"Four ideas for fixing the long-term unemployment crisis"

[applegrove]

Four ideas for fixing the long-term unemployment crisis

Posted by Brad Plumer at WP

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/25/four-ideas-for-fixing-the-long-term-unemployment-crisis/?utm_source=Daily+Digest&utm_campaign=b1ebae127a-DD_4_26_134_26_2013&utm_medium=email

"SNIP..........................


1) Better training programs. Harry Holzer of Georgetown University made the case for ”education and training programs, to create worker skills that better match newly available jobs.” Randy Johnson of Workforce Development, Inc. suggested a variation on this: Congress could help states set up clearinghouses “that would help employers connect with individuals seeking an internship or another on-the-job learning experience.”

2) Wage subsidies for displaced workers. Holzer also suggested wage insurance “for displaced workers whose earnings are permanently reduced by their loss of a good job.” Likewise, Johnson told Congress to consider “offering a ‘wage replacement differential between a jobseeker’s new starting wage and their past employment as they start out.” The idea is that laid-off workers, especially older workers, wouldn’t take as big a hit to their paycheck if they had to take low-wage jobs.

3) The government should just hire people. Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute was also on board with work subsidies and training programs (though he said that government training programs “are a national embarrassment”). But he also made the case for direct government hiring for the long-term unemployed.

“The stigma of long term unemployment may be ameliorated by a short-run jobs program that recruits the long-term unemployed to assist with the normal functions of government,” Hassett said.



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[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. I need #2 desperately. thanks. K&R

[duffyduff]

2. The problem is Washington won't do one thing about it.

The reason is that most of them subscribe to neoliberal ideas that high unemployment is necessary to drive wages and salaries down to third world levels so that the U.S. can "compete" with those countries.

Washington is really the enemy of the American people.

[Phlem]

3. #1

I was laid off in the early to mid 90's and no matter what, the field I was in was always hiring. They were, but not in this country. I sincerely believe training programs are more of a causal effect of the economy instead of actually learning skills for the future. That desperately needs adjustment in the worst way.

-p