When People Give Up Looking for Work, What Do They Do?

Wall Street Journal ^ | 03/07/2014 | Sara Murray

[SeekAndFind]

The job market may have reached a turning point in February when for the first time in nearly four years more of the unemployed found jobs than dropped out of the labor force.

Last month 10.5 million people were unemployed, including 3.8 million who have been out of work for six months or more. But those numbers only count the people who are out of work and still looking for jobs.

Even though February saw more people returning to the labor force, the percent of the population working or looking for work remains near a 30-year low due to millions of dropouts during the recession.

[Texan5]

I see all the starve, get disability, EBT cards solutions mentioned here-but the one I see-and do myself-where I live is become contract labor, and take whatever you can get for work-construction, yard work, ranch work, whatever. It may not be in a warm building, with paycheck and perqs, but it is work and enough money to buy groceries and pay rent...

[Vigilanteman]

If Reagan (or someone like him) was president, they would and did find jobs. That's what happens in a growing economy.

A socialist economy is a zero sum game where the government picks winners and losers. Eventually everyone (except the ruling class) becomes losers.

[cantbetooconservative]

And if they cannot find what they want, they will pay more. If they are satisfied and the employee is satisfied (or they would leave) then $18 is the right amount. If they are quality and they do not want to lose them, they will pay more

We have recently raised our entry level warehouse workers to $15/hour, in an attempt to get higher quality people. The $11/hour workers weren’t “cutting it” (slow, not smart, lazy, often late)

[Grampa Dave]

Probably depends on the age of the jobseekers/unemployed.

When the recession hit hard in this area, we had friends in their 60’s and knew of others in the same age bracket lose their jobs.

There were zero full time jobs for people with a good work history.

Those 62 and older started on SS, and started with drawing from their IRAs which wasn’t good due the stock market bust.

Years later, many have part time jobs and they have given up on any hope for a full time job.

We keep hearing about people going on disability, and with all of the ads on TV re lawyers to help one get on disability, that may be a new career path.

Younger ones have moved back in with parents. A mini construction boom the past couple of years in this area has been building of so called Grannie stand alone “apartments” in the parents back yards or connecting to the main house via a back of the house construction. Those moving in are young and not grannies.

Since the first of the year, I have posted about our new early rush hour traffic. It happens during the work week from about 1:30 pm to 3 pm. We see a lot vehicles with one or two adults in vehicles in mini traffic jams. They appear to be people going home from work.

One our younger relatives has benefited from these new early rush hours. It still takes him the same amount of time to get to work, about an hour. Now on his return trip, he gets home about 15 to 20+ minutes earlier than last year.
His wife has had to move her shopping time from the 1:30 to 3 pm bracket due to the mini rush hours in their area to earlier or later to avoid the traffic.

[Mechanicos]

I suspect an underground economy. That many people out of work and no riots...

[Democrat_media]

democrats and Obama keep letting in 3rd world immigrant maggots who keep taking our jobs. they will let in 100 million more immigrants if Amnesty passes. any reading that number don't buy then do the research, chain migration, etc. and believe it's true

we sit on our asses . the time for action is here protests,,succession etc. .i’m ready

[Night Hides Not]

Or go to cool El Paso and run into a great big hassle.

Better be able to speak espanol, amigo.

[Lou L]

When People Give Up Looking for Work, What Do They Do?

I suspect that their confidence becomes shattered, their self-esteem implodes, and their physical health turns to mush, if their unemployment becomes long-term.

[Democrat_media]

agree , good post

and they are letting in millions of 3rd world maggot immigrants legal and illegal, professionals(doctors , iT etc) as well as maids and construction workers when there are no jobs for Americans

[Carthego delenda est]

“They want you to be a machinist (manual and CNC), electrician,(including PLC’s diagnostics), fitter, welder, and be available for all three shifts. Then they offer $18.00 an hour.”

