U.S. Gov't - subverting work

[piggyperch]

This is not intended to be political, but what is happening out there is madness. For the first time in history the government of the U.S. is actively subverting work.

Regardless of the intentions (probably well - intentioned), the structure of the current unemployment benefits create an active DIS-incentive to work. A friend of mine is hiring for a job in Michigan, the pay is $15 per hour with benefits. He has 200 open positions and can't fill them.

In Michigan, and a LOT of other states, the worker can receive $16.50 to sit home and do nothing. The actual reasonable decision is to stay home and get paid MORE. It is not lazy, it is smart.

Large firms like Chipotle and CVS are closing locations because they cannot find workers. For Biden to deny it is happening is crazy; but it is part of his agenda I guess.

The better play would have been to give, let's say $8 or $10 per hour to not work, and $6 TO work, i.e. on top of what you would receive for working. That would be a huge incentive to get a job and make a lot more money, AND let companies hire, as they want to.

Shaking my head at the dumbasses in D.C.

 

[BIMSAg02]

This is not intended to be political

Right.

 

[oldmanp03]

You clearly don't understand that people are only scared to go back to work because of being assaulted by anti-mask people.

 

[jeffmc]

I work with retail & hospitality industries and they are STRUGGLING to find anyone to come work at $20/hour and below. I generally agree that UE is causing a large % of their lower end workforce to stay home. No way around it.

Also the reason we have this issue is that we put money in people's pockets and the economy is rebounding rapidly as people get vaccinated and get back out there. The timing may be off, but in Dec/Jan when they wrote it, Sept seemed reasonable. I believe its up to the states to allow the extra UE and a number are already opting out, so this may be a non issue in the next few months.

No hot takes here, just think there is nuance to this.

 

[schmak01]

I work with retail & hospitality industries and they are STRUGGLING to find anyone to come work at $20/hour and below. I generally agree that UE is causing a large % of their lower end workforce to stay home. No way around it.

Also the reason we have this issue is that we put money in people's pockets and the economy is rebounding rapidly as people get vaccinated and get back out there. The timing may be off, but in Dec/Jan when they wrote it, Sept seemed reasonable. I believe its up to the states to allow the extra UE and a number are already opting out, so this may be a non issue in the next few months.

No hot takes here, just think there is nuance to this.

Push for UBI, Automation, and the Great Reset?

 

[h273]

Biden said people offered jobs that matched their skill sets who turned down said jobs would be cut off. But that’s not happening. We are becoming a handout country.

 

[AggieEyes12]

We are in unchartered territory, this will eventually normalise.

 

[BIMSAg02]

Its not like you can live on unemployment indefinitely. And you guys are pretending like that amount allows people to live a life of luxury. You can't even pay rent with that.

 

[schmak01]

Its not like you can live on unemployment indefinitely. And you guys are pretending like that amount allows people to live a life of luxury. You can't even pay rent with that.

Right now, with the $300 bump folks that were full-time hourly are getting the equivalent $16/hr. That's 33k/year. In Dallas, SFO, NYC, yeah that's nothing, but in B/CS, Biloxi, Norman, Billings, or any other smaller city, that's enough to be comfortable. More than enough for rent/food/bills.

But yeah it's not indefinite, but they keep extending it, what would stop it from becoming a UBI?

 

[oldmanp03]

Its not like you can live on unemployment indefinitely. And you guys are pretending like that amount allows people to live a life of luxury. You can't even pay rent with that.

You can have benefits extended for quite a while, I think you can get close to 18 months...I know that you can go at least 12 months. That's a long time to keep people out of the labor force if they choose. And yes, they won't live a life of luxury but with the added federal benefits many people can make more staying at home or at least close enough to what they made working. I don't see how any educated person can't understand how paying people to stay at home causes a labor shortage. In general we aren't talking about people who were making a lot of money in high paying jobs...that isn't where the labor shortage is.

And paying rent doesn't matter, because you can't evict anyone!

 

[saheat]

Free shit and open borders. This is how you secure votes. It's actually damned well-played.

 

[IDRILL4GASOIL]

I could see this one coming. Only needed half a brain.

 

[charles3ct]

Free shit and open borders. This is how you secure votes. It's actually damned well-played.

This is how they plan to increase Min wage - which equals inflation - Ala Jimmy Carter - I remember being a little kid at the time and walked down the the corner store when the damn cady bar went from 10 cents to a quarter - it also decreased in Size. So I guess our kids will experience a similar round this time as well. lets all say hello to $10 a gallon gas..

