Five Million Workers to Exhaust Unemployment Benefits by June

The National Employment Law Project (NELP) released a new report last week showing that ...

1.2 million jobless workers will become ineligible for federal unemployment benefits in March unless Congress extends the unemployment safety net programs from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). By June, this number will swell to nearly 5 million unemployed workers nationally who will be left without any jobless benefits.
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Currently, 5.6 million people are accessing one of the federal extensions (34-53 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation; 13-20 weeks of Extended Benefits, a program normally funded 50 percent by the states).
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Now here is what I don't understand. The Census Bureau is now hiring. In Houston alone, they are hiring 15,000 workers. The pay is only $12.00 an hour, but to those who are unemployed, it is at least something.

Right now, IMHO, there is no excuse to be unemployed. I have always maintained that, if someone wants to work, there is work. I have been laid off before, and guess what? Even in bad economies, I always had another job the next day. Sometimes, I had to take something that I didn't want, but it held things together until I found something right up my alley, which never took that long. I don't know about anybody else, but for me, working sure beats sitting on my ass and worrying about the future.

Article is here.

danarhea said:

Now here is what I don't understand. The Census Bureau is now hiring. In Houston alone, they are hiring 15,000 workers. The pay is only $12.00 an hour, but to those who are unemployed, it is at least something.

Right now, IMHO, there is no excuse to be unemployed. I have always maintained that, if someone wants to work, there is work. I have been laid off before, and guess what? Even in bad economies, I always had another job the next day. Sometimes, I had to take something that I didn't want, but it held things together until I found something right up my alley, which never took that long. I don't know about anybody else, but for me, working sure beats sitting on my ass and worrying about the future.

Article is here.

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There are 6 people actively looking for work for each job opening.

I have seen reports of hundreds of people lining up for jobs at Walmart, (even during the boom.

THe excuse not to have a job is that there just not might be any jobs avaliable. No low skilled ones, no high skilled ones either

danarhea said:

Now here is what I don't understand. The Census Bureau is now hiring. In Houston alone, they are hiring 15,000 workers. The pay is only $12.00 an hour, but to those who are unemployed, it is at least something.

Right now, IMHO, there is no excuse to be unemployed. I have always maintained that, if someone wants to work, there is work. I have been laid off before, and guess what? Even in bad economies, I always had another job the next day. Sometimes, I had to take something that I didn't want, but it held things together until I found something right up my alley, which never took that long. I don't know about anybody else, but for me, working sure beats sitting on my ass and worrying about the future.

Article is here.

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If that were the case, there wouldn't be a 10% unemployment rate.

it's not as if unemployment went from 4% to 10% because people suddenly got too lazy to work.

Wouldn't "jobless workers" be an oxymoron?

Mickey Shane said:

Wouldn't "jobless workers" be an oxymoron?

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If one is unemployed and actively looking for a job then one is considered to be part of the labor force.

Who would rather become underemployed taking home $400/week working 40 hrs if they can earn $425 sitting at home pretending to fill out job aps three times per week?

First time claims for unemployment fell last week, but this will continue to be a bumpy ride as capital investment will be the first choice of investment. Then comes labor. Dork mode on: once the marginal product of capital begins to experience diminishing returns, we will see job creation pick up steam as firms shuffle to maintain profitability.

Private capital for all but social services and war machine industries (where government contracts provide desirable leverage opportunities) has been migrating out of the US for decades. Foreign capital investing in the US has switched from servicing specific markets with operating control to playing equity markets for frequent basis points trading gains. The era of skill sets without formal higher education in the US labor force living at lower-middle class and middle class standards of living is kaput.

apdst said:

If that were the case, there wouldn't be a 10% unemployment rate.

it's not as if unemployment went from 4% to 10% because people suddenly got too lazy to work.

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Oh yeah, keep jacking up taxes and watch.

American said:

Oh yeah, keep jacking up taxes and watch.

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Rule of thumb for unemployment calculation is doubling official published numbers to include underemployed, discouraged, independent contractors and subtracting military. If anything, jacking up taxes will force lower wage levels for those without the benefit of formal higher education completion and drive employment up as domestic consumption through government funding increases.

The party's been over for some time. Tax cuts or continuation of currently low tax rates won't provide jobs. It will allow big players more flexibility to take what savings, I use the word loosely, Americans have in equity markets through their government approved retirement planning.

apdst said:

If that were the case, there wouldn't be a 10% unemployment rate.

it's not as if unemployment went from 4% to 10% because people suddenly got too lazy to work.

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Except that is missing the point. Just because lots of people are out of work now doesn't mean are the same people as a month ago. Every week, more people get hired, and more people get layed off. While the net is no gain here, the important point is that people still can get hired if they look hard enough. The reason unemployment is higher now isn't because there are absolutely no jobs to get anywhere - that's pretty much never true - but because more people are being layed off.

It is inevitable that the U.S. will hit a depression far worse than the great depression.....whether or not there is an extension. The extension will just put it off just a little longer.

If there is no extension, then when the 5 mil. people lose their unemployment it will begin a snowball effect where their money is not going into the economy and will lead to even more job losses. As the unemployment runs out things are going to spiral down quite fast and then this country will literally become bankrupt.

