08 November 2021

Long-Term COVID (Part Two): The Real Issues Around Unemployment And Jobs In The Era Of The Global Pandemic

 

Photo by: Lisanto

08 November 2021 (updated October 2022)
C.S. Sherin

(Note: This article and Part One contain many links to the CDC and other official, respected sites in order to provide the most accurate information from experts, related to the ongoing global Coronavirus pandemic. The author isn't a healthcare professional or expert, and doesn't claim to be one. The author's story and opinions are only that, and aren't meant to replace common sense or the facts and advice given by health and science experts in real time.)

There are so many things about the global pandemic, and its effects upon individuals and our society at large that have yet to be fully understood by us. There are also many ways that a narrative can go, depending on who is telling it, and why. Let's explore that important nuance.

For example, according to some, the millions of jobs left open this year (2021), while millions of US (United States) workers quit their jobs or remain unemployed, seems to automatically imply that people are being lazy, spoiled, or dependent on the government. (We'll unpack all of that later.) 

Yet others say that what is happening is a Workers' Revolution (or Workers' Evolution), and it is a most positive and needed change. The basic reality is that people in the US who are unemployed and/or have quit their jobs, are a part of a broader traumatized population who were desperate for help and change before the pandemic ever began. 

The gift within the pandemic was how it showed so many business owners and workers that remote work can often be the better choice. Remote work eliminates many costs and wasted time and energy. It may not be for everyone, but for millions, it has become the best choice. Along with the option for a hybrid workplace (mostly remote with some instances of commuting to work, to collaborate in person). Why? Because:

  • Commuting is expensive for workers. Some of those costs include: time and stress, cars/transportation, and the ever-fluctuating cost of gas.
  • Going in to work is expensive too. The costs for workers include: work clothes and appropriate shoes, makeup, lunch/food, processes and systems that waste time; childcare, care-giving services for loved ones who are ill; someone to walk the dog, and mental health care to deal with a dysfunctional and stressful workplace.
  • Leasing a space is incredibly expensive for business owners, as are the taxes and other costs that go with a physical space. Many small business owners cannot afford it, along with additional costs made necessary to accommodate changing needs.

It's true that many businesses can't work remotely because they provide services in person. In those cases, other changes have happened. But, we can't actually narrow down, in this way, one reason why we are seeing unprecedented situations in our country and workforce.

In Part One of this article I shared my experience of discovering that I had gotten COVID-19 in December of 2019 in Los Angeles, CA. And, how I came to realize that I have been experiencing "Long-COVID" symptoms, which gradually emerged from that time to now. Based on my experience and other evidence, I pondered how it seems the virus may take advantage of latent weaknesses in each person. 

It is interesting to see some of the studies going on related to COVID-19 and Long-COVID:

Some studies are finding that people who have had COVID-19 are more likely to develop either psychiatric or neurological problems. In fact, there is some evidence that the virus could be similar to how the encephalitis virus affects the brain: 

In continuing this Part Two of "Long-COVID, A Personal Story And The Bigger Picture," we now turn our attention to the issues of jobs and joblessness as related to current events and the pandemic.

My experience during the first year of the pandemic wasn't out of the ordinary for a self-employed person, or for a woman. By the end of 2020 I had to dissolve my five-year-old small business. (I have been a small business owner and freelancer for the last 18 and 25 years, in some shape or form.) The first part of 2020, I had spent building up a new project for that business, but it unexpectedly fell through by spring. I was also in a major transition in my work. By the end of the year, I was forced to contemplate/re-evaluate different paths to take with work and career. In the meantime, I didn't qualify for unemployment benefits. It was unfortunate that I had been in transition, and with set-backs as the pandemic began. It was an informed risk that I took at the wrong time in history.

With the required isolation, distancing, and loss of opportunities in that first year of the pandemic, I found myself on a virtual, small desert island, stranded--as so many of us did. Luckily, I did have the support of my spouse and family members, so I was not overboard without a life jacket, in the open ocean, like many US residents were. Yet, there were countless hardships I faced in the year before the pandemic, and then through the pandemic lockdown. Despite these challenges I never stopped working to build my self-employment back up, in new ways. 

