wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Uncommon Economic Indicators

The Brian Lehrer Show's online and on air collaborative project on the economy

Employment

Our young's prospects and health care reform

Story submitted by: Marc Heineman

Sunday, November 22 2009

Bayside NY

I hope that the public will get a plan that provides choices at competitive prices that benefit’s the public rather than special interest corporations in the insurance, hospital and health insurance fields.
Many people outside of Pennsylvania Ave and K street are struggling and need to see a path to better times. I for one see the future for most of my nieces and nephews riddled with economic challenges that I do not envy. I see co workers who sent their children to fine colleges emerge to a dismal job market. A health bill that benefit’s the citizens of this country by providing sufficient and affordable coverage would be a step in the right direction. Denying citizens in certain states sufficient health insurance company choices promotes higher costs for the general public. Catering to Senator Nelson will prevent citizens from shopping for a good affordable and dependable plan.

Babysitters looking for jobs

Story submitted by: Dimitri Liakhovitski

Monday, November 9 2009

424 Center Street Fort Lee, NJ 07024

I am a member of a Yahoo club for Russian-speaking parents (mostly NY Metro area). I am seeing more and more ads on our forum whose gist is "Good Babysitter available ASAP: Due to my family situation, I had to let go of a good babysitter...etc." Looks like people are loosing jobs and are letting babysitters go. Before Spring-Summer 2008 we had virtually no such posts. Most of the babysitter-related posts back then discussed "arrogant babysitters who are requesting too much in pay/vacation/perks". Situation clearly changed since then.

Freelance drying up

Story submitted by: Kirsten Rohrs

Friday, October 30 2009

I was a freelance editor in magazine publishing for 16 years. Over the past year, ALL of my jobs have disappeared, with publications folding and advertising pages down. I have now taken a full-time writing position at a university, making 40% less than I was bringing in last year. I feel lucky to have a job at an organization that is not in danger of closing. However, the economic hit will be hard on me and my family.

City and State Recruiting Volunteer Attorneys

Story submitted by: Naomi Cohn

Tuesday, October 20 2009

Did you know that the city and state are recruiting attorneys to work on a volunteer basis?

Overwhelmed by the needs of unrepresented litigants in the recession, the state courts are looking for volunteer attorneys to provide free legal advice in proceedings involving foreclosure, consumer debt, landlord/tenant, and other areas.

But the city and state are also recruiting volunteer attorneys to actually do the everyday legal work of their regular lawyers. The website of the city's law department advertises that volunteer attorneys who have recently been laid off are needed to conduct depositions. The state is recruiting volunteer attorneys to serve as law clerks for state judges. Volunteer attorneys are also working in various state and city agencies.

I don't have anything against these programs. I have already participated in four of them since being laid off in January, 2009. I am, however, wondering what people would say if the city and state were to begin recruiting people to work as volunteer teachers, firefighters, and police officers.

In the meantime, the volunteer work I have been doing has provided me the opportunity to help other New Yorkers who have been hit by the recession. I have gained experience in landlord/tenant law and employment law to add to my background in real estate, collections, and commercial litigation. Would anyone like to offer me a paying job?

museum fires staff: museum goers and art adversely affected

Story submitted by: miriam rosenstein

Monday, September 28 2009

Maplewood, New Jersey

At the Met Museum, no elevator operators this past Sunday: elevator doors closing on wheel chair occupants, baby strollers. etc, hitting them midway .. no guards in many of the galleries to keep people from touching the paintings and sculptures, etc etc -- not to speak of the miseries to those unfortunate workers who who now have no incomes!

No Work Ever

Story submitted by: Eugenia Renskoff

Friday, September 25 2009

338 Berry Street, Williamsburgh

Hi, I am living in Williamsburgh, Brooklyn. I love New York and would like to remain here, but after suffering through mortgage fraud/foreclosure in GA, being back here has proven harder than I would like. At one point last year, I was homeless, living on the steps of St. Bart's church. I am an author (my novel Different Flags came out a few years ago) and a translator/language teacher. Yet, I can find no work. Maybe it's my age (55), maybe it's the economy. The bottom line is that I seem to have no options. But, unfortunately, I am still alive and need to pay my bills. Eugenia Renskoff

Unemployment Benefits Nationwide

Story submitted by: Josh Holbreich

Friday, September 25 2009

Perhaps this is not so uncommon, but as an unemployed journalist, I felt the need to do some research. It seems that 23 states pay out a higher maximum weekly unemployment benefit than New York State's famous $405. Of those 23, only 3 have a higher cost of living (COL) than the Empire State (44th Highest COL). MA ranks one lower at 43, but pays out $900. OK, with the lowest COL pays $392.

Odd Jobs - Craigslist

Story submitted by: David CG

Thursday, September 24 2009

Brooklyn, NY

I am helping a friend who is sick and getting treatment in Boston by packing and moving his belongings out of his apartment in BedStuy. I posted an ad on CL, offering to pay 100 dollars to 3-4 people for several hours of work just to pack the place up. I received 92 postings in the last 24 hours - not just from the expected recent grads, musicians and writers, but also from Engineers, Architects, PHDs, Construction Managers, x-Military, etc... I was shocked.

uptick

Story submitted by: Greg

Thursday, September 24 2009

I've noticed a slight uptick or should I say improvement in the amount of temp work that I'm doing--not fully recovered yet from the depression myself, but seeing some signs of light at the end of the tunnel.

