Wednesday, October 3, 2012

We Fund Dependency

"There are no jobs!" That is what people told me outside a government "jobs center" in New York City.
To check this out, I sent four researchers around the area. They quickly found 40 job openings. Twenty-four were entry-level positions. One restaurant owner told me he would hire 12 people if workers would just apply.
It made me wonder what my government does in buildings called "job centers." So I asked a college intern, Zoelle Mallenbaum, to find out. Here's what she found:
"First I went to the Manhattan Jobs Center and asked, "Can I get help finding a job?" They told me they don't do that. 'We sign people up for food stamps.' I tried another jobs center. They told me to enroll for unemployment benefits."
So the "jobs" centers help people get handouts. Neither center suggested people try the 40 job openings in the neighborhood.
My intern persisted:
"I explained that I didn't want handouts; I wanted a job. I was told to go to 'WorkForce1,' a New York City program. At WorkForce1, the receptionist told me that she couldn't help me since I didn't have a college degree. She directed me to another center in Harlem. In Harlem, I was told that before I could get help, I had to come back for an 8:30 a.m. 'training session.'"
Our government helps you apply for handouts immediately, but forces you through a maze if you want to work.
"WorkForce1's website says to arrive 30 minutes early, so I did," Zoelle said. "A security guard told me the building was closed. At 9:15, Workforce1 directed 30 of us into a room where we were told that WorkForce1 directs candidates to jobs and provides a resource room with 'free' phone, fax and job listings and helps people apply for unemployment insurance and disability handouts. This seemed like the only part of the presentation when people took notes.

Read more: http://townhall.com/columnists/johnstossel/2012/10/03/we_fund_dependency

1 comment:

Marry Jones said...

This is an absurd. Aren't 'so-called' job centeres have to help people to look for jobs? After all, some popele are nothing to be blammed for! They really try to find jobs, while those who are paid God knows what for refuse do something they are responsible for
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