As any small business person can tell you, there are 1,000s of hours of unpaid work that go into planning, building, administrating, and maintaining a business--especially in the beginning and during major transitions. During this time, I also kept up my photography (for my own sanity as much as anything), wrote a book (and have submitted it to potential publishers); and I still have a business plan I'm following. I haven't given up. But, as I will say later, in looking at all that we face collectively... the state of our country and the old, outmoded systems are making many things impossible, beyond impossible, for so many of us.

Here in the US, unemployment rates soared the highest in April of 2020 (to around 15%). Unemployment rates in 2020 became especially high for women. 

Yet, right now, in the most general of viewpoints, things are improving. Recent official statistics are showing that the unemployment rate in September of 2021 was 4.6%, that's 7.4 million people. That is still higher than pre-pandemic numbers, but still a great improvement. 

But, how accurate is the official unemployment statistic? And, what hidden numbers are left unsaid? 

 SEEING THROUGH STATISTICS TO MORE COMPLICATED TRUTHS

The official unemployment statistic that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides is also known as the U-3 calculation. That statistic only represents people who've been actively looking for work within the last four weeks (from when the numbers are gathered). 

The official statistic leaves out: the under-employed and the marginally attached, like discouraged workers (there are about 450,000 of those right now). 

The U-6 "real employment rate" takes those situations into account. Therefore, the real employment rate (U-6) is much more, sometimes nearly double, what the official (U-3) statistic is, at any given time, not just during a pandemic. 

For example, in April of 2020, the official unemployment rate (U-3) was 14.8%. 

At that same time, the real unemployment rate (U-6) was 22.9%. 
    (Source: The Balance, "What Is The Real Unemployment Rate?".)

As of September 2021 the real unemployment rate was 8.5%, down from 8.8% in August.

What else and who else is made invisible by
official statistics?

Here are some answers to that question: 

The official statistic may say that the unemployment rate is going down. And that can be true from a  generalized standpoint. But, that statistic contradicts and erases the fact that unemployment rates for some people are staying the same or getting worse. And, the unnamed people are the ones who face the most stress and discrimination in our country. They aren't white, male, able-bodied, wealthy, and well-connected; and many are in an industry that is undervalued or outsourced.

Hispanic, Black, and Asian women; and then Black and Hispanic men (in that order) have had the highest rates of unemployment. Asian men are next, before white women and then white men. Additionally, it is women and men between the ages of 16 to 24 who have had the highest rates of unemployment during this pandemic.

Immigrant workers are left out of official statistics. There is an official (U-3) statistic for "Foreign-Born Workers," but it is presented separately from the official unemployment rate, because that represents US-born citizens. The unemployment rate rose to 9.2% for immigrant workers in 2020, according to the BLS report. Their report does include illegal immigrants, by the way. But, one can only assume that there are missing numbers based on what can't and won't be reported. In 2019, foreign-born workers made up 17.4% (28.4 million people) of the US workforce. (Not represented in the statistics are the impacts of recent immigration policies.)

Another group to recognize for labor statistics: people with disabilities. Unemployment for people with a disability rose considerably in 2020, to 12.6%. Again, the unemployment rates were higher for Black, Asian, and Hispanic citizens with disabilities than they were for white citizens with disabilities.

Native Americans and Alaska Natives are actually left out of official statistics, even though they are Indigenous peoples of this land and country. Like Hispanic, Black, and Asian Americans, immigrant workers, and people with disabilities in the US... Indigenous peoples of the US have also seen hugely disproportionate unemployment rates (and COVID-19 deaths). 

Yes, there are relative improvements in employment rates in recent months. But, the recovery rate for each of these peoples is much slower than it is for their white counterparts. Failing to highlight these facts supports erasure and systemic discrimination.

Those complaining about the disconnect between job openings and the unemployed don't seem to realize how deeply and profoundly things have actually changed. 

This irrevocable change is due to many things: the pandemic, the current climate crisis emergency, the current mental health crisis pandemic, Long-COVID, insufficient healthcare, witnessing corruption with no accountability, and rising costs (when there were already prohibitive costs) for housing, healthy food, etc. And, the rising costs are met with an incredibly unethical, unjust low minimum wage, which hasn't been updated since 2009, and which also exacerbates the disparities between BIPOC Americans and their white counterparts.  

