The dream of graduating high school and attending college to graduate either into a decent paying job or into a Graduate program of choosing has been smashed in recent years as the college students graduate with a diploma and debt. The guarantee of employment is non-existent in the post 2008 world, and the highest rate of unemployment is among the younger demographics recently out of college struggling to find employment. The struggle for the a recent college graduate is not a new issue of this generation. Since, parents and socio-economics have not proactively planned in savings for children to attend college either by ignoring the issue or the financial situation did not allow for any money to be saved. The tuition costs have exploded over the last decade to make the problems worse. Many college students are struggling during the best years of life, and the college experience is turning into a nightmare. The lucky student receives the loans and grants to graduate as many are … [Read more...]
Employment discrimination targets the fabric of a free society
The recovery in the job market has not recovered to repair the catastrophic damage of the 2008 Recession and Financial Crisis to the job market in the United States. The recovery has been given terms of a competitive market or choices of so many well qualified applicants, and this fact is true with a wealth of educated, experienced applicants applying for lower level or paying jobs with excellent qualifications and trying to land a job in the market after losing employment due to the crisis. The employer was given an edge by a job market saturated with seekers, and the flexibility of choosing became acceptable in the workplace. However, the choosing has evolved in a job market where recovery is elusive 5 years after the crisis. Employment selection and termination is relative to the subjective as performance excellent does not guarantee job security. Subjective decisions are becoming the litmus test to hire and fire, and subjective includes race, gender, sexual orientation, past … [Read more...]
US Unemployment rate 8.3%, South Korea 3.7%
The sobering statistic of the unemployment rate in the United States and South Korea is a comparison of how deep our economic damage from the Great Recession. February’s unemployment rate in South Korea rose from 3.2% to 3.7%in February due to an influx of college graduates. In the United States, the unemployment rate remained steady at 8.3 for February. February jobs report came in with 227.000 jobs being added, but the unemployment rate did not change due to formerly discouraged workers reentering the market place. The contrast on employment rate is a sober reminder of the long path of recovery ahead to full employment. United States and South Korea is not the perfect comparison as full employment for the United States is around 5%. A closer investigation will shed some light on the current recovery in the American job market. February’s unemployment rate did drop in 45 out of 50 states showing an improvement in the job market. Bureau of Labor Statistics did … [Read more...]
A remedy for long-term unemployed after Fed official warning
Donny Wise: National Unemployment: Examiner.com-Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke did nothing less than to sound the alarm bells on the impact of chronic long-term unemployment to the country’s growth potential and pool of available skilled workers. The impact is negative as the chronic long-term unemployment has taken away growth potential away from the US economy, and the loss of skills will continue among the long-term unemployed if the unemployment crisis continues with the potential loss of skill set to be permanent. In addition, jobless claims did drop last week, but the outlook for the job market remains uncertain as a hazy economic picture emerges under pressure of higher gas prices and Europe’s debt crisis. With the recovery in the job market far from certain, should community job programs to assist the long-term unemployed with skill sets and job search services to ensure a chance of this group a return back into the mainstream workforce? In the new economic … [Read more...]
Profiteering at the expense of the unemployed
In the new American norm, the unemployed worker is being subjected to many forms of acceptable discrimination in the new economy. However, the widespread impact of many workers losing employment due to consequences beyond the realm of personal responsibility did not illicit empathy in American society. The unemployed masses are facing insurmountable obstacles to return to as part of the mainstream American workforce. One of these obstacles is other entities profiteering on unemployment benefits as the unemployed attempt to obtain the necessary benefit or food stamp support to sustain a household until new employment is obtained As a safety net, unemployment benefits are the lifeline in a transition period for many workers in lieu of employment being terminated. The benefits are substantially less than earnings, and the recipient is dependent on this benefit to provide food, shelter, stability, etc. to self and household. The reality is that profiteering whether by illegal or … [Read more...]
Employment gains washing in gas prices
The good news is the January jobs report came in much stronger than the forecast of 150k jobs predicted by most analysts. The US Economy added 240k jobs for the month of January, and this jobs report does follow the 200k jobs added in December. The unemployment rate stood at 8.8% before two consecutive months of job growth brought down the unemployment rate to 8.5% in December and 8.3% in January. The fifth straight monthly decline and the second straight month of job gains over 200k. The good news is a sign the unemployment juggernaut beginning to feel the impacts of the recovery. The juggernaut turnaround may be short lived after a 15% increase in gas prices have made $5 gas a possibility, and Gallup has reported a mid-month increase in the unemployment rate for the month of February. The gains in employment may become a wash in the recent increase in gas prices. The wash in gas prices is making February 2012 the highest gas price level for the month of February. … [Read more...]
Unemployment: Five tips to capitalize on the economic recovery
USA Today has a most informative article about three reports that a US recovery is under way. The new weekly jobless claims, floating four week average, and December's inflation being flat for the last month of 2011. The report states that an estimated 1.9 million jobs will be added for 2012. These numbers are still far from full employment with 8.7 million job losses in lieu of The Great Recession and a total of 14 million unemployed in the United States. The addition of 1.9 million jobs for 2012 will bring the total of job creation numbers to 4.5 million jobs. The net loss from The Great Recession will still be at a staggering 4.2 million net loss on jobs. The moves are in the right direction, but what can one do to become a viable applicant in today's competitive environment. Five tips can assist an unemployed applicant become a viable candidate in today's environment. Alternative Employment - Utilize talents to obtain a position as a freelance worker or … [Read more...]
Unemployment: Numbers do not account for human toll
December's unemployment rate falls showing a slight improvement in the overall job market, but last week's claims for unemployment spike showing continued weakness in the job market. What numbers do not disclose is the human toll for the millions of unemployed in America. Jessica Algood was excited about her recent job offer from 1-800-PACK-RAT, but her excitement was short lived as the job offer was rescinded by e-mail due to a recent employment gap in her employment history. Jessica is forced to live in a camper in the back of her parents' home with her two children. Jessica's story is one of millions that experience devastating consequences of being unemployed. What are the human toll and societal consequences in America of being unemployed? The reality is staggering in the unemployment and the human toll behind high unemployment. A Lancet medical journal studies shows a 3% rise in unemployment shows a correlating rise of murder, suicides, and alcoholism by 28%. Unemployment … [Read more...]
