Long-Term Unemployed Now 46 Percent Of Unemployed, Highest Percentage On Record

[loveslife]

Source: The Huffington Post



WASHINGTON � If you lose your job these days, it's worth scrambling to find a new one � fast. After six months of unemployment, your chances of landing work dwindle.

The proportion of people jobless for six months or more has accelerated in the past year and now makes up 46 percent of the unemployed. That's the highest percentage on records dating to 1948. By late summer or early fall, they are expected to make up half of all jobless Americans.

Economists say those out of work for six months or more risk becoming less and less employable. Their skills can erode, their confidence falter, their contacts dry up. Their growing ranks also will keep pressure on Congress to keep extending jobless benefits, which now run for up to 99 weeks.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/05/long-term-unemployment-growing_n_601930.html

---

I hope it will keep pressure on Congress to extend jobless benefits but at this time they're saying NO to any extensions.

[aquart]

1. Tell me again how the recession is over.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

2. Going into my sixth month of unemployment. Great.

[No Elephants]

19. I'm sorry. I hope things change for the better for you very soon.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

31. Thank you, No Elephants.

[Juche]

3. They won't be 'unemployed' for ever

Many of them/us will just give up. I believe back in the 1960s the job:population ratio was only about 1:4 (back when 1 wage was enough to support a family). By the late 90s it was closer to 1:2.

So of the 7 million, many will just quit looking. The U3 will go down and everything will appear happy.

[tilsammans]

4. I just passed the one-year mark yesterday

Trying as hard as I can, but it's not lookin' good.

[No Elephants]

20. I'm sorry. Best wishes for positive change soon.

[tilsammans]

30. Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement!

:yourock: :toast: :fistbump:

It means a lot to see such caring words. Thank you!

Actually, things are looking up . . . an agency contacted me on Thursday about a contract opening very similar to what I've been seeking. It's a bit far away, but it's only a contract, not a lifetime commitment. My goal is to learn new skills to make myself more widely marketable and have a job that's less subject to outsourcing. (Yes, the work I had been doing for 20 years is now outsourced to outside shops in the US and overseas.)

Being 57+ is an impediment also, but I have a track record of several long-duration jobs.

In my karaoke best: I will survive!

[lib2DaBone]

5. Tier 5 To Survive.... Outsource Blue Dog Dems.

We need 100,000 new jobs every month just to keep up with population growth.

We can't even do that!

[cory777]

6. Long-Term Unemployed Now 46 Percent Of Unemployed, Highest Percentage On Record

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - If you lose your job these days, it's worth scrambling to find a new one fast. After six months of unemployment, your chances of landing work dwindle.

The proportion of people jobless for six months or more has accelerated in the past year and now makes up 46 percent of the unemployed. That's the highest percentage on records dating to 1948. By late summer or early fall, they are expected to make up half of all jobless Americans.

Economists say those out of work for six months or more risk becoming less and less employable. Their skills can erode, their confidence falter, their contacts dry up. Their growing ranks also will keep pressure on Congress to keep extending jobless benefits, which now run for up to 99 weeks.

Overall, the economy has created a net 982,000 jobs this year. But for Jeff Martinez and the record 6.76 million others who have struck out for six months or more, their struggles are getting worse, not better.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/05/long-term-unemployment-growing_n_601930.html

[Orrex]

7. All the more reason to refuse to consider implementing Tier 5 benefits

I mean, surely if they're unemployed for that long, the must want to be unemployed, right?

:puke:

[XemaSab]

8. After many years

I got a good temp job which I am thrilled to have.

[DesertFlower]

11. i was a temp at new york telephone

for 9 years ('79-'88). the money was great and i loved working there.

[PSPS]

12. The good old days at the Bell System

Of course, we still had a somewhat functioning economy back then. Reagan's destruction had only started, culminating in where we are today. But the Bell System was a great employer -- good pay, good benefits, interesting work, and they knew how to treat employees and run an enjoyable workplace. It's all gone now.