Keeping up with inflation, the minimum wage should be
$23 per hour right now.
The proposed $15 per hour is a poor compromise,
since a minimum wage means: the minimum that one can be paid
and still meet basic needs and costs.
The current ($2.13 per hour for servers and) $7.25 to $12 per hour
cannot cover the ever-rising cost of living
for an individual, let alone a family.

(Reference: MinimumWage.com)

Did you know that being fired or quitting a job disqualifies you from collecting unemployment?  And, if you didn't work for an employer for at least a year, or didn't earn enough (the amount varies from state to state on how much) you will also be disqualified from collecting unemployment. 

In addition, if you aren't looking for work, then that will disqualify you for unemployment benefits too. So, for example, if you have Long-COVID and/or mental health issues that developed in the last year and a half that keep you from seeking work, you won't qualify for unemployment benefits. Or, if you must be a caregiver for a family member and can't seek work because of it, you will not be eligible for unemployment benefits. Nevertheless, and despite the lack of benefits:

4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August of 2021

and currently

7.7 million unemployed Americans aren't jumping at
the approximately 10 million job openings currently available.
(Source: TIME, 13 October 2021)

And, did you know that self-employed people (including independent contractors and gig-economy workers) don't normally qualify for unemployment benefits at all? 

The CARES Act did a lot to help out the US workforce with emergency financial support, through unemployment benefits (Pandemic Unemployment Benefits, PUA), among other things. The CARES Act even made it possible for states to extend unemployment benefits to some self-employed citizens. But, even with that, each state had different requirements as to how much a self-employed person must have earned in the previous year. Some didn't qualify. And, many didn't receive their benefits on time, or in time for it to make a difference for their situation.

So, in reality, unemployment benefits have little to do with all the job openings that are being left open. Even after the PUA ended (at the beginning of September 2021), people still didn't rush to fill all the job vacancies available.

So, the $300 per week in unemployment benefits, which isn't enough to live on, isn't what has kept Americans from grabbing jobs. Even $600 per week wouldn't cover housing, food, necessities, health insurance, childcare, or car insurance/transportation costs for a family. 

The average cost of living for an individual in 2018 was $5,102 per month. That $600 per week isn't even half of that cost of living number from three years ago!

Yes, the CARES Act helped. But, it wasn't enough. As of the end of October 2021, 9.9 million people in the US aren't able to make or keep up with payments for their housing, whether it is rent or mortgage. The pandemic also worsened disparities between people of color and white homeowners.

WHAT HAS CHANGED ABOUT WORK AND JOBS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS?

Could it be that time spent at home, unemployed or working remotely, with time to reflect, caused a deep REALIZATION that there is another way, and a better way to live and work? Could it be that the work conditions available are so hard on people's bodies, minds, and families... that it isn't an option anymore? Why would that be the case? 

DEATHS SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED OR GLOSSED OVER

775,232 people (and rising) have died from COVID-19 in the US (as of the morning this article is published); and 5,068,128 people have died from COVID-19 worldwide, so far. (Source: Worldometer)

These deaths are on top of other many other deaths, like 93,000 drug overdoses (60% due to synthetic opioids) that occurred in 2020. Rising rates of suicide is another. In the US this year, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death.

Yet, according to the Advisory Board and official statistics, suicides decreased among white people in 2020 (there were about 46,000 suicides reported). 

But, AT THE SAME TIME, these sources explain that suicide rates increased among: 

  • Black women and girls, ages 10-24: the suicide rate rose more than 30%
  • Black men and boys, ages 10-24: the suicide rate rose by 24%
  • Hispanic women and girls, ages 10-24: the suicide rate rose by 40%
  • Hispanic men and boys, ages 10-24: the suicide rate rose by 20%
  • Asian women and girls, ages 15-25: the suicide rate rose by nearly 30%
  • Suicide rates for Native Americans remains the highest, and that rate increased another 5% in 2020. American Indian and Alaska Natives suicides have gone up 139% and 71%, respectively, since 1999. 
Sources: Advisory Board and NICOA

Saying that suicide rates decreased, due to white people "driving the numbers" and being 3/4 of those who died from suicide in 2020, while in the next breath saying suicide rates increased for non-white people in the US... is hard evidence of erasure and systemic racism working at the level of official numbers. Nearly every official statistic shared in news and media works like this. And many of us, myself included, have made the mistake of blindly trusting those numbers.