You beat me to it... Skilled manual labor pay rates, requiring many many years to hone those skills, have been dropping. It is not a lack of qualified individuals, but rather an abundance of illegal foreign nationals willing to work for so much less pay. IMHO

[Grampa Dave]

“the one I see-and do myself-where I live is become contract labor, and take whatever you can get for work-construction, yard work, ranch work, whatever. It may not be in a warm building, with paycheck and perqs, but it is work and enough money to buy groceries and pay rent...”

Interesting that you mention that. Our new construction and retro has slowed down in this area since the first of the year after being on fire for about 3 years.

In this community and near by ones, it isn’t just the Amigos parked across from a Home Depot or Lowes looking for a day job, there are apparently guys like you parked in those lots standing by their construction pickup trucks, dressed in carharts or other work clothes, ready to work.

[Buckeye McFrog]

There’s a serious problem with training for the jobs that are available.

The problem is that employers all expect someone else to foot the bill for training people. Universities, tech schools, whatever. And running up huge student debt to end up in a job that pays $15-$18 per hour makes little sense to most people.

[lucky american]

My husband lost his job and took over watching the grand children. Turned out he loves it. My daughter pays him which is great but I could never have realized how close our family has become.
It’s been the best thing that could happen.

[Democrat_media]

It is not a lack of qualified individuals, but rather an abundance of illegal foreign nationals willing to work for so much less pay. IMHO

agree.

AND they will let in 100 million more 3rd world immigrants with the Amnesty bill, the families of the 40 million amnestied and more

[Night Hides Not]

Good post Dave.

My contract ends in November, so I'm looking at my future from all angles. Assuming the well remains dry for this soon to be sexagenarian, I'm looking at everything, to include:

A variety of part-time jobs, to include substitute teaching, contract tax work, etc. to pay the bills until I can start drawing SS.

Eating right and exercising to (hopefully) minimize medical bills.

Sell/downsize from our current house, and pocket the $100K in equity.

Back to part-time jobs: I can see work arising seasonally, such as during tax season, teaching summer school, etc.

[Marcella]

I know an engineer whose company lost a contract a few years ago so he lost his job. He filed for unemployment benefit, then took every odd job he could find, even laying floor tile, while looking for a company who could use his skills and his skills were many but he took odd jobs way beneath his brainpower and education and skills. He did not quit and do nothing as any amount of money was money.

A friend, who worked for an oil producing/drilling firm, knowing how brilliant the guy is, told his company they would be nuts if they didn't get him. They took him and now his salary is over one hundred thousand a year - fracking gas and oil wells creates lots of jobs.

If people out of work had that mindset to not quit, there wouldn't be so many still out of work. When you sit at home not looking for work, you aren't going to find work. If you do some kind of work, even if beneath your normal level of work, that's money and friends who are working are a good way to help one get work, but they are less likely to help you if you sit at home.

A couple of years ago, my husband spoke to a man who worked at Walmart and the man said he and family left Detroit, losing money on the sale of their house, and came to Texas because he thought he could get a job here. He was educated and talented but he immediately went to Walmart to get some kind of job. They took him and he was now a manager and said Walmart saved his life until he can find a job more suitable for his skills.

That man didn't sit at home waiting for a suitable job for his ego. His mind said, “get a job, period.” So, he went to Walmart. That man was smart and saw the need for a job, any job.

[Democrat_media]

it’s getting me angry seeing all these freepers unemployed . the socialist government regulations and massive waves of 3rd world immigrants are taking jobs and opportunities for Americans

[Age of Reason]

but this nation has gone to pot and uses people like animals.

You have that 100% correct, except it's not the nation that is doing it, it's our masters who are doing it.

Time was when the wealthy followed a code of noblesse oblige, when the sons of the wealthy were raised to serve as examples of the ideal citizen, including enlisting in the armed forces in peace and in wartime or be held in contempt by their wealthy peers.

But now their attitude is every man for himself, dog eat dog, whoever dies with the most money wins--and to behave otherwise is for suckers.

[Democrat_media]

it’s getting me angry seeing all these freepers unemployed . the socialist government regulations and massive waves of 3rd world immigrants are taking away jobs and opportunities for Americans

[ZULU]

They vote Democrat and never get another job again.