by MarkJ » Wed 30 Dec 2009, 08:43:25
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') give you one example. We got high unemplyoment in our state. However local farmers have a hard time finding farm hands. Is that the way it's supposed to be?
As people have become fatter, lazier, out-of-shape, more sedentary and more indoor activity focused, some farm jobs, landscaping jobs, snow removal jobs, heavy manual labor jobs, dirty jobs and jobs which require working outdoors in freezing temperatures, climbing, repetitive motion, fast work pace etc are harder to fill.
Many people, especially people with safety nets, teens, college students and 20 to 30 somethings living at home with parents choose not to work if they can't find a service industry job with better working conditions.
Our local non seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 6.3%, yet we talk with many non job seekers that plan on milking 99 weeks of extended unemployment benefits, or more if they extend benefits.
Businesses have been hiring, but many people have enjoyed time off, hunting, fishing, boating, camping, traveling, cruising, motorcycling, snowmobiling, ice fishing and/or they're doing cash side jobs, so they don't actively seek work.
Many former factory workers, mill workers and other good producing workers are waiting for good paying jobs which are never coming back.
What's sad is many of the people with a 2 year vacation haven't used their time off constructively. They could have used the time off to look for work, retrain, research, self-educate, learn new skills, exercise, improve their diet, get into shape, improve their homes, mow their lawns, organize etc.