The leading causes of death each year in the US are heart disease (over 659,000 deaths per year) and cancer (over 599,000 deaths per year). 

With the pandemic, 335,382 people in the US died from COVID-19 in 2020. So far this year, at the time of writing this, 439,850 people in the US have died from COVID-19. However, some months (in 2020 and 2021) COVID was/is the leading cause of death. 

And, 2020 was a year when the US saw more gun violence deaths than has been seen in 20 years. There were 19,379 gun deaths. There was a nearly 30% increase in homicides as well. More than 21,500 homicides were reported. However, the homicide rate is still 40% lower than it was in the early 1990s.

The point is: All of these deaths mean something. The hundreds of thousands of deaths that happened in isolation, that were added onto deaths that occur in the US every year, were a tipping point. Families, work places, communities are hurting and grieving. People who provided income, safety, sanity, kindness, food, shelter, love for others... are missing. So many people have died. Some children have been orphaned or made homeless. There are so many empty places in people's homes, hearts, and lives. Not only that, but because of COVID-19 and the lock-down, so many people could not see or be with their loved one before, during, or after their death.

It truly is a double-edged sword. The pandemic has given us time to have great insights and new understanding. It gave people time to act on injustices like never before. It has also taken so many loved ones. In more ways than one. 

Not only have we dealt with unexpected deaths, we have witnessed friends and families torn apart by: mental illness, corrupt leaders, politicians, social media, news, and carefully crafted conspiracy theories... which, in so many ways, led to the violent insurrection at the US Capitol in January of 2021. And, in cities across the country... people in need have gone without treatment, have even died, because so many people wouldn't get vaccinated, social distance, or wear masks. And then, those same people have swamped hospitals with their critical care needs, due to having COVID-19. 

Right now, in the past two months, in the small city where I live, a person in great need of heart surgery has been unable to get in, due to the hospital being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients in critical condition. Likewise, there are local people who needed cancer care that was delayed for the same reason. So much has changed.

This may be a big activation for US workers: not enough or long enough emergency support from the government and states, when it was most dearly needed. And then, still being expected to put up with: incredibly poor wages, little to no benefits, high risk, high stress, and inflexible hours or inflexible policies. All of these factors have direct and negative effects on a person's physical and mental health. 

All of those negatives, of most jobs available, steal so much from workers: precious health, precious time with loved ones and friends, time to simply be, and the priceless right to a basic quality of life. 

The problem is, most jobs available offer no real adaptability or flexibility around the very real circumstances that so many people find themselves in at this time. More than that, employers and corporations are mostly tone deaf about equity, diversity, inclusivity, as well as about the urgent need for new practices in light of the climate emergency.

People were desperate and hurting before the pandemic happened. With so many people experiencing Long-COVID, thousands (to possibly millions of people); and no real or sure pathway to diagnose, prove, and establish disability for it, or to gain proper healthcare for a pre-existing condition...well, things are more complicated, and way different than before.

How much do we really value essential workers in the United States?

If we are going to talk about the issues of employment, ignored job openings, and joblessness, then we must talk about health insurance.

When the government first rolled out Healthcare Marketplace (aka Obamacare), I jumped at the chance. It was exactly what I needed as a small business owner who couldn't be covered by a spouse's insurance through work (due to the premium being extremely cost prohibitive). The Marketplace was great back then. It was affordable, and I was able to keep up with my healthcare needs through a regular family doctor. But, gradually, over the years, the Marketplace insurance became less and less affordable, and doctors became more and more limited in the kind of care they could provide through it. I started out being able to afford a silver and even some gold plans. In the last three years I have only been able to afford the catastrophic coverage they provide. 

