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Sunday, February 15, 2015

With Job Creation Up, Workers Still Choose to Stay Home

The good news is that the economy is creating more jobs than ever. Just consider—257,000 more jobs in January, 329,000 in December, and 423,000 in November. The bad news is that the labor force participation rate—the percentage of people who are employed or who are looking for work—has barely moved, from 63 percent in January 2014 to 62.9 percent in January 2015.

These are levels equivalent to the late 1970s, before the movement of women into the labor force. This is worrying because more people at work means a stronger economy.

After most recessions, people gradually go back into the labor force as jobs become available. This time is different. When extended unemployment benefits ended in January 2014, many people, myself included, thought that labor force participation rates would start to rise. It hasn’t yet happened.

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17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why work when the government provides you with everything you need in life?? Like I said yesterday, this economy and society with NEVER get better unless the government quits paying the way for being lazy and ignorant.

Anonymous said...

What ever happened to work for welfare? There should be no free lunch.

Anonymous said...

Welfare and unemployment pays better than low wage Obama jobs.

Anonymous said...

To 5:08 Poster - I agree!!

In my development, the neighbors across the street - neither one of them work. One of the other neighbors informed me that they were both on disability.

The neighbor that lives diagonally across the street - he went on vacation to Belize - and when he got back - he went to the doctor claiming he was bitten by a tick. He is in his early forties - and hasn't worked for the past 3 years. I heard he was also receiving disability. The neighbor on the left side - he informed me - I have 99 weeks of unemployment coming and;

'I plan to use every bit of it'

Owe - I forgot to mention that he cut grass all summer and worked odd jobs while drawing his unemployment.

I could go on and on - but it is obvious. There is now more incentive not to work than there is to work. With Pell grants, Obama phones, section 8 housing, free health care, why would anyone want to work.

Anonymous said...

Just exactly what the anointed one wanted

Anonymous said...

If you give a monkey a banana day after day after day, he will wait for you the next. He may begin to resent you for being able to offer him a banana sometimes but it doesn't stop him from taking. He will stop foraging for food and become dependent on you for "his" banana, if you stop the free banana giveaway the monkey will become angry and attack you. Then he may break into your kitchen for a banana instead of going to climb the tree to get his own.

There in lies, the Obama banana plantation.

Anonymous said...

5:52 PM, The monkeys that you are talking about is your own white folks who are the biggest abuser of the systems who have allowed them to live free with government assistance. In todays society, an individual have to work 2 part time minimum wage jobs to take care of a family of four.(m0m dad and 2 kids) w/o health insurance. There are more heroine addicts and drunks receiving government assistance. Lets be honest, more whites in this country are thr dope fends.

Anonymous said...

5:39 that must be an OLD story because the extensions are no longer an option and you only get 26 weeks.
You are telling fairy tales. The extensions expired 12/28/13

This article is also garbage because it eludes that most people want to live in poverty just so that they can get healthcare with a deductible they can not afford, rendering the policy as useless.

It is impossible to validate these bogus figures. It is simply a calculated "guess" skewed to benefit the author and his agenda and the agenda of his political friends.

It has been more than substantiated that our guberment it lying about unemployment, job growth, and workforce participation.

I also did not realize that just because you were disabled meant you could not travel or leave the house. Unless you actually have some facts, mind your own business.


Steve said...

When your choice is either Burger Wop, Mickey D's, and Wally Greeter, why not?
There's no one out there offering up $25/hour manufacturing jobs like the ones we need and want.

Sad to say, O'Malley sold us out, and really, so has our government with sending jobs overseas.

Anonymous said...

I ain't going out in this cold and look for a job! I get paid $445 a week to stay warm and watch TV. With my unemployment and an couple of extensions, I shouldn't have to look for work till June or July.

Anonymous said...

To 6:53 Poster - Aren't you listening to what 5:39 & 8:01 are saying? If your smart - you give some credence to what is posted on this here blog. I know for a fact that many people used the Maryland State unemployment, then, went on to extract even more under the Federal unemployment. Yep - 99 weeks, and they almost got another 23 week extension had the Democrats not buckled. That would have been 122 weeks total @$445/wk. That would have been 2.36 years of drawing a salary without working.

Anonymous said...

8:27 you are another idiot.

If you bothered to comprehend what you were reading the emergency federal extensions expired over a year ago. So hmm what is there to learn from some bogus comment? Other than someone one trolling to stir the pot?

In fact the program expired several times, once 4/21/12, which knocked several million off unemployment and were not reinstated and then again in Dec 2013, which knocked a few more million off. And that was when unemployment here in Wicomico county was still around 8%. Back when the extension was in full play in 2011 the rate was 9%

No one was collecting for 2 1/2 years, the extension was for those that were newly entering the emergency program. Those who already exhausted their 99 weeks were done. period.

I know I know, you would rather see your neighbor lose everything and be homeless, than live on a pittance of $380 a week (and that's what the max UE was back then). I have been working since I was 15, so if by chance I lose my job and collect for 2 years, so be it. I have more than paid my dues.

And why would any fool take a job making less than the pitiful amount you get from UE. That my friend is simply stupid.

Whiny ignorant clueless fool.


Anonymous said...

5:39, 8:01, 8:27

I got laid off in 2009 and collected for 99 weeks. For those 99 weeks, I drained part of my savings to keep afloat, and then lived another 3 months on my savings alone until I finally landed a job.

I applied to over 300 jobs.

I still have all the documentation to prove it.

So maybe you should all STFU and mind your own business, because I am proof you have absolutely no clue as to what you are talking about.

Jerks like you make me want to puke. I have been working for over 40 years, and back in the 80's & 90's we had to pay in to the system.

No body is getting rich off the small amount paid. Get a life and mind your own business.

Anonymous said...

9:25
Congrats on having a massive savings account. Not all of us have had the luxury to even be alive long enough to amass such a thing, not even considering medical emergencies, car repairs and other things that can make your savings account low at the WORST time. Consider that and consider empathy. It may help your anger.

Anonymous said...

WTH is work?

Anonymous said...

Welfare good!

Anonymous said...

Confusing.. How can all those new jobs be happening if nobody is taking them? The article contradicts itself.