Prime-age labor force participation was the highest in over a decade, and a high proportion of households saw jobs as “plentiful.” 1 Overall wage growth was moderate, but wages were rising more rapidly for earners on the lower end of the scale.
These encouraging statistics were reaffirmed and given voice by those we met and conferred with, including the community, labor, and business leaders; retirees; students; and others we met with during the 14 Fed Listens events we conducted in 2019. 2  Data from the Conference Board’s “Jobs Are Plentiful” series (February 2020). For more on the Conference Board, see https://www.conference-board.org.