2010 Unemployment? All better now? Tier 5 Unemployment? No longer needed?
Who says the recession is gone? Who says we're all okay now?
Let's bring this 2010 unemployment and Tier 5 unemployment matter down to an extremely personal level.
Who do you know that is unemployed and has been - for up to and over 99 weeks now? Only by putting a face on our unemployed can we - perhaps - get our point across to our Senators and Congressmen.
I want to hear from YOU and with your permission, I will highlight your stories in this space or on my blog.
This is not a far and distant problem that we seek to solve. This is up close, in our hands and personal!
In Tennessee and in the Nashville area, a high unemployment rate continues and yes, it certainly does still matter. It matters to me, and if you or a family member is still unemployed and unable to find a job, it matters to you!
In the news today: A jobless rate of 9.6 predicted for last month's unemployment figures.
OK. That means almost 1 of every 10 people is still out of a job or, put it this way, almost 1 tenth of the overall population.
However, here is an example I wish to point out: there are 4 out of 12 members in just one Nashville Tennessee area family who have been unemployed for more than 2 years (except for 1 of those 4 who will be reaching that 2 year unemployment mark next month).
Now, my math teacher in high school, a nice lady by the name of Mrs. Sally Nolen, taught me that if you divide 12 by 4, you will always come up with an equation of 1 third - it will never be only 1 tenth.
So, while the government can cite statistics to me and tell me that currently unemployment is at a lower figure, and that we are out of the woods with the recession, I can, in return, cite my own statistics right back at them.
I can put a face on this 2010 unemployment and Tier 5 unemployment issue right here and right now.
You see, I am one of that group of the 4 out of 12 members of that Nashville Tennessee area family who has been unemployed over 2 years.
We, - none of the 4 of us - had asked to become unemployed. It caught all of us by total surprise. None of us were ready, nor were we prepared. Neither were any of the 4 of us wanting to retire. But the 4 of us had no choice, whatsoever, in becoming unemployed. Neither were our spouses ready nor were they prepared to either become the sole breadwinner of the family, or to be joined at home by an unemployed (read dissatisfied, unhappy) mate. And none of the 4 of us has had any luck in joining the ranks of the re-employed again.
The 4 out of the 12 of us are among the many Nashville area folks in Tennessee who are not buying much. We are among the many other unemployed Tennesseans who are struggling to:
1. keep the mortgage paid in order to keep a roof over our heads (and try to avoid foreclosure on our homes)
2. keep the utility bills paid, (including the ever increasing fuel bills for heating, electric rates that go up at the drop of a hat, natural gas prices rising and water bills going up just whenever the water company takes a notion to set an increase)
3. keep medical costs under control (including increases in our Medicare Advantage Plans for deductibles and co-pays and the rising cost of co-pays on our much needed prescriptions). In some cases, do without any insurance at all because we are no longer employed and may not be quite old enough to qualify for Medicare
4. shop for the cheapest of groceries, going from one store to another to try to buy enough food to last until the next Social Security check (if any) comes in
5. pay any other bills we may have such as credit card bills and (God forbid!) a car or truck note that we were obligated for at the time we lost our jobs
6. pay homeowner's insurance (demanded by mortgage company) and pay car insurance (demanded by the state)
7. buy gasoline and maintain an automobile so we can go looking for jobs, and to the grocery, and for medical appointments
8. entertainment? none
9. eating out? How about a burger at McD's which only costs 1 buck? and water to drink? Occasionally fries for 1 buck? Or a 'Meal Deal' for 2 at TacoBell for only $2 each? (Hey, that even includes a cold drink!) Or Arby's $1 menu? And on and on.
10. New clothes? No
11. New shoes? No
12. Eye doctor appointments? No
13. New eye glasses when needed? No
14. Dentist? Ha, ha!
15. Concerts? Nope!
16. Cable TV? No way!
17. Landline phone? Nada
18. Haircuts or beauty shop? very few and very far between times
19. New car or truck? No way - find the best mechanic and hope he is cheap and is able to fix up your old clanker
20. ...ad infintum...ad infinitum...(1)
We are among many Nashville area Tennesseans who are looking for a slim to non-existent Christmas season of giving.
Be forewarned, Nashville Tennessee area retailers - don't base your hopes or expectations for an improved holiday season or a brighter sales outlook on these unemployed members of your community.
It is not going to happen!
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Reference:
(1) wikipedia.org, ad infintum
it usually means "continue forever, without limit" and thus can be used to describe a non-terminating process, a non-terminating repeating process, or a set of instructions to be repeated "forever",
Comments
As a fellow job searcher, what methods (internet sites or job boards) do you prefer? What interview questions do you like to ask? One of my favorites is "What do you look for in an employee?"
When writing I try to be positive.
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