How many American redditors actually know what labor laws are like in the rest of the developed world, and how many non-American redditors know how bad it is here?
Here's some details of the rampant unfairness in the American system:
1) Nope, your employer is NOT required to give you any notice, or any severance pay. Some do provide severance, but that is purely at their discretion and often accompanied with "sign or you don't get your money" waivers of corporate liability for your termination. So if you suspect you've been fired for an illegal reason, too bad, if you want to make your rent and car payments you'd better sign on the dotted line.
2) Employers in the U.S. are not required to provide ANY paid time off. No paid sick days, no paid vacation time, no paid maternity leave, no paid federal holidays. Many employers, even most, provide one or more of these things as a courtesy, but the number of employers offering none of them is rising as the unemployment rate rises and people become willing to take any job at all, even one that views its employees as chattel who don't deserve a paid day off once in a while.
3) Do you work for a company with fewer than 15 employees? Your company is allowed (in most states) to discriminate against employees on the basis of race, sex, national origin, pregnancy, et cetera. Title VII of the civil rights act, which prohibits such discrimination, exempts private businesses with fewer than 15 employees. In other words, if you employ only 14 total people, you can simply say "only white people allowed." By the way, that 15 number doesn't include independent contractors or partners, so you can have a fairly large employer that is still allowed to discriminate as long as most of the people working there are independent contractors. What's more, no one's agitating to change this.
4) If you receive tips as part of your normal employment, your direct wage is generally $2.13 per hour. Yes, $2.13 an hour. Hope your tips are real nice.
5) Many, MANY jobs are not required to pay any overtime wage regardless of how many hours you work. This doesn't just apply to executives and managers and creative types. Projectionists, carnies, cab drivers, and a host of other occupations are also exempted and require no overtime wage whatsoever.
6) Youth under age 20 in their first 90 days of employment are allowed to make $4.25 an hour.
7) Only 21 of 50 states require ANY meal or rest break time for adult employees (including both paid and unpaid breaks). Four more require breaks for minors but not adults. There is also no federal restriction on how long employers may keep employees at work or how many hours an employer can require of an employee per week. In other words, while most employers do not do this, it is 100% legal in many states to employ someone for a 16 hour shift with no breaks allowed.
In other words: if you're not from the U.S., however bad you thought U.S. labor protections were, they're worse.
More Here..
Las Vegas Jobless Rate Climbs to 14.8 Percent (Some sources claim it's really 29.8%)
CARSON CITY – The unemployment rate in the Las Vegas area in July rose to 14.8 percent, the 19th consecutive month of double-digit joblessness.
More Here..
President Barack Obama is going to look after us no matter how bad the economy get. Doesn't he prove it every day with his hard work and encouragement? Where is the trust we are taught to give to our government?
ReplyDeleteNow is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.
It's amazing that we don't have any laws requiring those things, yet they exist so pervasively in the free market. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteLast time I checked it was America and we still had freedoms. If I don't want to hire whoever for whatever reason I want, I should be able to do so. Employment is voluntary.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like it, go live in France (or just stay here a bit longer, we will be France soon enough).
1:17 have you been on planet X for the last few years? CBS has done a survey and 63% of Americans gave Obama an "F" overall rating. The rest are brain dead like 1:17.
ReplyDeleteTAKE THE SURVEY: HERE
The whole article is kind of pointless, isn't it? And what is the point? Is this suppose to be something new? It's been this for at least twenty years that I know of, at least since I took my very first job.
ReplyDelete1:52pm I do think 1:17pm was being sarcastic...Times are tough but dark humour will be abundant.
ReplyDeleteSweden has 9 or 12 months paid maturnity leave, not really sure even though I live here, long time since kids. 5 weeks paid vacation. overtime paid the very first minute, chrsitmas and similar holidays are some 300% overtime pay on top of the regular salary. Free education, free healthcare, paid time off to study for free, sickpay and much much more.
ReplyDeleteLived 7 years in Florida, miss the weather, now back in Sweden and even though the weather sucks during winter, it is still safe to say that for the average Joe, Sweden must be heaven. Employer pays for tools, safety equippment etc.
Safety nets all over the place.
Taxes a bit higher, yes nut the US is well underway to match Sweden.
152 bush really looked out for the common man, I noticed that common man was broke, bloody dead based on lies and laughed at at every turn, yes that murderer really looked out for us.
ReplyDeletebush and obama
ReplyDeletedestroyed america
they go hand and hand off to grandma
traitor s house and the congress for treason group
people have no clue its so sad.
jobs that dont exist
Las Vegas Job Numbers a Lie as Usual, The real unemployment rate is actually about 30%. That is a fact. No matter what number the govt give out, it is a lie, No matter what. I believe nothing they ever say, Never.
ReplyDeleteBoo Hoo Discrimination ROFL. Before 1965 it was called freedom of association. At least small businesses still have it.
ReplyDeletei guess everyone who is for the present day banker ripoffs could just put a sign in their yard that says BANKERS WELCOME or they could put a sign thats says RESTORE AMERICA PLAN and OR HANG THE U.S. FLAG OR SOMETHING CLOSE THAT STANDS FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,FOR MORE INFO go to
ReplyDeletetheworldsbestwater.com
@5:10-Why do facts bother you so much? You can't argue against facts, the article used actual facts.
