Blacks, Hispanics, and women are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than white males, regardless of economic conditions. This conclusion was drawn from an analysis of data gathered from the March Current Population Survey for the years 1971 through 1980, the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, and state and local unemployment rates supplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data were analyzed to determine whether factors other than discrimination could account for the disparities. These factors included economic expansions and contractions that might disproportionately affect some groups; regional and industrial variations in the economy; and individual factors, such as education, training, and age, that vary among groups. Disparities with employment rates of white males in the same areas or industries, however, remained fairly constant. Individual factors, such as education, training, and age, were found to play a part in the unemployment and underemployment rates, but only as minority groups tended to be younger and less educated and, therefore, more often unemployed than white males. When white males and minority males had the same education and were in the same age group, however, the minority males still tended to be unemployed or underemployed more often. White females had less unemployment than white males, but were more likely to be employed in lower-paying jobs. The study indicates that a greater effort is needed to end the discrimination that contributes to these statistics and to provide more equal job opportunities for all. (KC)