I believe child care and the risk of children getting COVID at centers still open are the largest factors in people staying home. The stimulus money stopped but people are still waiting. (It should be mentioned that many did not receive stimulus money. I am one of those). In 2008/09 when the economy hit the skids businesses knew people feared losing their jobs. Many did and those they retained were expected to do more to take up the slack so they would not be let go. Pay was not rising. Businesses had the upper hand. Now, I believe some are waiting for better pay and benefits to help make up the bad years they/we had. Workers do have more clout now. Pay needed to rise. Our national minimum wage is still $7.75 I believe. Pretty pathetic. So this should not be too surprising. Balancing is happening. Inflation was predicted as COVID has less effect. People can be more mobile, can make more, and can do things they could not do in our slowdown so they spend more. Supply chain issues also cause this.
Thanks for your comment, Rick. Yes, our minimum wage is crazy low—a starvation wage. Although some pay is rising, when there is a shortage of workers, you would think employers would have to give in at some point.
I believe child care and the risk of children getting COVID at centers still open are the largest factors in people staying home. The stimulus money stopped but people are still waiting. (It should be mentioned that many did not receive stimulus money. I am one of those). In 2008/09 when the economy hit the skids businesses knew people feared losing their jobs. Many did and those they retained were expected to do more to take up the slack so they would not be let go. Pay was not rising. Businesses had the upper hand. Now, I believe some are waiting for better pay and benefits to help make up the bad years they/we had. Workers do have more clout now. Pay needed to rise. Our national minimum wage is still $7.75 I believe. Pretty pathetic. So this should not be too surprising. Balancing is happening. Inflation was predicted as COVID has less effect. People can be more mobile, can make more, and can do things they could not do in our slowdown so they spend more. Supply chain issues also cause this.
Thanks for your comment, Rick. Yes, our minimum wage is crazy low—a starvation wage. Although some pay is rising, when there is a shortage of workers, you would think employers would have to give in at some point.
A lot of food for thought here, Joan. Thanks for this.
Thanks, Jolene. I hope this is a shift for the better for employees, even if slight.