[LibDemAlways]

9. My husband lost his job at the end of January. He's 59 and had

been employed by a major corporation for 20 years as a software engineer. His division of the company closed for good yesterday, and he attended a get-together of his former colleagues at a local restaurant. He was somewhat surprised to learn that every one of the managers - whose incompetence led to the failure of the division - were all offered continued employment in other divisions of the company, while the worker bees were all let go. Needless to say he returned home even more demoralized than when he left. Absolutely sucks.

Proof positive that it doesn't matter how much you know. It's who you know and how connected you are that keeps you on the job.

The "long term" unemployed can't help their situation. Once you've exhausted your contacts, you are at the mercy of company and internet job boards and recruiters. Company and internet job boards are full of jobs that don't exist or old listings from months, or even years, ago. You are more likely to win the lottery than to get a job that way. My husband has been searching for months and has yet to find a recruiter who will work with him to help him get a job. It seems that recruiters work only for companies these days, and they don't return phone calls or e-mails - at least not the ones he's contacted. The only luck he's had at all has been through Craigslist - small start-up companies without recruiting software to screen people out. Nothing has panned out so far, but at least it's gotten him a couple of interviews and is keeping his rapidly sinking morale up.

[loveslife]

17. I know the feeling

I've been unemployed for two years now. I figured I'd be able to pick up a job in a couple of months, then 6 months passed and I started to panic. Depression wanted to kick in at year one but I've been fighting it and so far I've won.

[LibDemAlways]

28. You are fortunate to have avoided becoming depressed. My husband

became depressed the minute the lay off was announced, and it's only gotten worse.

Welcome to DU by the way!! (Sorry my post is such a downer)

[loveslife]

32. thanks and

No it's not a downer. This is a tough situation for many. I've battled severe depression in the past so have a few "tools" at hand now. I hope he's willing to get some help for it because it can really devastate his life mentally and physically and yours as well, although at this point I'm sure you're more concerned about his. If he won't do it for himself, tell him how much it would help you.
take care

[No Elephants]

21. I hope he finds something soon.

[LibDemAlways]

29. Thanks. Me too!!

[Beacool]

10. It's a toss up what's more depressing, the unemployment rate or the Gulf spill.

:-(

[fasttense]

13. As if they are reporting real unemployment rates.

"Basing the adjustment to the unemployment rate on nothing but a statistical regression to the growth of America over the past ten years, would yield an unemployment rate of 12.7%. More troubling is that the underemployment rate would be a number far higher than the 17.1% disclosed for April. According to our calculations, a reading closer to 22% would be more appropriate to represent the level of real joblessness in the US. A number, which is higher than the corresponding metric in austerity-ridden Spain."

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/reindexing-unemployment-population-growth-yields-some-ugly-results

Overall the jobs market is very, very bad. If not for the census, it would be even worse. If you lose your job, the odds are against you that you will find another one that pays anything close to what you were making.

[Paula Sims]

14. 18 months for my husband and he's 56

Ironically, he's a petrochemical engineer but can't get a job because no one is hiring. Is there work? Oh yea, but his buddies that are working are being worked to death. Remember the quote from Ben Hur: "Row well and live. We keep you alive to serve this ship".

Paula

[No Elephants]

22. I hope things turn around for him soon.

[Mari333]

15. yes, keep corporations in the black, keep busting unions and outsourcing jobs

that will do it.

[loveslife]

16. National Employment Law Project Report

This is a snippet from the latest report from NELP (in bold is my empahasis):

Despite the record levels of long-term joblessness, Congress’s commitment to the long-term unemployed is wavering.

Without Congressional action, the program of federal extended benefits will quickly phase out; workers will be allowed to finish their current tier of benefits, but will not be able to reach the full 99 weeks even if they live in high unemployment states. By the end of June, 1.2 million workers will be cut off jobless benefits, and the number will grow to more than five million by the end of the year.


