News
How to improve Kentucky's low labor force participation rate and why changes to UI benefits are not the answer
Given the tight labor market we are currently experiencing, the labor force participation rate is receiving a lot of attention. Recently, Kentucky legislators have made changes to the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) benefit program to address the low labor force participation in the state. However, changes to UI eligibility is unlikely to have any significant change on the state’s labor force participation rate. Policies targeting child care and economic opportunity for individuals with a disability and older workers are the main instruments for improving the state’s labor force participation rate.
KentuckianaWorks Explains: The Labor Force Participation Rate in Kentucky
In this video, we explain what the labor force participation rate is, how Kentucky stacks up, and consider important factors influencing why Kentucky’s rate is lower than the nation’s.