Unemployment is lower today than it was 20 years ago: https://www.statista.com/statistics/217882/us-unemployment-rate-by-age/ https://www.statista.com/statistic

Unemployment is lower today than it was 20 years ago: https://www.statista.com/statistics/217882/us-unemployment-rate-by-age/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/217882/us-unemployment-r... (though it hasn't materially changed one way or the other). If teens and young adults NEEDED to work but couldn't find jobs, the unemployment rate for that age group would show it.