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This article presents the projections in the U.S. economy, labor force, industries and occupations for the 1988-2000 period, which are made by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Continued economic growth, which carries with it the promise of resolving some of the country's lingering labor force inequalities, characterizes the most recent BLS projections of economic activity for the period 1988-2000. The projected rate of growth in real gross national product is 2.3% per year, which will result in more than a 30% expansion of the economy over the period. Meanwhile, the labor force is expected to grow by 16%, which is slower that the 26.5% growth over the 1976-1988 period. By 2000, women are expected to comprise 47% of the labor force. Employment is projected to expand at an annual rate of 1.2%; the expected increase for the entire period is 15.3% or 18.1 million jobs. Job growth is expected to be in the service-producing sector with business services and health services playing a major role. Among major occupational groups projected to show faster than average growth rates for the period are technical and related support occupations; professional specialty occupations; and executive, administrative, and managerial occupations.

Discusses issues concerning employment projections in the U.S. as of September 1989. Factors which may contribute in determining the disparities of income distribution in the country; Significance of labor productivity growth in the country's competitiveness in foreign markets; Implication of an effective control of illegal immigration for the supply of entry level workers.