"Hope is gone. The future is terrifying." Those were the sentiments of D.V. from Modesto, CA, concerning her and her husband's job situation. She was a Case Manager and he was a company representative; both were laid off in 2009. Since then, "My husband and I went from making $150K a year to scraping out (if we're lucky) $24K a year. Don't get me wrong, we are lucky to have even that, but it IS a stark reality to have fallen so far so fast."
Another stark reality is the fact that the jobs market has stalled and job creation has fallen to its lowest level of 2011. The June 2011 employment report contained plenty of bad news; only 18,000 jobs were created, the unemployment rate increased to 9.2%, and hourly wages and hours worked both fell slightly. The job creation revisions for April and May were both to the downside.
Long-term unemployment remained at historically elevated levels as those out of work for more than 52 weeks increased by 34,000 from a year earlier to 4,364,000, or 30.3% of all unemployed. A large part of that 4,364,000 includes 2,039,000 unemployed who have been out of work for 99 weeks or longer, an increase of 105,000 from the previous month. This is the first time since the 99 week statistic has been tracked by the BLS that it has exceeded the two million mark.
99er (exhausted all unemployment benefits) Brenda McFadden, was a corporate travel consultant for more than 20 years, but is finding that the job market can be unforgiving. Has she seen job market improvements? "Not at all. My state is still over 10% (unemployment). It frustrates me to see the U.S. throwing money we don't have to outside entities, i.e. funding wars and uprisings etc. and yet there are no funds to continue support of the Long Term unemployed during this monumental economic downturn (supporting them would be good for the economy in that they turn around and spend it not hoard it). 99ers especially, are ignored and forgotten and are being swept under the national rug."
While unemployment is at historically high levels considering the economy is supposed to be in recovery mode, the tragedy of long-term unemployment is especially troublesome. The longer a person remains jobless the more difficult it is to find new work. Many prospective employers often disparage the long-term unemployed for being lazy, having out-of-date skills and not having the confidence to step into a new position.
"And on top of that some companies -- including PMG Indiana, Sony Ericsson and retailers nationwide -- have explicitly barred the unemployed or long-term unemployed from certain job openings, outright telling them in job ads that they need not apply.
D.V. from Modesto, CA, feels the sting of long-term job rejection, "Unemployment is still above 18% locally and I still don't even get returned phone calls for minimum-wage jobs."
The jobs crisis can be especially difficult for older workers. "At the present age of 64 and having been out of work for the last 1 3/4 years, I do a lot less, eat much less, get a special discount at the YMCA, shop on Senior discount days, walk a lot more, try to combine trips to avoid using too much fuel," opines Thomas Rainey of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. "The job market for seniors has always been rather bleak; it seems it has really gotten a lot worse in these last few years."
Brenda McFadden believes that new laws need to be put in place discouraging discriminatory practices that affect the long-term unemployed. "I would like to see strong legislation and penalties to employers who practice discrimination -- age related or employment status -- and also see relaxed credit reviews when looking at the unemployed for hire because what may have been good or great credit once may be no longer... doesn't mean they won't make a good employee."
With the number of long-term unemployed increasing, it may be reasonable to think that a great deal of effort is being expended to address the issue. Unfortunately, that is not the case. More time and effort is being spent cutting unemployment benefits than devising job or retraining programs.
Many state legislatures, including Florida and Michigan, enacted legislation that reduces the number of weeks the unemployed can collect state benefits.
State changes to unemployment won't be noticed until 2012, but the federal unemployment extensions are affecting newly laid off workers now:
Workers laid off through no fault of their own will not be eligible for any of the generous extended unemployment benefits layoff victims have received from the federal government since 2008.
Underemployment is also underreported. According to the BLS, underemployment is "persons employed part time for economic reasons." Underemployment is a job of 1-34 hours a week. As of June, 8.6 million workers were considered underemployed. When including the underemployed, the "real' unemployment rate spikes to 16.2%.
Underemployment is hardship for many part-timers, including "Lis Rosser" a 40-something resident of Myrtle Beach, SC. "I would say over the past years 3+ years, I have applied for at least 500 or so jobs, in 5 or more states via on-line/sending resumes, in person, or phone calls to previous employers. The answer is always the same -- call back in a couple of months- or we're not hiring right now."
"I have been unable to find any full time or permanent work of any kind. I applied for anything from McDonald's (they would never even interview me), even worked cleaning toilets and vacation rentals last summer, and now work as a pt (part-time) timeshare tele-marketer. No one else will hire me, and I have been with the same company for over a year @ $8.00 an hour plus commission and no benefits. They have laid me off 3 or 4 times during this time, and then call me back."
