Why work? Why not?

Bloomberg just released a flurry of unemployment data, including that of ADP, the payroll firm, and several other indicators. The overall bottom line seems to be that those seeking employment are finding jobs, and consistently month-to-month over the past several months. That's a good thing. What the report does not really discuss is the numbers who continue to be outside the job market, and why.

Some, of course, have reached retirement, or simply chosen to take themselves out of the market. That would be understandable if there were no jobs; currently the reverse is true. One of the more common reasons over the past few years has been the lack of good jobs, often pushing people into less-fulfilling, or even menial jobs to keep food on their tables. Numbers of these seem to be trending toward better employment.

What is still an imponderable is the effect of public assistance on the desire to find and keep employment. Years ago, if you wanted what we used to call 'general relief', you worked on government projects, usually locally, and you were paid for your work. Special tax advantages allowed these workers to keep most, if not all, of what they earned. The key word here was 'earned'.

Today, the broad levels of public assistance brings up the question of why work, pay taxes, and leave the home when it is easier, in some cases, to simply have the government send you a check, pay for your healthcare, provide a wide range of other assistance, and give you a standard of living you might not be able to match in the competitive economy. 

Don't get me wrong here, There will always be those who, due to disability, lack of skills that match employment needs, or other, personal reasons, will not be in the labor force. They may need public assistance, and having people able to maintain some level of health, get more education, or whatever it takes to be a contributor to society in their own way, is part of the American fabric. However, when the economy is moving upward, in some measure of consistency, having jobs available for those who can work, we ought to expect that more will contribute to the economy, rather than simply taking from it.