Employment Statistics for Hard Times

The only way to talk about employment these days is really to talk about unemployment. It’s a sad fact, but something that needs to be addressed because even though the rate is on the rise, it isn’t raising quickly enough and many people are struggling.  Many people have been out of work for a long time; the standard is over 27 weeks because that is where unemployment benefits end.  That number has stayed at 5.5 million and when you look at it like that, it’s actually 42.3% of the entire unemployed workforce.

The reason behind these numbers is that there are just simply fewer employment options for people.  There are almost 5.6 million jobs less than in the year 2008 and that’s why people are having such a hard time.  If there are no employment options for people what exactly are they supposed to do?  When a fast food chain offered 2 positions a few years ago there was a line of people that went and wrapped around the block.  These are not fast food workers who are applying for these positions either.  These are people with masters’ degrees and doctorate degrees who cannot find work in their own fields and are willing to swallow their pride and take any job that allows them to help their families.

There is good news on the horizon, though because through a very good effort between the government and local business owners there has been almost twice as many employment options were added to the job market this year than they really expected.  In 2011 we really did start to hit a stride, and the market has gone up and down but the outlook is good when it comes to employment and getting people who have been out of work for a long time to get back to work.  That’s the main goal of everyone in America is to get people working once more so that they can stop taking federal aid and start supporting their families once again.

Employment is a hot button issue when it comes to many people and it is one of the mainly focused on subjects in the senate simply because it has to get fixed.  The good news is that the employment rate is going up with the unemployment rate sitting at 7.7% and that’s way up from last year at this time.  Now mind you the numbers can look a bit strange when you add up the people they aren’t counting in these studies which include people who hadn’t looked for work over the last 4 weeks before taking the survey, but things are still hopeful.

The biggest rise that we’ve seen in these trends and which different kinds of jobs are on the rise seems to be professional and business service and then health care jobs.  Those two have hit quite a stride and are truly on the rise which is good for people wanting to go back to work or who are just stepping out of their college doors.  Many people worry that colleges will be effected simply because it seems that people come out of college with a huge debt and unable to find work in their fields.  That is truly changing and that’s a good thing for everyone who has been watching these trends.

Fields of employment which have sort of remained the same have been food manufacturing, chemicals and vehicles and parts.  These have really remained in their slump but that won’t last forever.  We have a strong steady workforce who are willing to go back to work and that will allow for a better economy and a better way of life for everyone involved.

Employment Laws and How They Affect You

When it comes to employment laws and who actually is affected by them, we need to start at the very beginning and that’s with the standard wages.  There is something called FLSA which is short for Fair Labor Standards Act.  What this act basically does it allow a universal standard on wages across the country.  So everyone is actually getting paid the same minimum wage standard unless you are in an industry which allows for tipping or commission then they can set a lower than average minimum wage standard.  Those people who are except from minimum wage or hourly wage are those who are on Salary wages.  These people actually make a specific set of money each week, bi-week or month no matter how many hours they work.

Then you’ve got employment safety standards.  Everyone who works deserves to have a safe and unhazardous work place.  OSHA is who takes care of this for all work places by setting the very standards that every place of employment has to adhere to and also setting up inspections to make sure that all companies are actually following the rules set in place for them. It isn’t just job safety either it’s also health standards which spread across all fields of employment and industry. Make sure this is detailed on any career application forms you might sign.

With the OSHA standard they make sure that whomever you work for has to give them access to medical and exposure records for everyone that works for their company.  Also they have to provide personal protective equipment with examples being helmets in case of head injuries, or goggles to prevent eye injury, back braces so you maintain proper posture and so on. Also the person working for the company has the right to actually file a complaint with OSHA as well. This happened recently in a dispute over a Kmart application.

Next is called the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) what this does is maintains a standard by the employment facility that you will provide a specific amount of money each paycheck into an account and that once you’ve retired you are entitled to this money without exception as long as you’ve reached the company standard for receiving this money.  All employers are by law supposed to be able to provide documentation so that ERISA can conduct inquiries and make sure that all companies are in compliance of these laws.

There are many other standards in an employment setting which allows people to be safe and secure from both retaliation for whistleblowing, notices for mass layoffs or plants closure, Who is in control of their unions and elected officials within the unions and also reemployment rights for Uniformed Service Members as well.  Also another thing that the government has set up is that no private work places may use lie detector tests.  They cannot use them to determine employment status before actually having the job, they can’t use them during employment and they surely cannot use them during or after the termination or lay off process either.  In private sectors they can be used though in cases of work place incidence like stealing of money or theft of information, product, and knowledge.

In all cases of these rights the employment facility has to keep notices on their premises at all times for them to be adhered to.  Those things are checked into and if your employer doesn’t have all the right paper work hanging on a wall somewhere it is something that needs to be reported because everyone deserves to have a safe place to work in.  Safety standards have come a very long way over the last 50 years and it’s just getting better with each and every year that goes by.

Good Employment Makes for Better People

Having employment means that you are contributing to society and making your mark in the world not only financially but also making a mark with who you are as a person.  It is vital in our country to have steady work over a lifetime for you to be able to pay in, pay out and get back what you’ve worked so hard for.  It allows you to live absolutely independently away from others and also away from federal aids which so many people these days have to rely on.  It allows the person to have determination, they can formulate a real set of goals and plans and then work their way through them which offers such a good sense of pride.

It allows the person who has steady employment to make healthy and good choices for themselves and their families and this means that they are perpetuating a good character for their children or their spouse which will actually be a great reflection and rub off on them.  Having good employment means that you can contribute to society in more ways than just paying taxes, it might allow you to make donations or spend time helping in your community.  No matter what it is that you decide to do with a good job you will be able to spread around your good fortune to others who may need it.

Also, you will have exclusive rights and full integration into the political, social, cultural and educational system of our wonderful country.  This means that you can make choice that will impact the future generations and that’s something that is very amazing. Most people do not take a look at the world and see the future in every single step that they make but once they do start looking at the world that way it changes the whole aspect of employment and having a very good job.

Having employment is a sort of defining factor of who you are to be really honest.  Some people might not want to see it like that but one of the first things most people ask a stranger is what they do for a living.  If you have no answer or an answer you aren’t satisfied with how does that make you feel?  If it makes you feel badly or guilty then you are part of the millions of people who are going to do great in the future because they will do something about their situation.  They will want to truly be an improved person because it feels good both inside and out when you can be proud of what you do for a living. The largest employee today is Walmart. You can research the walmart job application for further information.

Deciding what it is that you want to do with your future starts pretty young and once you’ve decided a path most of the time people stick with it.  There are many exceptions to the rule you might go through school and come out the other side working in the field that you thought you were going to love and absolutely hate it.  These are great examples of where people really shine because they either will work the job they don’t like and be miserable or they will get up and boost into the economy another round of schooling let’s say which allows them to learn a new trade or career and then go back into the work force with a new found senses of appreciation and that will actually make them harder workers.  That’s what the world needs are more people who understand the true vitality of employment and how it works in the world so that they can help become better people.