Do you remember all that BS from the Southern States this past year? That it was the liberal (their words, not mine) unemployment benefits that was causing all those jobs to be unfilled. That folks would rather collect the unemployment benefits than work.
My response at the time was the jobs being offered were not being compensated properly. And, that’s why folks weren’t jumping for the offered jobs. Because they didn’t want to put themselves at risk for COVID-19, at the same time using almost 100% of their wages for child care. They needed jobs that paid wages that let them live, to get paid for the work requirement.
And, of course, you know I’m right. Because our jobs market is thriving. As a matter of fact, the number of jobs being offered now exceeds the number of unemployed folks.
Oh, yeah. I forgot to give you the punchline. The average pay for those working in restaurants and grocery stores now exceeds $ 15 an hour. No more of that $ 7.50 or $ 8.50 job posting that goes begging.
As a matter of fact, some 80% of US workers now earn at least $ 15 an hour. Way up from the 60% threshold that obtained back in 2014. This has been one of the fastest periods of rising wages for rank-and-file employees in nearly 40 years! (Thankfully, wages rarely fall once they have risen.)
While gas station employees haven’t reached the $ 15 threshold- they are almost at $ 14 an hour- nearly a 20% rise in just two years! But meat and food purveyors, office supply shops, liquor stores, parking lots, day care, elder care, and janitors are all making at least $ 15 an hour.
The other piece of good news? Non-managers are earning an average of $ 25.83 an hour- almost a 10% increase since the onset of the pandemic. (As you can see, the rate of increase is much lower than at the lower echelons of the economic scale.)
Again, those jobs gone unfulfilled had nothing to do with unemployment compensation- but everything to do with employment compensation.
You speak the truth. My son worked for a pizza joint this summer. Wages were crap because of the “possibility of tips” but he did fine since he wasn’t paying for his rent or anything. I don’t know how you could support a family on what he made…
Dominique recently posted..It’s National Waffle Day!
That sort of system needs to be changed, Dominique.
This is interesting info. A thriving economy pays respectable wages.
Especially when businesses complain they can’t get employees!
It is time for all full-time workers to earn enough money to live above the federal poverty level.
I’m with you 100%, Rachel!
Back in 2017 my granddaughter was asst. manager at Panda, making $10 per hour. She thought that was great because a few years prior when she lived in Indiana she was making $7.50 at Sears. Now the majority of the fast food chains have signs at all of them stating starting at $13-$15 per hour plus anywhere from $500-$1000 bonus after 90 days. I hope more people will find this worthwhile since so many stores are still closed or open reduced hours.
Martha recently posted..Getting Vaccinated
The higher rate of pay will make it possible for folks to finally have money left at the end of their month, Martha.