Hispanics and underemployment

Nicole C. Wong:

In a first-of-its-kind examination of underemployment in the Bay Area, a Mercury News/Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation survey shows that underemployment has dragged down people across all walks of life and, in some ways, left them just as bad off as those who are out of work. The survey, conducted from Aug. 2 to Sept. 11, found the underemployed more pessimistic about the near-term future than the rest of the workforce and more willing to ditch the Bay Area as they sink into debt and their savings disappear.

The majority finished high school. But roughly equal numbers either never graduated from high school or hold bachelor's, master's or doctorate degrees. Some may have been sidelined by age discrimination, but many more are under age 35.

Workers of all races have fallen into the pit of underemployment, but minorities are over-represented -- especially Hispanics. While only 17 percent of the Bay Area's workforce is Hispanic, they represent nearly half of the underemployed.

Experts speculate that many underemployed Hispanics are immigrants, a group with fewer job opportunities because of a lack of English proficiency, documentation to work in the United States or the certification required for certain professions, such as teaching or nursing.

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