Shocking 105 million Americans are not working – more than during COVID or the Great Recession - New York Post

What the report says

The New York Post reported that the number of U.S. adults classified as “not in the labor force” reached 105.8 million in June, citing Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis figures. The article said the category rose by 832,000 people during the month and stood above levels seen during the Great Recession and the COVID-era labor disruption.

The report emphasized that the measure is broad: it includes people age 16 and older who are not working and are not counted in the labor force, including retirees, students, people with illnesses or disabilities, and those who are not seeking jobs. The Post said retirees account for the largest share, with standard retirement at 65 or older making up a major portion and early retirees a smaller share.

The Post also cited Nicholas Eberstadt, a labor economist at the American Enterprise Institute, who argued that prime-age men leaving the workforce remain a significant concern, even as women’s participation has helped support overall prime-age labor force participation. The article said 5.3 million people were outside the labor force because they were discouraged or not looking for work, and it cited a figure of more than 23.3 million people connected to long-term illness, disability or other benefits.

The development matters because the labor-force participation rate was reported at 59% in June, the lowest since September 2021. The Post framed the data as part of a broader debate over aging, disability programs, worker detachment, artificial intelligence and proposals such as universal basic income, while relying heavily on Eberstadt’s interpretation of the trend.