My work as a musician is still pretty flat and has always been a clear barometer of the overall economy conditions.

wonderful nanny available

Story submitted by: Nina

Thursday, September 24 2009

Jackson Heights, NY

It seems that everyone in my neighborhood is looking to place their wonderful nanny. We recently told our own sitter that we might need to reduce her hours drastically. We told her she should take some time to think about what she wanted to do. She said she didn't need to think about it, she was staying with us. She knows how many sitters in the area are looking for work. Fortunately, we wont have to reduce her hours after all.

sign of the times

Story submitted by: bonnie

Wednesday, September 16 2009

245 madison ave nyc, ny

on my way back from a museum I stopped for a Tasty d lite. In the 5 minutes it took to eat my treat, two people came in to fill out an application for employment. The owner asked the applicants not to fill out the applications in the store. Why? Because there were so many of them there would be no room for patrons!

increased student babysitter supply

Story submitted by: Rebecca Wright

Tuesday, September 1 2009

19 W. 4th St New York, NY

Every Fall, I advertise on the NYU job boards looking for a babysitter for my son. In the past, after posting my position, I typically got around 5 responses during the course of the following week or so, primarily from NYU undergraduate students. This year, I received a dozen responses in the first day, and they are still coming in. This year's responses also include more students in NYU's graduate and professional programs who already have a bachelor's degree.

Walgreens saves money

Story submitted by: Yakov Epstein

Wednesday, August 19 2009

Even Walgreen's needs to save money on their advertisements. Have you seen the ads featuring Nancy Marchand talking about how shopping at Walgreen's leaves her more time to walk her dog Daisy? Nancy Marchand has been dead for 8 years. I guess this is saving Walgreen's the cost of paying her royalties.

What About Big Law Firms?

Story submitted by: Eve Birnbaum

Tuesday, August 18 2009

35 west 90th St, New York, NY

So have the big law firms been affected by the meltdown? You bet they have. The AmLaw 100 as the top 100 law firms (by revenue and profits) are known in the industry, have almost all reported decline in revenues and massive layoffs in attorneys and staff - and several have blown up.

I've started a new company, offering law firm management services with an hourly charge and the law firm is only on the hook for a 1-month commitment at any one time. I believe that this is the new model born out of this economy.

the "streetsweeper index"

Story submitted by: Mark Hudson

Friday, August 14 2009

Newly unemployed? The city is likely to greet you with a nice parking ticket your first week home. Street-sweeping is scheduled twice a week in most downtown urban areas. On my street it is one side Thursday 8-10 AM, next side Friday 8-10 AM. Parking by the curb is always tight in this neighborhood, built in the era where "commuting" meant streetcar or horse-and-buggy, so street-sweeping days are always tight for late-risers or out-of-town visitors. But in recent months it has been absolutely packed for blocks around.
Revenues are on the rise from parking-ticket fees: when do we see the trickle-down benefits from that?

Sad Highways

Story submitted by: Barbara Mehlman

Tuesday, August 4 2009

6 Terrace Circle Apt. 2D

I drive the Merritt Pkwy in Connecticut often when I go to visit my daughters in Massachusetts. This highway is considered one of the most scenic in the northeast and for good reason-- beautifully landscaped and exquisitely groomed, especially the center median. Last week, as I drove to Massachusetts, I couldn't help noticing that the median and shoulders were all full of weeds. This is also true on the Northern State Pkwy on LI. It means that groundskeepers have been eliminated; equipment is being idled to save gas, wear and tear.

Volunteering replaces a salary

Story submitted by: Tim Gibson

Wednesday, July 29 2009

Volunteering is UP. As a New York Cares volunteer, I run Orientation sessions for new volunteers. The numbers of new volunteers without work has doubled (easily). People find purpose and worth in going out to help others even less fortunate than themselves. For them it means they can still be productive in society and although there is no paycheck, the emotional and spiritual reward makes it all worthwhile. They feel that they still count in the work force. And who knows, a fellow volunteer may be looking for staff... you never know !

Young Black Men Looking for Work

Story submitted by: Jacqueline Cantwell

Tuesday, July 14 2009

360 Adams Street, Room 349 Brooklyn, New York 11201

I have worked as a law librarian for twenty years, seven of those years in Oakland, California and the past nine in Brooklyn. I judge the economy by the kinds of questions coming over the reference desk. In good times, the questions are varied because people are starting businesses and need to research how to register a company and which regulations govern. In bad times the questions are repetitive and about how to get out of debt. I point to books on bankruptcy, foreclosure, and student loans several times a day now.
The questions that sadden me the most are the young black men asking about the laws governing process servers. I know times are bad again when that question comes up. No one looks for that work when times are good. It’s a dangerous job; no one likes being served. These young guys are all decent young men trying to get by. They deserve so much more.

Blatant need for free labor

Story submitted by: sally

Tuesday, July 7 2009

This new blog: SalaryTK: The job board for journalists who don't want to get paid.

Journalism is imploding at the same time as the economy. It's a field that has always relied on free labor from "interns," but anecdotal evidence suggests those interns are getting older, and a scan of job ads reveals that the requests for free labor are getting more and more brazen--from bigger and bigger media names. (Alas, WNYC included.)

The Great Recession: My Life After the Layoff

Story submitted by: Jamie Flanders

Sunday, June 21 2009

Hello, my name is Jamie Flanders and I am submitting a short video on how my life has changed and my observations about life since losing my job in NYC in April. I had been a "Outsourcing Manager" at leading magazine publisher in NYC but actually worked for a company called Global Employment Solutions. My video is about what it is like to be home during this current down turn and the irony is that my business was the "jobs business."