AMERICA’S JOBS CHALLENGES AND THE CONTINUING ROLE OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The Great Recession and its aftermath have been a particularly trying period for American workers and their families. In 2008 and 2009 em-ployment collapsed in the wake of the financial crisis. From 2007 to 2009, the unemployment rate more than doubled and peaked at 10.0 % in Octo-ber 2009. More than four years into an economic recovery, the unemploy-ment rate remains abnormally high and long- term joblessness a major problem. The employment crisis has exacerbated longer term U.S. labor market trends of rising inequality, tepid real wage growth for most workers, and a decline in middle- wage jobs. In the adverse economic climate that has resulted America faces four major jobs challenges that highlight the continuing integral role of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in supporting the American workforce on the one hundredth anniversary of DOL’s establishment. The first jobs challenge is the need for stronger macroeconomic performance with more rapid eco-nomic growth and employment expansion to alleviate the high cyclical un-employment and long- term joblessness that continues as of 2013. Th