Full Time Job????? What is that? I have just spent the last three years waiting to receive the full time status at my place of employment. I, as well as the majority of their "employees", worked 40 hours a week and more during the busy season, but were considered freelancers until they deemed us "real employees". After working there for 18 months or so they had to produce the 401 K plan that they offered there full time employees however they did not match any contributions. I could not receive any health benefits and I never knew when I would get the call saying that business was slow don't come in tomorrow. The last time I got that call I had two months off.

Previous to that I worked 35 hours a week in a chiropractors office for two years and wasn't considered full time and once again had no benefits. I was available for 40 but it was less expensive to keep me at part time rates. That office consisted of two people, the doctor and myself.

Many retail spots make sure to employee more people and work them fewer hours to save on benefits. My children have begged for more hours and been refused. The problem with that is that they do not have set hours every week and can't predict what days they will have off, in order to get another part time position.

What the government describes as unemployed is only the tip of the iceberg. I am so grateful to see someone in the media finally discuss this.

I think you're absolutely correct about this. In recent years especially it seems even many large corporations have chosen to force a large percentage of their employees to stay under 40 hours so they won't get any benefits, saving the corporation millions of dollars but leaving employees with unstable incomes and unpredictable work schedules.

A good example of this sort of corporate behavior is VCA Antech, which mandates that hourly employees work less than 35 hours per week and routinely deals with revenue shortfalls by juggling schedules to keep costs down and avoid the expense associated with layoffs (no need to pay severance or workers comp if they just cut your hours instead of laying you off).

This sort of corporate attitude toward workers may be good for the bottom line, but it's hell on the people who can't find better jobs because VCA has bought up so many veterinary practices and small vet clinics around the country.

I guess it's really not surprising in the least. Just one more sad example of how little Wall Street cares about the well-being of the American people.

Just one more sad example of how little Wall Street cares about the well-being of the American people.

Why can't that be, "just one more sad example of how little the gov cares about the side effects of their laws?" It's not like the company is making these rules which make it too expensive for them to have her work 40 hours.

You're so right ... I had a part-time experience at a large law office in Washington, D.C. The firm recruiter found my resume on Monster.com and I was scheduled for an interview which went well but did not lead to a full-time position. It lead to my freelancing at the law office in a secretarial position with the promise of being hired full-time in 3 months. I spoke with HR a few times asking about my change in status from part-time to full time and after a few inquiries, I was terminated because they said I did not work well. What I did not do well was be complacent. That was 2006 and I felt the recession gaining ground way back then.

DBuss:

Just one more sad example of how little Wall Street cares about the well-being of the American people.

Why can't that be, "just one more sad example of how little the gov cares about the side effects of their laws?" It's not like the company is making these rules which make it too expensive for them to have her work 40 hours.

Which rules? How do they affect the bottom line? Or are you just assuming that the very very nice company would just love to hire everyone at 40 hours per week plus benefits, if not for the evil evil government? The latter, methinks.

I have been recently terminated in a down sizing move by my former employer. My former employer, however, is continuing to pay me and provide medical benefits. So, while I am prohibited from entering the offices of my former employer, and I can now do no work for my former employer, I am effectively unemployed, BUT I am still being carried on a payroll. So, the government's employment statistics omit the fact of my current condition. Also, it takes time to assemble the employment and unemployment data and my belief has always been that the 'official' statistics lag the reality of the economy. The US labor market is and has been softer than has been reported. Soon the reportage will suggest that things are extraordinarily bad and about that time the labor market will begin to stabilize. Don't look for a rapid recovery, this recession is very different from those of recent memory.