Struggling to get by: Behind the US underemployment crisis
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
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The US underemployment crisis deepens as 34% of workers, approximately 53 million people, are stuck in low-wage or part-time jobs, according to a report by Al Jazeera, with heightened healthcare and housing costs exacerbating the issue.
Trump's tariffs have led to a stagnating jobs market, with the US economy adding just 136,000 jobs in September 2022, below the expected 150,000, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, further entrenching underemployment.
As stated by Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, "the labor market is not working for many workers," with workers facing increased costs of living and stagnant wages, highlighting the need for policy change to address the underemployment crisis.
