youth

June 1 (UPI) — Research shows that a rise in remote work since the COVID-19 pandemic is connected to a rise in unemployment among younger employees, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Monday.

In a blog post, the research authors said they estimate about 64% of the rise in unemployment among recent college graduates has to do with the connection to remote work, which “makes it more difficult for manager sto train and mentor new employees,” they wrote.

“Accordingly, companies may be reluctant to hire less-experienced workers in distributed work arrangements,” the post continued.

The authors said that unemployment among those younger than 29 was an average of 3.1% in 2017-19, compared to an average of 3.7% in 2022-25. Conversely, they wrote, the unemployment rate for more experienced college graduates fell from 1.9% in 2017-19 to 1.8% in 2022-25.

The researchers said they used data on both “remotable” and “non-remotable” jobs, comparing how easily common tasks for a given job can be done remotely. They also used proprietary data from an unnamed Fortune 500 company.

“We show that when people work next to their colleagues, they receive more feedback on their output and more mentorship,” the authors wrote. “When they are separated by even a short distance, that feedback tapers off dramatically. The loss in feedback is more pronounced for younger workers, who miss out on constructive comments that spur their development.”

However, Nicholas Bloom, an economics professor at Stanford University who studies remote work, said that even companies that have remote work often have opportunities for time on site, CNBC reported.

“I don’t think there is any evidence this is slowing employment,” Bloom said. “Indeed, quite the reverse, as it’s easier for people to work and so labor supply looks to be rising.”

Manchester City will host their FA Youth Cup final against Manchester United at their smaller Joie Stadium after turning down an offer to switch it to Old Trafford.

City were drawn at home for the game but are unable to use the main pitch, with Pep Guardiola’s first team still having three home Premier League games to play.

While there is an 11-day gap between their match against Crystal Palace and the last game of the campaign against Aston Villa, club officials argue playing the final in that space will rob them of essential time to complete construction work on the North Stand, which is planned to open for Villa’s visit.

The club also have a test event booked for Sunday, 10 May. They feel they are entitled not to agree to a switch as they are the confirmed home team.

United, who last won the trophy in 2022 – when more than 60,000 were at Old Trafford to watch a team including Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho beat Nottingham Forest – told City they were prepared to host the game.

City said no, so the game will be played at the 7,000-capacity ground, which is used by the club’s Premier League 2 and women’s teams.

The club have used the stadium to host Youth Cup finals previously but since 2000, every other host club has played the game at their main stadium.

Two years ago a crowd of 20,000 watched City beat Leeds United in the final at Etihad Stadium.

It is a repeat of the 1986 final, hosted over two legs at Old Trafford and Maine Road and won by City.

United sources feel it is a mistake and will cost the majority of the players involved an experience in what could turn out to be the biggest game of their lives.

City are yet to confirm a date for the game but it is likely to take place on Thursday, 14 May.

April 23 (Asia Today) — Economic hardship among young people in South Korea is reshaping crime patterns, with more youths turning to high-profit illegal activities disguised as part-time jobs, experts warn.

The shift marks a departure from traditional survival-driven crimes such as theft toward organized fraud, digital financial crime and so-called “crime-for-hire” schemes promising quick cash.

Economists have long noted the link between opportunity and crime. Gary Becker argued that individuals weigh expected criminal gains against legal income opportunities when deciding whether to commit offenses.

Recent data suggest that calculation is changing for young Koreans.

According to government employment data, the youth employment rate for those ages 15 to 29 fell to 43.6% in March, well below the overall rate of 69.7%. Youth employment declined for 41 consecutive months, with 147,000 fewer young workers compared with a year earlier.

In contrast, employment among older age groups increased, deepening what analysts describe as a “K-shaped” divide in the labor market.

At the same time, youth crime is rising. Prosecutors’ data show the number of young offenders per 100,000 people increased from 3,130 in 2021 to 3,363 in 2024. Fraud is particularly prevalent, with people in their 20s accounting for 23.7% of cases – the highest share among all age groups.

Researchers say unemployment and crime are closely linked. A 2023 study found that a 1 percentage point increase in unemployment leads to a 1.5% rise in theft-related crime.

Experts argue the issue is not just an increase in crime, but a structural shift.

“Young people are no longer committing crimes out of necessity alone, but increasingly pursuing one-time, high-reward opportunities,” one analyst said.

The appeal is stark. While unstable jobs may pay about 2 million won (about $1,480) a month, illegal activities can promise hourly earnings exceeding 500,000 won (about $370), widening the perceived gap between legal and illegal income.

Underlying the trend is growing relative poverty – a sense of falling behind others despite overall economic development. Rising real estate and financial asset values have deepened wealth disparities, reinforcing frustration among young people who see limited chances for upward mobility.

Some openly acknowledge the temptation.

“Sometimes it feels better to go to prison than live in this kind of hardship,” a 27-year-old job seeker said. “I know it’s wrong, but it’s hard just to get by.”

Digital platforms are accelerating the problem.

Recruitment for illegal work now spreads through social media and messaging apps, lowering barriers to entry. Schemes such as “yamibaito,” which advertise high-paying short-term jobs, often involve tasks like money transfers, account lending or acting as intermediaries in voice phishing scams.

Many participants are first-time offenders in their early 20s.

Authorities say similar “crime outsourcing” operations are increasingly coordinated through encrypted platforms such as Telegram, making them difficult to trace due to their decentralized structure.

Young people’s familiarity with online tools, cryptocurrencies and non-face-to-face transactions makes them especially suited to the technical roles required in such operations, further concentrating recruitment within the demographic.

Experts caution that the consequences can be lasting.

“Some young people treat these illegal jobs as simple labor and underestimate the risks,” said criminal profiler Bae Sang-hoon. “Even minor involvement can lead to a criminal record that affects the rest of their lives.”

Analysts stress that the problem cannot be addressed through policing alone.

“Poverty is the mother of crime,” said Kim Yoon-tae, a professor of public sociology at Korea University. “We need to examine structural factors such as employment, education and housing, rather than framing this purely as an issue of personal responsibility.”

He added that stable jobs, fair access to education and stronger housing support are essential to reducing the appeal of illegal income opportunities.

Without such changes, experts warn, more young people could be drawn into a cycle where economic hardship leads to crime – and a criminal record further limits future opportunities.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260422010007027