Monday, December 05, 2011
For the millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the Great Recession, finding new employment has been only one hurdle to clear. Getting their old way of life back is still another.
Using four surveys administered between August 2009 and August 2011, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University determined that only 7% of those who became unemployed during the first 12 months of the financial crisis have gotten new jobs that pay them the same amount, or more, than their previous positions.
The large majority say they have diminished lifestyles, and about 36% have experienced severe reductions in income. These latter Americans fear their situation will be permanent. Those aged 45-59 were the most likely to consider themselves “devastated.”
A majority of all who lost their jobs, even those who are “recovering,” experienced strain in their family relations. Of those whose lifestyles were downsized or devastated, a majority felt ashamed or embarrassed, borrowed money from family or friends, reduced spending on food and sold possessions to make ends meet.
-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky
For Jobless, Little Hope of Restoring Better Days (by Motoko Rich, New York Times)
Categorizing the Unemployed by the Impact of the Recession (by Cliff Zukin, Carl Van Horn, and Charley Stone, John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development) (pdf)
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