The 86 million invisible unemployed

[Javaman]

http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/03/news/economy/unemployment-rate/index.htm?iid=HP_LN

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- There are far more jobless people in the United States than you might think.

While it's true that the unemployment rate is falling, that doesn't include the millions of nonworking adults who aren't even looking for a job anymore. And hiring isn't strong enough to keep up with population growth.

As a result, the labor force is now at its smallest size since the 1980s when compared to the broader working age population.

"We've been getting some job growth and it's been significant, but it hasn't yet been strong enough that you start to get people re-engaging in the labor market," said Keith Hall, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center and former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

more at link...

[Enrique]

1. I yelled at the manager of my CVS the other day

they had one person running the whole huge store, photo department and everything. This huge store, all these customers waiting in line, and one employee, it was ridiculous. I asked him if he ever walked through a nearby park filled with homeless people who need work. And there's a grocery store across the street that has an army of workers doing a normal amount of work. Shows that not all companies squeeze their workers, some of them just employ them.

[jehop61]

2. The numbers don't compute

There are 313 million people in the United States. 86 million people out of work and not looking is just about impossible. Also, the chart in this article shows 38% of the so-called un-employed are over 65. Methinks someone should redo their math. Shame on a major media outlet to publish this drivel.

[raccoon]

3. Thank you. I thought that sounded too high too. nt

[hfojvt]

6. well some of those 8 year olds

could be working as high school janitors, if it wasn't for all than damned government regulation.

Although actually I started my paper route when I was 12, and many kids started even younger. My teen-age jobs were kinda important even though I saved most of what I made.

[DearAbby]

4. 57 yrs old.....damned near impossible. n/t

[hfojvt]

5. again, I do not consider that to be a bad thing

What the hell is so great about working?

Personally, I would love to get a sugar momma and be able to tell my employers "take this job and shove it".

Retired people who work sorta drive me nuts. The guy who had my job before me was, in my view, in the labor force unnecessarily for ten years. If he had enjoyed his retirement instead, I could have gotten his job ten years ago. Or somebody else could have, and it would have been nicer working with somebody who was less of a psychotic a$$hole. He kept working, not because he needed a job like I do, but because he was greedy. He wanted to "live better". Well, in my view, one major way to live better is to not have to goto a crappy job five plus days a week.

For the most part though, people are only leaving the labor force because they can. They don't need jobs. I'd love to be in a financial position where I could afford to leave the labor force.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

7. My 58 year old sister --

that is her. Unemployed for over three years, unable to find a job, and facing an old age of poverty. She was a stay at home Mom for most of her life, so she hasn't even put in enough quarters to apply for SS when the time comes.

[Fumesucker]

9. I was at the SS office the other day and the case worker told me of a program for low income people.

Once your sister gets to 65 she may be able to get for SSI for the aged..

http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/

The caseworker I talked to was very nice, very efficient and very informative, I was amazed how quickly and painlessly everything went.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. Thanks!

I will definitely look into that for her!

[Cronkite]

8. I am one of the "invisible unemployed".....

Here is my "story". I worked for 20 years at a pretty good manufacturing job but the plant shut down. I saw no future in manufacturing so I decided to try something new and went back to school. I KNEW my age would be a huge problem for employers so I trained up on something that would have some self employment opportunity.

I'm glad I recognized the potential problem (age) ahead of time. Every interview I have been on I can tell my age is a problem. I have developed skills that no other entry level person likely has, I have certifications and specialized knowledge I have developed in the field beyond the classroom education.

Luckily I am able to market my services independently to small/mid sized business and have been struggling with developing my business. While I am not "technically" unemployed my business is very slow right now and I am just "hanging in there". I am confident that in the long run I will be able to make a go of it but it going to be a tough row to hoe.......

I feel sorry for a lot of people that were in a similar situation and went back to school for something THEY CAN'T do as a self employed person. A lot of my former co-workers went into "the medical field" or HVAC at 50 years old and are finding a job is almost impossible to find at their age. I have a friend that went back to school for HVAC and couldn't find anything.

[uppityperson]

10. The numbers may be wrong but I know from experience that there are many of us like this

late 50's, laid off nurse.