 

[ITS BK]

I could see this one coming. Only needed half a brain.

Everybody saw it coming but the left half won’t admit it !

 

[BIMSAg02]

Everybody saw it coming but the left half won’t admit it !

So today I learned that unemployment benefits were invented in 2021.

 

[piggyperch]

So today I learned that unemployment benefits were invented in 2021.

Nah, no one is that stupid, you knew it before. The point is that for the first time in memory (perhaps history) the amount a person would receive for NOT working is higher than the amount they would receive FOR working.

This too shall pass, but it is incredibly painful for a lot of employers who can't find workers willing to work. Don't believe me... the CEO's of some very big companies are all saying the same thing.

 

[superag1000]

This is not intended to be political, but what is happening out there is madness. For the first time in history the government of the U.S. is actively subverting work.

Regardless of the intentions (probably well - intentioned), the structure of the current unemployment benefits create an active DIS-incentive to work. A friend of mine is hiring for a job in Michigan, the pay is $15 per hour with benefits. He has 200 open positions and can't fill them.

In Michigan, and a LOT of other states, the worker can receive $16.50 to sit home and do nothing. The actual reasonable decision is to stay home and get paid MORE. It is not lazy, it is smart.

Large firms like Chipotle and CVS are closing locations because they cannot find workers. For Biden to deny it is happening is crazy; but it is part of his agenda I guess.

The better play would have been to give, let's say $8 or $10 per hour to not work, and $6 TO work, i.e. on top of what you would receive for working. That would be a huge incentive to get a job and make a lot more money, AND let companies hire, as they want to.

Shaking my head at the dumbasses in D.C.

My brother who lost his job early last year is doing exactly this. His pay is about the same as before but who now can sit around and work on the books/stories he likes to write. I don't blame him.

 

[chandler bhang]

donald j trump sucks throbbing, veiny cocks.

i don’t intend that to be political, so please don’t twist my words.

 

[saheat]

During high school in the early 80s, I pumped gas and did oil changes at a couple of Exxon's in Houston for minimum wage to support a motorcycle racing habit and to have cash for dates. Worked my ass off after school and on weekends. There's some excellent opportunities now for kids to make some decent money and get some good work experience in this climate. I'd be killing it as a kid now with what's going on.

 

[h273]

I take it BimsAg02 has never had to sign a paycheck.

 

[Have Gun Will Travel]

One thing to note: The $300/week gov payout is TAX FREE.

This shitshow ends first week in September but the "progressives" will try to get it extended.

Biden can't get it right. He claims that the jobs stats do not show the $300 is the reason people are not taking jobs. Those folks need to talk to all the business owners unable to fill needed jobs to continue to stay open.

Then he comes out and says that if somebody is offered a good job and they turn it down, their unemployment checks need to stop coming (which I fully agree with). Kinda goes against the claim that the $300 is not the problem.

 

[IDRILL4GASOIL]

One thing to note: The $300/week gov payout is TAX FREE.

This shitshow ends first week in September but the "progressives" will try to get it extended.

Biden can't get it right. He claims that the jobs stats do not show the $300 is the reason people are not taking jobs. Those folks need to talk to all the business owners unable to fill needed jobs to continue to stay open.

Then he comes out and says that if somebody is offered a good job and they turn it down, their unemployment checks need to stop coming (which I fully agree with). Kinda goes against the claim that the $300 is not the problem.

He is confused.

 

[piggyperch]

One thing to note: The $300/week gov payout is TAX FREE.

This shitshow ends first week in September but the "progressives" will try to get it extended.

Biden can't get it right. He claims that the jobs stats do not show the $300 is the reason people are not taking jobs. Those folks need to talk to all the business owners unable to fill needed jobs to continue to stay open.

Then he comes out and says that if somebody is offered a good job and they turn it down, their unemployment checks need to stop coming (which I fully agree with). Kinda goes against the claim that the $300 is not the problem.

a lot of workers are quitting their jobs knowing full well that the states are NOT checking and anyone who applies will receive enhanced unemployment. That seems to be well established.

 

[oldmanp03]

So today I learned that unemployment benefits were invented in 2021.

Sure, they have existed before 2021, buy you also know they went through some major changes in 2020. They added more money, more time, anyone who lost a job could get it whether they were laid off, fired, quit etc.
All these changes made it drastically easier for people to get unemployment and live off that money for longer.

