Final answer:
The service sector accounts for between 75% and 85% of employment in the United States, with a workforce shift reflecting the rise of the information age and economic bifurcation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The service sector constitutes a significant portion of employment in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2011, almost 80 percent of the workforce in the United States is employed in the tertiary sector, which includes the service industry. This figure indicates that the correct answer to the question is that the service sector constitutes between 75% and 85% of employment in the United States. The increase in service jobs has been consistent over the past five decades, highlighting a shift from manufacturing to services. This trend is part of a broader shift towards a postindustrial service economy and the rise of the information age.
The growth of the service sector is associated with both high-paying jobs, such as computer programming, and low-paying jobs, such as retail positions. This discrepancy in wages has contributed to growing economic inequality. The stark contrast between the earning potentials within the service industry is a pressing issue, reflecting the bifurcation of the American economy into higher and lower classes, and the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots.