| What does it really mean when unemployment is | | | | Often, they do not pay enough for someone to |
| discussed? | | | | maintain their lifestyle and they can be mentally |
| There is unemployment and there is being | | | | detrimental as well. If this is the alternative, the |
| unemployed. Being unemployed is simply not | | | | individual that may have loss his or her job and |
| having work when a person is willing to work. | | | | picked this up for a short term may not be |
| Unemployment is a little broader in scope and | | | | available for the opportunity in their field of work. |
| what we will concentrate on. Unemployment is | | | | After all of this, what can possibly be positive |
| being without work or related to a job loss. | | | | about unemployment? In The Two Faces of |
| The Two Faces of Unemployment comprise the | | | | Unemployment, there is light at the end of the |
| positive aspects and the negative aspects. Most | | | | tunnel and it is not one of those freight trains |
| of us are very aware of the negative aspects | | | | such as not being able to pay bill or loss of |
| such as loss of income, being unable to find | | | | self-esteem. This is the Positive aspect of |
| employment, difficulties paying bills, depression | | | | unemployment that most people overlook. Every |
| because of self-confidence and other issues that | | | | once in a while, you will come across an article in |
| are related. The positive aspects of | | | | one of the business magazines that will address |
| unemployment will be discussed later. | | | | these aspects. Most of these articles start |
| How does unemployment relate to our economic | | | | something like this: "I Got Fired and it was the |
| times? We read about unemployment all the time | | | | Best Thing that Happened To Me!" How many |
| and at some time in your career, as the statistics | | | | businesses get started just that way? Someone |
| would allow, you will be unemployed. | | | | is in a dead-end job going nowhere and getting |
| Unemployment is something that has come with | | | | there fast. They always have had a desire to run |
| our Industrial Economic period. Prior to the | | | | their own business and they have had this idea in |
| Industrial period, when we were an agrarian | | | | the back of their mind forever but didn't have the |
| culture, we may have had idle workers but they | | | | courage to leave the comfort of their job (the |
| weren't considered unemployed as we consider | | | | one that they hated). Now you're reading in the |
| people today. | | | | business magazine about this great little company |
| The problems associated with unemployment can | | | | that is coming along rather nicely and the |
| and are extensive. This can range from the | | | | company's owner started this business after his |
| personal effects that occur to the individual to the | | | | last employer fired him. |
| effects that reach out and affect others or the | | | | The other story, is one that you might have |
| community. Examples of this are occasionally | | | | heard from a friend or a family member about |
| higher crime rates when unemployment is | | | | someone that you might know personally that |
| significant especially in a localized area. These | | | | wanted to take some classes to qualify for |
| effects can affect the community by creating a | | | | another job that they have been interested in |
| higher reliance on social programs such as | | | | doing (sometimes for years). They never seem |
| unemployment insurance, food stamps and | | | | to be able to able to find the time for the training |
| welfare. High unemployment rates also keeps pay | | | | they needed or just couldn't get up the |
| rates down due to higher number of people | | | | motivation. Then it happened, they were |
| competing for the same jobs. The lower paying | | | | downsized, laid-off or fired. Instead of getting |
| jobs may be available but they only offer a short | | | | depressed, they got motivated and they are now |
| term relief from the unemployment problem. | | | | doing what they wanted to do years ago (and |
| These lowing paying jobs can be more of an | | | | wondered why they didn't just do it before). |
| obstacle for the unemployed than a resource. | | | | |