This means that I pay a low premium, and my deductible is capped somewhere between $7,000-$12,000 out of pocket for a given year, depending on the plan that I can afford. Having catastrophic insurance protects me from nightmare-level hospital bills, should something unforeseen happen. But, that high deductible means I won't be going to the doctor for any visits at all. Luckily, in my region, we do have a flat fee clinic, which isn't dependent on pharmaceutical companies or big corporatized hospitals. So, if I need a doctor visit, antibiotics, a blood test, or X-ray I will pay for it up front, and according to a menu of prices disclosed on the website. But, for mental health support and health maintenance, this isn't really enough. There won't be any preventative screenings going on, for the most part. 

The Marketplace coverage is still helpful and affordable for some people with lower incomes. Yet, because the income between my spouse and me is in an in-between place, I most often fall into the cracks in one way or another. This is true for many, many Americans, and for countless self-employed people. 

Healthcare Marketplace enrollment numbers:

2014: Over 8 million people
2020: 11.4 million people
2021: 12 million people

(Source: KFF)

Despite the increase in people using Marketplace, the coverage gap has widened:

"The Great Resignation"

In the last year, in addition to re-defining and building back my self-employment, I have also been applying for jobs quite often. Good jobs, and good remote jobs, are highly competitive, yes. But, more than that, skilled, highly qualified candidates are being passed over, hundreds, if not thousands, of times. Many part-time jobs are actually downgraded full-time jobs, so as to let the employer avoid providing benefits, or limiting them. In addition, for all the talk of change and incentives, the millions of job vacancies are very much simply offering "same old, same old." Also, local part-time jobs, most of which are high risk, require evenings and weekends, with little to no flexibility.

Is it really worth it or logical to take on a full-time or part-time job where I will be under-paid and over-worked without healthcare (or affordable healthcare) or other meaningful benefits? If I don't get healthcare through a job, then what do I have to fall back on when the job negatively affects my health... harms my back, feet, eyes, and/or joints?

When I was hired by an understaffed, mismanaged, dysfunctional, part-time job as an essential worker (aka high risk), I felt like I was in a factory (in a workplace whose persona and reputation is the opposite); my body was aching, and I was exhausted. I wasn't able to use the other half of my day well, in order to continue with my in-motion business plan, because I was stressed, confused, and sore by the demands of that part-time employment. The appearances and the words of the job interview versus what the job actually was, ended up being extremely deceiving.

I had to quit. I was left with back problems in a short amount of time, and many other concerns I won't get into. On top of that, I discovered that my Marketplace catastrophic health insurance premium would be over 4 times as much, just by taking on that job. This had long been a trend. For income I make, the Marketplace insurance adjusts, and takes at least a week's worth of my income for the premium.

Since my brother died, and because I lost a sister to cancer in 2014 too, and some other close loved ones in recent years, and with the ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic...well, I didn't realize it till this short-lived job, but my feelings under the surface changed. I found that the schedule, that was inflicted upon me without transparency, left me no quality time with my spouse. It quickly became a part-time job that required weekends, and shifts that left no time for a (legally required) break. I wouldn't see my spouse at all in the morning. And by the time he got home from work, we were both so tired; and with only two to three hours before I would have to go to bed to get up for the job. The joy quickly faded from daily life, in an already stressful time. The manager made clear that even the smaller of dysfunctions and problems couldn't or wouldn't be addressed or improved in the workplace. The work wasn't worth the loss and pain.

I have never felt that kind of grief before. I know what it is to lose a loved one. I know how precious this time is, and how short life really is. I couldn't bear to live with that deep knowing, and also continue to: ruin my body for a deceiving job, while being robbed of quality time with one of the most important people in my life, while compromising my own work and goals. The uncertainty and fragile gift of life drew out from me, a new, heartbreaking grief, which was easily stopped by quitting.

We are put in an impossible position these days.

And what about the mental health crisis we are experiencing in the US (and worldwide)? I have wanted to see a counselor for the last two years, but can't afford it. I know people who have proper health insurance, who have tried to get in to see a counselor or therapist, and they are booked so far out that it just isn't possible.  

