere; in fact, the situation is worse considering the escalating gas, sports and college tuition bills faced by the teens.