 

[mfuchs]

This is a flanker strategy to raise wages by dems, only cost of living will outpace wage growth. Plants will have the green light for more automation and then we get real unemployment. Buckle up!

 

[jsy60]

Nah, no one is that stupid, you knew it before. The point is that for the first time in memory (perhaps history) the amount a person would receive for NOT working is higher than the amount they would receive FOR working.

This too shall pass, but it is incredibly painful for a lot of employers who can't find workers willing to work. Don't believe me... the CEO's of some very big companies are all saying the same thing.

off the top of my head was it not lenin who said democracy could last only until the people found out they could vote themselves money. the people voted democrats in office for a reason,

 

[chandler bhang]

citizens united was formed for a reason.

 

[David123]

We’ve had a difficult time hiring people for the past 2.5 years and we’re starting people at close to $15 an hour as it is, so free economy is taking care of itself already. This year it’s been almost impossible to hire anybody and the people you can hire are bottom of the barrel. Stimulus money is no doubt keeping people out of the job market and it’s going to affect our economy in a big way. Crazy times.

 

[Austin 3006]

I agree with most of this thread except we have to get our kids back in school full time. That frees up a lot of labor in the work force. September with kids going back to school and the payments ending will see lots of our labor force returning to work. Just my thoughts. This shit show started on Trump's watch not so much Biden's but now it up to him to end the shit and get everyone back out there.

 

[Wrckncrw]

I thought we just followed the science. 8.1 million jobs available. 260k jobs created in April.

 

[RogueAggie]

Right.

To be fair this did start under the previous administration. However, Trump must've told Biden to try and top him.
Biden: Hold my beer!

Free shit and open borders. This is how you secure votes. It's actually damned well-played.

 

[jeffmc]

I agree with most of this thread except we have to get our kids back in school full time. That frees up a lot of labor in the work force. September with kids going back to school and the payments ending will see lots of our labor force returning to work. Just my thoughts. This shit show started on Trump's watch not so much Biden's but now it up to him to end the shit and get everyone back out there.

This. Nuance is necessary vs all the good and evil and long tail conspiracies being tossed out here. I think we all give politicians way too much credit that they have a plan for anything besides survival

 

[bbxsbs]

Keep an eye out for identity theft. I retired in September but have been working one day a week transitioning in the new CFO. HR calls me and said TEC had a request for unemployment benefits with my name and SSN. Off to change all logins and passwords and put the credit reporting agencies on notice.

This is rampant in Texas....

 

[David123]

I agree with most of this thread except we have to get our kids back in school full time. That frees up a lot of labor in the work force. September with kids going back to school and the payments ending will see lots of our labor force returning to work. Just my thoughts. This shit show started on Trump's watch not so much Biden's but now it up to him to end the shit and get everyone back out there.

Yup, no question that has a lot to do with the workforce staying at home, especially women.

 

[RogueAggie]

Keep an eye out for identity theft. I retired in September but have been working one day a week transitioning in the new CFO. HR calls me and said TEC had a request for unemployment benefits with my name and SSN. Off to change all logins and passwords and put the credit reporting agencies on notice.

This is rampant in Texas....

Rampant everywhere

 

[RageBot]

The best part of our current world is that anything critical of the effects of a decision is deemed political. To keep it apolitical, does one have to refrain from listing a politician by name? Is "here's the effect I'm seeing from the high unemployment payments" a political statement?

Trump did loads of shit wrong. But he also did some good things. Same with every President in history (some more than others). But simply pointing out the effect a policy is having isn't in and of itself political. For that matter, I also don't think political post shaming has the same effect as it used to.

But the really sad thing is that we bicker over political sides when not a single one of them would walk across the street to piss on us if we were on fire. In fact, both sides love this because it just entrenches more power for them.

 

[jefftamu84]

There are several states cutting the extra benefits off in June. Maybe even a couple blue states.

 

[RedshirtAg]

I was talking to 2 small business owners last week and they say they get plenty of applications but no one actually shows up for the interview. I guess one of the stipulations is actively looking for work. Hard to blame people when they can do nothing and make almost the same as if they were working some pain in the ass hourly job.

 

[h273]

Here is a quote from today's WSJ article on thais exact subject:
Bank of America economist Joseph Song notes that any worker earning less than $32,000 annually would get a raise by going on unemployment, according to a Fox Business report.

 

[true maroon1]

The real train wreck will be rising interest rates. I remember the Carter years. Loans were impossible to get. Shit is going to get real. The Fed will eventually have to react to the inflation by raising rates.