There is a lot of talk about economic recession nowadays. People are complaining how economic recession is making their lives worse. The economic recession often refers to the two quarters of negative economic growth. A severe recession which lasts for more than two years, becomes a depression.
A recession is characterized by rising unemployment, increase in government borrowing, decrease of share and stock prices, and falling investment. All of these characteristics have effects on people.
People have a general understanding of the recessions’ negative effects. But how does an ordinary consumer get affected by a recession, employment in particular is not really clear.
John Schmitt and Dean Baker released a new report on the possible impact of the recession on What We’re In For, Projected Economic Impact of the Next Recession this year. In their report, the 2008 recession in United States is perceived to raise the national employment rate between 2.1 and 3.8 percentage points. This would be an equivalent of between 3.2 million and 5.8 million unemployed Americans. CalculatedRisk stated, based on this report and United States’ recession history, that economic downturn can be measured in how high the unemployed number of people rises.
Based from the United States recession history, there had been a handful of times when the unemployment rate has risen during an expansion. Unemployment had risen by 0.5 percent or and there were instances that it is less. But this scenarios happen when the country is not under any economic downfall. When the unemployment percentage reaches 0.6 percent, the economy is described to be under a recession. This year, the U.S. unemployment rate is nearly 1.1 percent.
Economists, until now have not yet formally labelled the economic downturn of the United States as an economic recession. Amidst falling home equity, the rising cost of food, health care and housing along with disturbing number of unemployment, economists is still claiming that there is still growth in the economy, even though it is small. People found it unnecessary for a formal announcement to actually feel the recession coming in.
According to Miami Herald, people unemployed are starting get desperate. The number or people out of work for six months or more increased from 160,000 from July to August. There are 10.7 percent of people who would like to have a full time job but
are unable to do so. Due to unavailability of working positions.
It does not matter if you have a college degree under your belt. College graduates this year are also experiencing the highest unemployment rate since 2004 with 2.7 percent. Meanwhile, 9.6 percent of high school graduates are unemployed and this figure is also highest rate since 1996.
Most of the job losses are in the manufacturing sector, which lost 61,000 jobs this year. In the manufacturing industry, Miami Herald cited 20 percent of job loss even though the export numbers are increasing.
Even though the pay or salary is increasing, a 3.6 percent increase compared to 2007 salary, it is insufficient compared to the fast rate of increase in the prices of primary commodities. The consumers’ buying power is still low. Food and beverage costs are 5.8 percent higher than 2007.
For those who were left employed and thanking their lucky stars, there is still a hitch. Companies are already cutting the health coverage for their employees. Currently, $694 and $3,281, respectively, according to the most recent data by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Economic recession is an event which is very difficult for everybody. Hopefully, the real economic status will be recognized immediately to be properly addressed and solve.
Filed under Recession by on Jan 28th, 2009. Comment. 
Economic recession is defined to be a period of time (two consecutive quarters) where there is dismal or negative growth in an economy of a specific region or country. Economic recession has different effects on each sector of a nation. A particular sector could experience an impact that could distinctive only in his or her sector.
Women comprises half of the world’s population. During recessions, there is a relative downturn on women’s employment that ever before. Before the United States’ recession in 2001, women were not greatly affected by the economic recession. However, after the 2001 recession in the United States, omen started losing a lot of jobs.
Women also experience low employment rates. Families rely on women’s employment to boost the family income during a recession. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics:
1. When women lose jobs, families lose a substantial share of the income. Women salaries are said to be one third of the whole family budget.
2. Over the past 30 years, families who have a working wife have seen real increases in family income.
3. During the 2001 recession, women were hit harder by unemployment than men.
4. After the recession of 2001, women were able to get back to their jobs but where unable to gain or experience any increase in their employment rates.
5. Women are said to be harder hit by the 2008 recession since women are disproportionately represented in state and local government services.
Women are also greatly affected by job losses during economic recession. Women are said to be the last person to be hired, but the last person to be fired. Unlike women, men shows stable numbers since United States had experienced the economic recession
Between March 2001 and August 2004, women lost jobs in a number of key industries. Women lost 347,000 jobs in information alone. In retail industries, women lost 367,000 jobs. The biggest lost will be in the manufacturing industry which cost women over a million jobs. These numbers are just in the United States alone.
Unemployment rate among adult women workers rise faster compared to men workers. From 3.8 percent in March 2007 it went up to 4.6 percent in March 2008. There is also a significant effect on the wage of women compared to men. Women’s wages are more unstable than men’s wages.
Women have the tendency or risk of seeing large drops in income than men do. It has been culturally imbedded (based on gender analysis of events) that women’s income just fill in the disparity of men’s wage in terms of providing for the family. Thus women’s wage not being a major source of funds is more at risk of deduction.
In developing countries, women are facing poverty brought about by economic recession blowing out of proportions. With lack of work opportunities and immense poverty, women are forced to enter into prostitution and white slavery.
When economic recession hit in Asia in mid- 1997, women was the hardest hit by the crisis. Many women who have entered these industries come from rural areas because they could no longer sustain themselves and their families. Because of the recession, a lot of employees were released from their work. Women, carrying the burden of providing for their families were provided no other options.
Southeast Asian countries were deeply affected by the financial crisis and were left with social scars. Whenever economic recession or crisis similar to this happens, women and children bear the scars.
Filed under Recession by on Jan 24th, 2009. Comment.
