Question

Which of the following statements is true about the composition of the U.S. labor force in the next decade?

a.The median age of the labor force will increase to the highest number ever.
b.The high cost of health insurance and a decrease in health benefits will cause many employees to quit working.
c.The largest proportion of the labor force is expected to be in the age group of 16–24 years.
d.Immigration will cease to affect the size and diversity of the workforce.
e.The percentage of highly skilled immigrants will continue to remain lower than the percentage of low-skilled immigrants.

Answer 1

The median age of the U.S. labor force will likely increase to the highest number ever, due to the aging of the 'baby boom generation'. Older workers tend to have lower unemployment rates than younger workers. Workforce diversity is expected to grow, particularly with an increase in the proportion of U.S. citizens of Hispanic background.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves understanding the future composition of the U.S. labor force in the coming decade. Given the available information, the true statement about the composition of the U.S. labor force in the next decade is that the median age of the labor force will increase, likely reaching the highest number ever. The aging 'baby boom generation', which includes those born between 1946 and 1964, has affected the proportion of younger workers in the economy, and as boomers continue to age, the median age of the workforce is likely to increase. This trend is expected to affect the unemployment rate, as older workers tend to have lower unemployment than younger workers. In addition, the diversity of the workforce is also projected to increase, with racial and ethnic diversification continuing to rise, and the percentage of people of Hispanic background in the U.S. is expected to grow substantially.