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The Slackers on Unemployment
Sitting on the sofa, the laid-off may have reassessed their value
The piece by Sydney Ember in the New York Times May 16, 2021 on job search requirements was perhaps more enlightening because of reader responses and thumbs up than the article itself.
Topping the charts with 465 such thumbs was CC who wrote “Quit whining, take the job that’s available”.
Close behind was BNS with “Everywhere are help wanted signs. Businesses can’t find employees. Inflation rampant. Stop the checks NOW”.
I recall driving over to my favorite pick up place in downtown Danbury — the bus station chock-full of day laborers. All just waiting for me because I hadn’t swung by in over a year. Unlocking the doors I instantly had a Range Rover packed with Ecuadorians. But to my utter dismay they all disembarked when I declared I was willing to pay $15 per hour. I drove around the block in disbelief and then returned to load up again — same thing. On the third and final approach I managed to cajole one lone Pakistani with a promise of $20 per hour. He turned out completely useless and I drove him home with full pay shortly after providing him with lunch.
The point of this longwinded story is that I failed to get it through my thick head that the market had changed. A year later anticipating market changes I offered $35 per…