Living on unemployment benefits or part-time wages can be very difficult, "I struggle to get by on about $150 - $175 a week- net pay, when I used to make $500 - $600 a week, plus full benefits, working for Harrah's Resorts in Atlantic City. I receive 'partial' food stamps here in SC, and that's it. My 'health care' is the Emergency Room. I can't keep juggling everything, and trying to keep just my cell phone on (needed for work), my car insurance and rent paid, plus gas and car repairs, much longer. Every day I am deeper into this hole, and I don't know how I will ever get out."
With the GOP controlling the House, the chances for further unemployment extensions, or job assistance, regardless of the unemployment rate, are slight. Congressional Republicans are more concerned about bashing Obama about the current jobs situation than doing anything to improve matters. Republicans believe that more tax cuts and unfavorable trade agreements will be the cure-all for a long-simmering jobs crisis. And the Democrat controlled Senate is incapable of pushing forward jobs legislation due to GOP (and some Democrats) resistance.
That leaves President Obama and his mighty bully pulpit to stand up firmly and empathetically for the long-term unemployed. Wrongly, Obama completely ignores these long-suffering millions. As an example, during the president's recent Twitterfest he answered some jobs questions, but he was never offered a question about what he was willing to do for the long-term unemployed and 99ers who have exhausted all unemployment benefits. The Chicago Tribune picked up on that oversight when they released "Best Tweets Obama didn't answer." The best tweet?
Why is so little being done for the 6.2 million long-term unemployed? Why have 99ers been abandoned by Congress and White House? (Full disclosure, that was the tweet of this blogger.)
The GOP seems more inclined to cut social safety net programs in order to continue tax cuts for the wealthy. There are 2.5 million U.S. households earning more than $250,000 a year. These 2.5 million households are given an inordinate amount of congressional attention compared to the 6.3 million households experiencing long-term unemployment. Are the families of the wealthy more deserving of financial assistance than the families of the long-term unemployed? The actions of congress seem to indicate that is the case.
The GOP-controlled House appears fixated on reducing taxes on the wealthy and corporations, cutting Social Security, dismantling Medicare, and repealing healthcare legislation. But when Gallup asked, "What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?" the top two answers were the Economy in general at 31% and Unemployment/Jobs at 27%. While Americans sense that jobs are an urgent matter needing immediate attention, the GOP House seems focused on partisan issues of less importance.
The emotional toll on the long-term unemployed can be devastating. Lis Rosser feels that the worst is not yet over for her, "I am afraid I will not survive this. As you know things are getting much worse and I fear the situation has not hit bottom yet." While Lis isn't yet hopeless, other long-term unemployed, such as Thomas Rainey, rely firmly on that most precious of emotions -- hope. "But I am confident that there will be a light at the end of tunnel for all in need. We will prevail!"
For the sake of Thomas, Lis, Brenda, D.V. the 6.3 million long-term unemployed and the 8.6 million underemployed, it's vital that their hopes not be exhausted before help arrives in the form of jobs or financial assistance. Unfortunately, considering the recent actions of this congress, expectations should not be high that help will arrive in time.
Follow Michael Thornton on Twitter: www.twitter.com/layofflist
Brendan Nyhan: Obama Advisers Looking for Wrong Lessons
I wonder if they will see their Bastille day approaching or will it be a surprise.
What helped me was adding a section on my resume called "volunteer and consulting work".
Basically what I did was include any volunteer work I did as well as any "consulting" work I did. Before getting the job I have now, I was a sales rep for a medical software company. Because of the knowledge I gained about software, trhe internet, etc, I helped many friends of my parents who were not well versed in computers with simple tasks like Word and Excel. I also was fortunate to have a friend who owns his own website development company, and helped him generate new leads that would become customers.
(more)
The point is that just telling a recruiter or an HR person or whoever is involved in the interview process that you are "looking for a job" won't cut it. They know that you are looking for a job, but they really want to kow what are you doing to keep whatever skills you have fresh or how you are using the down time toher than sending out resumes, getting interviews, etc.
I sincerely hope things change for you. Like a recruiter at a recent seminar I went to said, "everyone lands somewhere" . I hope my advice might be of some help to you.
There's a conversation on my FB page and the following comment was posted by my friend,Nick Kelly (who's always very astute about these matters):
"The solution to our unemployment challenge is absolutely clear. More "public works" employment financed by more taxation which in turn is financed by less private money invested overseas, along with more private employment resulting from ...Medicare for all removing the need for US employers to pay for health insurance, hence rendering their products and services more competitive in world markets. Democrats who don't understand this need to be sent to the corner wearing dunce caps. Democrats who do understand this and still support the opposite might as well be Republicans." [Nick Kelly]
The conversation was started when I posted this on my wall yesterday morning:
"Senator's Bennet and Udall (both D-CO) are thinking that they will support the so-called Gang of Six budget plan - OUT OF CONTROL! Do not vote to cut social security and medicare. End the abuse of overseas corporate tax havens and close the tax loopholes!"