While the U.S. House of Representatives voted to continue jobless benefits before the recess, its package dropped the vitally important 65 percent federal subsidy for COBRA health care benefits. A report by the U.S. Department of the Treasury indicates that 15% of unemployment insurance recipients were relying on COBRA benefits.i If Congress does not renew this assistance, as many as 150,000 workers each month could lose out on the subsidies that they need to be able to afford this coverage.


You can read the entire report at: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/UI/2010/long.term.unemployment.fact.sheet.pdf?nocdn=1

[loveslife]

18. this last little gem from NELP

for all of those who say that keeping the UI benefits going doesn't help the economy:

The breadth of the unemployment crisis makes Congressional action on federal unemployment provisions, including COBRA subsidies, all the more urgent. Not only do federal extensions keep families afloat during periods of unemployment, they also stimulate local economies that have been hard hit by job loss. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that every dollar of UI benefits results in $1.90 of economic activity, making unemployment insurance one of the most effective forms of short-term stimulus

http://www.nelp.org/page/-/UI/2010/long.term.unemployment.fact.sheet.pdf?nocdn=1

[No Elephants]

23. Damn every public policy that led to this.

[prolesunited]

24. I really don't know why they don't create some sort of WPA program

If you're going to pay unemployed people, why not put them to work helping rebuild the country. Train people in green energy jobs and put them to work. Have others run daycare and after-school programs for other workers. Let former managers help run things, etc. Oh... wait... that sounds like socialism, can't have that. Let's just keep pouring money into it without getting any return.

And before I get attacked, I'm long-term unemployed. I was laid off two high-quality jobs in the past five years. Although I've had a few interviews, it's mostly crickets. Now, I think applying for jobs is a waste of time, although I'm still doing it. Unemployed people want to work, but no one seems to want the older workers. We really need to figure a way to get them back in the game.

I'm 47 -- far too young (and broke) to retire, but obviously, no one wants to hire me. I keep trying, but no luck. And taking temp work, not that any has been offered, would just reset my benefits to such a low rate, I would lose my house sooner than later. I'm just holding on and trying to figure out a way to start my own venture with no capital and running out the clock. I used to be depressed and demoralized. Now I'm just resigned.

As far as just letting unemployment run out, it would definitely bring any progress to a screeching halt. There are no jobs for the millions of people who are unemployed. And as the survey shows, what's left clearly aren't what companies are looking for.

[loveslife]

26. Self_Employment Assistance

I totally agree but it really seems like our government give a rats ass about those of us who are unemployed now. If you don't know about this (and this is obviously for anyone in these specific states) and are possbily in one of these states there's a program for self-employment assistance. I wish I lived in one of these states and why haven't all states made this a part of their agenda is beyond me? Anyway if you live in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon or Pennsylvania you have the opportunity to possibly start your own business while remaining on UI. Here's a link to it:
http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/self.asp?cm%5Fsp=ExternalLink-%5F-Federal-%5F-DOL

[prolesunited]

27. Thanks, but not in one of those states

It's a great idea and maybe someone will be able to benefit from the link

[TomCADem]

25. Ssshhhh!!! Corporate Media Is Pushing Austerity Measures and Fighting Inflation

When the danger of deflation is the bigger fear at the moment.

[undeterred]

33. I was offered a temp job today.

And I accepted it. I've been out for a year, except for a 3 month temp assignment which I finished in May. This one will pay more and last longer, and its at the same company.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

35. Congrats; hope some of your good luck will rub off on me. :)

[undeterred]

36. Thanks, I hope so too.

:hi:

[The abyss]

34. Economic Depression

This is called a depression. A situation not to be resolved until the US actually goes back to a manufacturing base rather than a service base.

Manufacture the needs of the populace from blue jeans to steel and shoes to electronics.

Cancel the tax incentives to off-shore & out-source.

Tariff everything coming in.