A while ago on one of the forums I hang out at -- I think it was this one -- we talked about people dropping out of the work force and looking for something more rewarding. I'm all for people looking for work they like better, but one gathers that a lot of these folks are dropping out and THEN looking for something they like better, which strikes me as a teenager's way of doing it.
I particularly remember an NPR report about an example of this, someone who quit his job and wanted to get into the restaurant business. (Don't laugh; I thought seriously about making my career in food services, too, before I discovered computer programming.) The item finished by saying that he was now applying for unemployment benefits. Partly but not entirely on the strength of this story, I suggested without a great deal of certainty that the COVID payments to all and sundry are largely fueling this "Great Resignation" -- that lots of people are finding they can afford to take time off from work, get COVID payments and unemployment benefits, and worry about working some time later. I realized that probably wasn't the whole story, but it sure sounded like it was a significant part of it. As both a Christian and a political conservative (they're not entirely synonymous) I was raised on "if a man will not work, neither let him eat", so I was all prepared to wax indignant. Now I read an article (https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/15/economy/labor-force-retirement-great-resignation/index.html) that suggests I may (gasp of horror) have been wrong. "Instead, early retirement — whether forced by the pandemic or made possible otherwise — is playing a big role in America's evolving labor market....Last month, there were 3.6 million more Americans who had left the labor force and said they didn't want a job compared with November 2019, says Aaron Sojourner, a labor economist and professor at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Older Americans, age 55 and up, accounted for whopping 90% of that increase." Later it says "Nearly 70% of the 5 million people who left the labor force during the pandemic are older than 55, according to researchers from Goldman Sachs, and many of them aren't looking to return." I don't know how 90% was knocked down to 70%. But anyway, it's another datum that tempts me to reëvaluate. --- Bob Bridges, [email protected], cell 336 382-7313 /* Because large flat areas of land are good for warfare many European airports are built on the site of battles. Schipol, Amsterdam's airport, is unique, however: It is the site of a naval engagement. -Nick Gillies, [email protected] */ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