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=194584223928421&id=100001305337162
Denver Unemployment Examiner
While you may be tired of what you consider rhetoric, the facts remain that this so-called recovery is not creating the jobs necessary to employ more than 20% of the working population who want full-time jobs.
Note her reply... she is basically saying that the best solution for unemployment is for the unemployed to die off.
She says things like that to elicit our anger. The best way to fight against this is to ignore her (or, if you have the authority - delete her posts). There is no humanity in the person behind that fake ID, so he/she/it isn't worth wasting our time on when so many millions of Americans are suffering.
The American dream and how anybody who works hard can achieve it is just one BIG lie.
And that social programs (instead of the military) must be gutted while the upper classes and big corporations enjoy low tax rates.....is another part of the BIG lie.
For example, the workers paid into social security, the politicians knew about the retiring baby boomers, yet they say there is not enough money?
Where is the money?
(Yea, we know, the politicians "borrowed" it.)
Another example, the Rich and Wall Street took huge risks, yet the unwashed masses (taxpayers) were forced to bail them out.
Our reward?
Having our social programs gutted while those who did the dirty live high on the hog like nothing ever happened.
Class warfare....or whatever you want to call it.
And those of us who try to sound the alarm are insulted and put down in the oligarch owned and controlled media.
We are only allowed to buzz a little like inconvenient but inconsequential flies.
But we would be swatted if we threatened them (their goals).
We haven't recovered since the financial crash. Working and middle class people are concerned about being able to afford food and pay utility bills, and make the rent/mortgage payments. We need gainful employment. We're concerned about the future - for ourselves and future generations.
People need job opportunities. I think the government is going to have to invest in our future in order for us to come out of this mess.
as soon as the republicans can come up with the right propaganda and supreme court decision - they will eliminate the popular vote --- we are not that far away
the media is very concentrated and the newspapers will not have the funds to cover the stories so no one will know as it all unfolds
Do you know who Dennis Kucinich and Bernie Sanders are? Those guys are my heroes. They are fighting to keep medicare, medicaid, and SS in tact - and have been fighting for the middle class and working class all along.
By only supporting, donating to, and voting for Progressives, we can stop the Corporate-controlled GOP and Corporate-controlled Democrats from transforming our Nation into a two-class system: Rich elites and Poor workers.
We may still take Congress in 2012, because the American people are fed up with the GOP I think - but if no one challenges Obama from the left, I'm not what will happen with the White House. I could never bring myself to vote for a Republican, and the current crop of GOP candidates reads like the inpatient list at Bellevue's psych ward - but Obama has to do more than say the right things at this point as well. Otherwise I may just skip voting for POTUS completely unless there's a third party candidate I can live with.
We are living on nothing but my husband's SSD check while he's in chemo. I'm a 99er who has been without a job since 2009 and ran out of UIB in December. We have nothing left to give up - and if Obama makes a deal that takes more from us, then he may as well run on the GOP ticket in 2012 as far as I'm concerned.
Obama is inept,corrupt,indifferent,not what we hoped.Whatever.
He is hampered by that 2010 election. That was a real disaster.
Obama is better than any GOP alternative.
Definitely.
So many of us are just hanging on by a thread financially.
Thank you Michael Thornton.
People like Olympia SNOWe and Obama came from poor backgrounds. Rick Perry also.
They dont identify with a life of struggle they have escaped from.
They prefer to hob nob with the affluent.
Dont identify with the average person at all.
Do we need $300 million dollar fighters for jet-jocks or will we replace these with much less expensive drones in a few years?
Further, except for the U.S., maybe China, & Russia no country can afford to develop an opponent. (Yeah, France and Israel dabble.) In the 20 years since Kuwait, our air power has met no resistance.
Defense is important but so are willing-to-work Americans.
Before ObamaCare, there were 67,600 net private sector jobs created per month. After ObamaCare, we are looking at an average of 6,700 net private sector jobs created per month.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/07/did-obamacare-kill-obama-recovery
Well, as I recall, the day Obamacare went in, I stubbed my toe. Therefore, I suppose it's possible that one could say, before stubbed-toe, 67,600 jobs created per month. After stubbed-toe, only 6,700.
I guess I owe everyone an apology.
Bush created least jobs any US president.
Equation is Tax cuts for rich= ) job creation /? No way that works.
In fact it was called a jobs bill as i recall.