It was an American rite of passage: the teen summer job. You worked the ice cream store, mowed lawns, washed dishes, flipped burgers — whatever it was, it taught so many young people the value of hard work, the joy of a paycheck, the wondrous feeling of independence. You didn’t have to ask mom and dad to buy you something; you could purchase it yourself with the money you’d earned.
I worked in a big dishwashing operation at a school, and if you can believe it, I loved it. I had a game in my head where spectators were watching as if it were a big-time sports event, and I pushed myself to get 'er done ever faster. The announcer in my mind: “Oh my goodness, this kid is off the charts! He loaded the second tray into the machine in under 30 seconds!”
The crowd roared.
I later worked as a waiter, and I’ve always told my kids that it was one of the most useful experiences of my life, because it taught me that many people are awesome, but that a certain percentage of them just plain suck. I instantly cross off anyone from the list of people I respect who treats staff badly.
I had to learn patience, juggling multiple tasks, and staying focused. You had to earn your tips; they didn’t just come magically. And if you forget that dessert that a customer asked for, they will let you know all about it.
Sadly, for much of America’s youth, those experiences are no more:
About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show, down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s. Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country to form a seasonal outlook far from bathed in sunshine.
“The opportunities for workers at the start of the career ladder started to dry up,” says Nicole Bachaud, an economist for ZipRecruiter, saying teens are among the labor market's “most marginalized groups.”
Why is this happening? Although there are many factors, I can give you one reason right off the top of my head: minimum wage laws. Are you going to give 20-plus bucks an hour for a kid to cook the fries when he has zero experience? Then there are other effects that the socialists don’t tell you about — when you purposefully explode the minimum wage for fast food workers, like California did with its fast‑food minimum‑wage law (AB 1228), many businesses cut back out of necessity. That leaves you with a smaller group of more experienced older workers battling for what’s left. A 17-year-old who just wants to get out of the house and make a few bucks doesn’t stand a chance.
Another Newsom Policy that’s failed California.
— Heatherheather007 (@LibertyValkyrie) April 4, 2026
“…the results have definitely not been as positive as policymakers had been expecting.” —Stephen Owen, UC Santa Cruz Professor who conducted the effects on $20hr+ minimum wages for fast food workers
It’s caused a loss of jobs,… pic.twitter.com/TFxPzTeIn9
Another Newsom Policy that’s failed California.
“…the results have definitely not been as positive as policymakers had been expecting.” —Stephen Owen, UC Santa Cruz Professor who conducted the effects on $20hr+ minimum wages for fast food workers
It’s caused a loss of jobs, as owners have moved to automate more tasks, requiring a smaller work force, and less hours.
It’s raised prices on menu’s for consumers, while providing less customer service.
Newsom’s team refutes the study, claiming, “…it’s not peer reviewed, and its claims are flat-out wrong.” They continue that higher wages boost the economy, and bring people out of poverty, ignoring the claims stating otherwise.
Sure, Jan.
Meanwhile, the flood of illegal aliens that Joe Biden and Gavin Newsom let in doesn't help: many of those who sneak across the border compete for those very same starter jobs that young Americans could fill. Fortunately, the Trump administration is reversing that trend.
REALITY BITES: Consequences Suck: California Loses Stunning Amount of Jobs After Fast-Food Minimum Wage Law
The Minimum Wage Is Always Zero: New $30 Minimum Wage Could Axe Hundreds of Hotel Jobs in LA
We’re seeing the lowest rate of teens working in 78 years:
Analyzing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas found the number of jobs secured by teens fell 25% last summer from the year prior. The firm says inflation, oil prices and cautious hiring are likely to lead to even fewer jobs this year, resulting in the lowest summer hiring total for teens since the federal government began tracking it in 1948.
A new report predicts that this summer could be the lowest level for teen employment since 1948, when the government began tracking the data. pic.twitter.com/fVhAIs1Dlx
— Good Morning America (@GMA) June 22, 2026
I remember walking into a North Carolina restaurant as a teen and simply asking if they had anything. I had no experience, didn’t know what the hell I was doing, but they hired me anyway, and, to pat myself on the back a little, I think I was good. I studied hard, learned the system quickly, and tried not to tick off the customers. Sure, there were some bumps along the way (I’ve always joked, if you want to get out of a jam, say, “I’m so sorry, it’s my first day!” even if you’ve worked there for three years), but that experience taught me so much.
It’s one that’s harder to come by these days:
[Max Stephenson, a] 19-year-old from Little Rock, Arkansas, lost track of how many jobs she’s applied for, but thinks it’s somewhere between 50 and 100. She can’t help thinking it’s tougher than previous generations had it to find work paying around the minimum wage.
“I thought it would be much easier than it’s been,” Stephenson says. “Old people say, ‘Just walk in there and give them a firm handshake.’ That doesn’t work so well now.”
Times change, and technologies like AI and automation have replaced some of the jobs young people used to get. But one thing California Gov. Newsom and his socialist ilk have forgotten — teenagers need a start, too. They could have included a carve-out for teens in their fast food minimum wage law, but they didn’t.
Nowadays, when you pass through a drive-thru in the Golden State, you’re unlikely to see a young person manning the window. They’re probably at home firing off applications that lead nowhere. It’s time to turn this situation around, because it’s bad for our youth, and it’s bad for America. Minimum wage laws that include a ceiling for those under 20 and encourage youth hiring would be a good start.
