and not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.Reprinted my philosophy on endless unemployment benefits (originally posted April 30, 2010):
Workfare
The prospect of long-term employment is real.
People have currently been on unemployment for 12 months and longer.
There are currently 5.5 people in line for every job (this statistic is oft-quoted of late).
People out of work for longer than one year have a tougher time getting back into the job market (at all).
Proposal
Workfare is a concept that has traditionally been used for welfare clients.
The proposal is to apply this to long-term unemployed claimants.
Operations
Do a lottery of people who have been unemployed for one year (random selection).
Those selected are obligated to perform workfare.
Workfare would require them to work for 20 hours a week – at community service, or for a nonprofit, or a public agency, or be enrolled in qualified training.
Benefits
Individuals would benefit by being engaged in productive work.
They would not be isolated, checking the job boards online in futility, in their homes.
They would be engaged in the community.
The community would benefit from services performed.
They would have an opportunity to network with others in the community, who could lead them to new career directions or possibilities.
They would have something to show for their time of unemployment besides paying the bills.
Options
The program would require workfare for those selected; it would optionally be available to others on a voluntary basis.
Sources
- Economist magazine – long term unemployment could become a reality – after 1 year of unemployment, 1 of 3 workers do not go back to work (ever).
- NY Times article – story about an artist – be willing to be engaged with people, and work for free. It could lead somewhere, network you, and it does keep you engaged and doing something useful for society.
- Neighborhood association in
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