A Last Hope for Job Seekers
By Zafar K. Yousufzai
CA
Last week, I came across an encouraging headline in several media outlets that the job report for October has sent out the clearest signal to date that the unemployment crisis will last through next year elections.
And, interestingly, employers added 103, 000 jobs in September while unemployment has been stuck 9.1 percent since the recession ended more than two years ago. But 14 million Americans officially are still out of work.
Unfortunately, 40 million Americans – a record 1 in 8 - are receiving food stamps while enrollment in Social Security’s disability program has shot up by more than one million because those can’t find work are seeking government benefits instead.
Worst off are federal and local governments. They have been cutting services and jobs for the past two years. Over the past 12 months localities have slashed 210,000 jobs.
A survey of the unemployed researchers found that half have been without work for at least a year, but among those older than 50, 80 percent have been out of work for more than a year.
By the way, I am not among the 2.5 millions who have simply given up looking for a job. I am on the eligible list of the US State Dept for an instructor position as a qualified candidate. My name was referred to the hiring agency, but OPM, upon my follow-up, regretfully sent this response:
“The employing agency made a decision not to make any selections, therefore the list of eligible candidates was returned unused”.
In other words, this agency or any other government agency, either has a hiring freeze or is unwilling to fill open position due to economic downturn. While the President pushes the job bill in Virginia and North Carolina two important states that he won in 2008 faces a struggle to hold on to in 2012.
And, after adding jobs early in the downturn, the federal government is now cutting them as well. The State cut 49, 000 jobs over the past year. There are 30, 000 fewer federal workers now than a year ago – including 5,300 postal service jobs cancelled last month.
Is this message loud and clear? I am a job seeker!
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