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Underemployment: meaning, definitions and examples

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underemployment

 

[ ˌʌndərɪmˈplɔɪmənt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

economics

Underemployment refers to a situation where individuals are working in jobs that are below their skill level or working part-time when they desire full-time work. It can also refer to people who are working in jobs that do not utilize their education or training.

Synonyms

underoccupancy, underuse, underutilization

Examples of usage

  • Many college graduates are facing underemployment, working in low-wage jobs that do not require a degree.
  • The underemployment rate in the country has been steadily increasing, leading to concerns about the quality of jobs available.
  • Underemployment can have long-term effects on individuals' career growth and earnings potential.

Translations

Translations of the word "underemployment" in other languages:

🇵🇹 subemprego

🇮🇳 अधूरी बेरोजगारी

🇩🇪 Unterbeschäftigung

🇮🇩 setengah pengangguran

🇺🇦 часткова зайнятість

🇵🇱 niedostateczne zatrudnienie

🇯🇵 不完全雇用 (ふかんぜんこよう)

🇫🇷 sous-emploi

🇪🇸 subempleo

🇹🇷 eksik istihdam

🇰🇷 불완전 고용 (불완전 고용)

🇸🇦 العمالة الناقصة

🇨🇿 podzaměstnanost

🇸🇰 podzamestnanosť

🇨🇳 就业不足 (jiùyè bùzú)

🇸🇮 nezadostna zaposlenost

🇮🇸 undirnýting

🇰🇿 жеткіліксіз жұмысқа орналасу

🇬🇪 მცირე დასაქმება

🇦🇿 tam işsiz

🇲🇽 subempleo

Word origin

The term 'underemployment' originated in the United States during the Great Depression in the 1930s. It was used to describe the situation where individuals were working in jobs that did not fully utilize their skills or education due to a lack of available opportunities. Since then, underemployment has become a common phenomenon in many countries, especially during economic downturns or periods of slow job growth. The impact of underemployment on individuals and the economy as a whole has been a topic of research and policy discussions.

See also: employ, employed, employee, employees, employer, employing, employment, misemploy, unemployed, unemployment.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,002, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.