Today’s article, No spouse, no job: Unemployment hits singles hard, by George Mannes is an interesting look at some statistics that have come out recently regarding unemployment.
The numbers for unemployment in September show that it rose to 9.8%, and that it might hit 10% in the near future. But as bad as the overall unemployment rate is, the breakdown of single versus married people is interesting…it’s almost double! In August, the rate was 13.5% unemployment for singles and 6.3% unemployment for married people! The article points out that a likely reason is that married men are motivated to take a lower paying job, to be able to support their families, and that single people are typically younger and have less education and experience than their married counterparts (this, of course, is just supposition). There is also a difference in those with a high school education versus a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Only 4.9% with a Bachelor’s degree are unemployed, versus 10.8% with only a high school education (a good argument for staying in school and going to college).
There is also disparity amongst race, gender, and age. And, while these statistics are interesting to me, I have to think that there are ALWAYS discrepancies amongst employment based on race, gender and age, since the people in the work force are constantly changing. I’m not taking away from the fact that these people are suffering. There are a lot of people out there suffering, and I wish them a job…pronto.
Here is the breakdown:
- African Americans – 15.4%
- Hispanics – 12.7%
- Caucasions 9.0%
- Asians – 7.4%
- Adult Women – 7.8%
- Adult Men – 10.3%
- Teenagers – 25.9%
Overall, I’m most intrigued by the stats on single people. If single people are more likely to be jobless due to their unwillingness to take lower pay, I say that it is their choice! As long as they have an emergency fund in place to carry them through this tough spot and/or are working a part time job til they find the “perfect job”, so be it! And for those of you who are married, taking lower paying jobs, don’t forget your worth! No matter what your situation, having an emergency fund and being prepared for a job loss will help you weather any storm!
Tags: Career, Extra Job, job market, Marriage, Unemployment