Dana I disagree. I looked for work for a long time. I made more on unemployement than working. I am skilled laborer with over 20 years experince.
My age 48 made it hard for me to get a job. I posted resumes on career builder in INDIANA, Ohio and Kentucky.
I have never had any trouble finding work in my life until now.
This may be hard for you to believe but its true. I like you would do anything
Until I got something better. But it was hard to find anything- that wouldnt hurt more than it helped. I done the only thing I could do. Took my savings and I opened a small business. I work for myself now, and get apartial pension and my wife works. I know alot of people who have gave up. We made good money. One of my former co-workers drives about 30 miles one way for$12/hr
He is A journeyman refrigeration mechanic.Times are hard.

Goldenboy219 said:

Who would rather become underemployed taking home $400/week working 40 hrs if they can earn $425 sitting at home pretending to fill out job aps three times per week?

First time claims for unemployment fell last week, but this will continue to be a bumpy ride as capital investment will be the first choice of investment. Then comes labor. Dork mode on: once the marginal product of capital begins to experience diminishing returns, we will see job creation pick up steam as firms shuffle to maintain profitability.

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The capital isnt used much here its invested in asia and other markets.
The manufactuerers have been moving to lower wage markets.
The capital follows them.Then there will be no new investment as , the capital will be used to maximize profits where it is invested at now.
It will not come back. National Manufacturing has left.Thats why now the market has a hard time getting corrected . The capital needs us to buy the goods from the overseas markets they invested in. Thats why we had to bail them out. they invested our money in China . They spent it betting we would buy cheap goods and they would make profits.
But because the unemployement increased due to more resources leaving America to support the New markets The capital markets Investment bankers etc. Didnt have enough here at home to help invest in the souring economy. Hence TOO BIG TO FAIL. SO we had to bail them out. Now its a zero sum game. We are at a stand still.Without investment we cannot start the economy ( Stimulis two).Literaly we must use Laws to compel the Investment in america again ; because now there is a stand off.The investments are used to support the former agreements wall street had in China and else where. The "american reinvestment and recovery act" is useless with out a law compelling investment here.( Where is Your pension fund)

I don't think it's that people can't find work, but that they can't find work in the field they want, with the benefits they want, in the location they want, that will pay what they want.

The going hourly rate for a dogwalker/maid/cook/assistant is still around $20/hr here in NY. I would gladly offer a trustworthy college graduate $10/hr to handle those things around my apt, but I can't find someone who is willing to take that job.

RightinNYC said:

I don't think it's that people can't find work, but that they can't find work in the field they want, with the benefits they want, in the location they want, that will pay what they want.

The going hourly rate for a dogwalker/maid/cook/assistant is still around $20/hr here in NY. I would gladly offer a trustworthy college graduate $10/hr to handle those things around my apt, but I can't find someone who is willing to take that job.

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I somewhat disagree. This recession has hit hardest those with lower incomes.



However, the housing crisis has impacted labor mobility quite a bit. So I agree with you there.

drz-400 said:

I somewhat disagree. This recession has hit hardest those with lower incomes.

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What you're saying is completely true, but I don't really think contradicts what I was getting at. The chart you're referring to indicates that unemployment is greatest among houses that have lower household income, which seems to be sort of a self-fulfilling statement. In a household where two people each earn $20k, your unemployment rate is 0% and you count toward the $40k bracket. If one of the workers loses their job, the unemployment rate is 50% and your household counts toward the $20k bracket.

My larger argument is that there are very few people who are unemployed because there are absolutely no jobs despite their willingness to do anything. If a lawyer gets laid off, he will probably have a hard time finding work as a lawyer. However, if he wanted to, he could probably get a job as a mid-level office worker somewhere. If a mid-level office worker gets laid off, he would probably have a hard time finding work as a mid-level office worker. However, if he wanted to, he could probably get a job working at McDonalds or Best Buy. If a McDonalds or Best Buy worker gets laid off, he would probably have a hard time finding work at a comparable place. However, if he wanted to, he could probably find work making minimum wage and cleaning toilets or mopping floors.

I'm not saying that all of those people should be forced to take those jobs, but rather that there is still plenty of unmet demand in the market, albeit at prices that workers are not very willing to accept.

b.larset said:

Dana I disagree. I looked for work for a long time. I made more on unemployement than working. I am skilled laborer with over 20 years experince.
My age 48 made it hard for me to get a job. I posted resumes on career builder in INDIANA, Ohio and Kentucky.
I have never had any trouble finding work in my life until now.
This may be hard for you to believe but its true. I like you would do anything
Until I got something better. But it was hard to find anything- that wouldnt hurt more than it helped. I done the only thing I could do. Took my savings and I opened a small business. I work for myself now, and get apartial pension and my wife works. I know alot of people who have gave up. We made good money. One of my former co-workers drives about 30 miles one way for$12/hr
He is A journeyman refrigeration mechanic.Times are hard.

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You have to be kidding me. The company I work for only grossed 1.2 million last year, which puts us in the category of a small business, yet we pay between 20-27 bucks an hour to qualified mechanics. Other HVAC/R companies in the Houston area pay even more. Your friend should move down here.