In this desert of opportunities and challenging time, I have relied on all my healthy coping skills; books from the library, psychology articles, therapists on Instagram; friends, family, and even a support group on Reddit. It has taken all of those things to make progress, and maintain a healthy outlook. I am also fortuante that my unique education and work skills give me many healthy coping skills that I'm able to use. So many people need mental health resources and support at this time.

MORE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CHANGES THAT ARE STILL IN FLUX

I've already highlighted many complications and dynamics of our times that contribute to the changes around employment and work. But, there are even more salient points to consider:

  • Between now and 2030 it is expected that people aged 75 years and older who are in the workforce will increase by 96.5%. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • COVID variants are showing up, and infection rates are still rising.
  • Finding safe, affordable childcare is near to impossible.
  • Long-COVID is causing debilitating health and mental health issues for some people, and it interferes with the ability to work.
  • Employers (and others) who act like everything is back to normal are ignoring complex, life-threatening crises and the impacts of them.
  • Some employers interview hundreds of highly qualified, skilled potential hires. Some of these same employers pass, and continue to re-post the job without hiring anyone. These sorts of employers may be going through the motions in order to manufacture a reason to outsource for cheap labor.
  • Extreme weather; wildfires, floods, and droughts are linked to the climate crisis emergency, and are growing more volatile and unpredictable each year. Before and during this pandemic, millions of people have been dealing with forced displacement. According to Statistica, in 2019 almost 25 million people around the world were displaced due to natural disasters. In 2020, over 30 million people in the world had to leave their homes, and were displaced. 
  • Homelessness and chronic homelessness have been increasing for the last four years. 2020 was no different. In January of 2020, well over half a million people were homeless, and that was a 2% increase from 2019. The count of homeless people is done only once per year by HUD, so there are sure to be many not accounted for. 
  • Domestic violence has increased. Financial stress, hunger (not enough money for food), isolation, political tensions, mental health problems, and the COVID lockdown contributed to an increase in abuse at home for many people. In the US, domestic violence calls increased by over 8% in 2020. The United Nations reported a 20% increase in domestic violence during the 2020 lockdown. Sources: The Conversation and Global Citizen. 
  • More people retired than ever before. Many people were forced into retirement due to the pandemic. 28.6 million people retired in 2020. That was 3.2 million more than in 2019. (Source: Pew Research). While many older citizens retired, many others can't retire even if they want to, as they aren't able to save enough money to afford it. 
We have learned a lot during this time already. We know that we don't have to commute or work 40 hours a week to do a good job. We know that wasted time and mismanaged, dysfunctional or abusive workplaces aren't worth it. We've realized the value and possibility of improved health, more peace of mind, and being with loved ones.

It truly seems that our systems aren't designed for health, families, or quality of life. Our systems seem to favor the wealthy, consumption and waste, discrimination, toxic/polluting practices, and exploitation over anything else. 

In general, most jobs function in ways that subject humans to low wages, poor benefits, high risk, and high stress. Likewise, most education pathways for teens and young adults subject them to approaches to learning that aren't conducive to real learning or mental health. And, most higher education pathways lead to inescapable amounts of debt (with unethical interest rates), and prevailing feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness for too many people. 

Our systems are designed to demand an unhealthy, relentless performance and pace from us, which causes division, and degrades health and relationships... all the while enforcing dysfunction, inhumane policies, and unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Until employers, corporations, politicians, leaders realize that things have changed at a deep level, and that we can't go back, there are going to be a lot of news reports on the disconnect between what is being offered and how the US workforce actually responds. Workers are sure to demand basic rights, and a new way to live and cooperate in this new era. The ongoing global pandemic (with death counts rising every day), mental health crisis, healthcare crisis, Long-COVID; and foremost, the climate emergency crisis, are all major factors that may dictate how we will have to adapt and change. 

If leaders are unwilling to take it seriously, then, of course, we all must make new choices in order to help change our country for the better. Whatever happens, nothing will ever be the same. Denying that only causes more suffering and puts more people in jeopardy. 

What the Coronavirus proved is, we are a global village. We are all, very much, connected. May we act accordingly, with accountability and our basic rights intact.


 

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