ReplyDeleteYou're just whining and complaining.
The US has the highest wealth disparity of the 30 modernized developed nations in that economic league or whatever it is. It has the lease days off, only Korea comes close at 8 to US 0, and the rest all have at least 20. Those are actual facts.
There is oppression in other countries, true, but there is oppression in this one too. Cops racially profile all the time and look at all the hatred given out to Muslims the past few years. Skin color and faith have a tremendous effect in the US, for the most part it's still a very white country, with a male white power base. The brown countries will be predominantly brown of course, the black ones will be black. The US happens to be a white nation.
And why is it like this in America? Because of all the brain-washed fools whose knee-jerk reaction is to shout COMMIE or SOCIALIST anytime someone mentions labor provisions. And yet CORPORATIONS have FAR more protections than any single human employee. Let's get it together folks. Stop paying hommage to everything you were taught in the 1st grade after reciting the pledge of allegiance to your superiors.
ReplyDeleteWant racism?
ReplyDeleteGo to China: White Devil, Black Monkey. Not much better here, but at least you know what they're saying to you.
Go to Islamic nations: Get your throat cut or head shot off, tourist sucker.
Looking for better?
Try Europe. Bring lots of money.
Or stay in America. This is home. Try to improve it. Scream and curse at it.
But love it. This is home.
Military coup
ReplyDeletehttp://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/09/full_text_of_newsmax_column_suggesting_military_co.php
The free market has created paid maternity leave. Female workers can purchase short term disability before getting pregnant: normal labor and delivery is covered.
ReplyDeleteNice article. Its good to bring these things out for people to see. I notice a lot of people here saying "big deal" in so many words, and I'm guessing those people probably have paid holidays, days off, lunchbreaks. I live in Ohio and these things are not required, thus I don't have them. I work in a paper mill that boasts 115+ degrees, high humidity(it rains from the ceiling), no lunch break, and a pace so fast its tough to grab a sip of water. I'm forced to work a different shift every month. I work 6 days a week, I only get xmas off work. And bosses commonly degrade, demoralize, and humiliate workers. In two months we've had 2 heart attacks, 1 heat stroke, and a suicide attempt.
ReplyDeletethis stuff is happening in america. I'm glad your job is good, but folks need to wake up.
I was laid off of my decent job and had to take this through a staffing agency so that I could EAT. Unemployment doesnt last forever and finding work on your own is a lottery. Companys are EXPLOITING workers.
US labor is overpaid , even if the benefits to workers like Medicare and social security benefits are less than more civilized first world nations.
ReplyDeleteStill, the working people consumed more value than they produced at the expense particularly of the poor third world working people as on the whole ,in total, as a class they produced no real profit for capital.And in no way can be considered workers exploited by capital.
Because, the US is a failed capitalist system .with a military industrial complex and wars financed by deficit spending at its core.
The US is an unproductive services based economy where consumption of wealth was counted as a 72% share of its GDP.
That was running on credit including vendor finance from china ,japan, The third world and arab puppet dictators like The Saudi royal family.
This vendor finance was extended to the working people in credit card debt and housing finance creating serial bubbles including a huge property bubble.
And in the end profits for the finance sector from the sale of Dud fake AAA rated bonds by banks and government and profits for the insiders of a corrupt finance sector in derivitive bets in casino capitalism .profits from corruptly from betting its own bank securities and bonds like sub-prime bonds would fail. A parasite corrupt Finance sector . But nobody goes to jail.
These Fake AAA rated dud bonds were exported to the rest of the world as the US exported the costs of its economic crisis to the whole world .
Pre crisis US company “profits” were borrowed from the rest of the world in a great Ponzi economy dependent on the Dollar hegemony in world trade and finance.
Continual Bailing out this failed economic system by socializing the losses of capital and money printing for defict finance of government stimulus to support the bankster sector and reward them with bonuses for fake profits will in no way create a real economic recovery with jobs.
There are no profits to be made from productive workers in America as we can see in the collapse of manufacturing and housing sectors. So the banks are unwilling to invest the capital they receive from treasury.
The major profits for the bankster sector are derived in a carry trade with this free capital from treasury invested back with treasury for free interest or from the difference between the cost of the ‘loans’ from treasury when invested back with the Fed in treasury bonds for a higher interest.
The Fed itself is ‘purchasing” treasury bonds in so called ‘quantative easing” stimulus by “printing Money” A second round of ‘quantative easing” perhaps in a new and different disguised form to prop this fake bankrupt economy up by looting the assets and savings of Americas own Middle Class.
The US is not in a cyclical recession downturn, both government and the finance sector are completely insolvant.
The US is no longer the biggest industrial wealth producing economy in the world.
China is now that Power even if its GDP is still valued or counted in US paper .
Trillions of US treasuries are owned by China Japan and Europe.
The question for the ordinary American people is whether they will have a good future in this Corporate State socialism for the rich and with the increased “austerity” unemployment and cuts in social security benefits they will get for financing that continuing and increasing bailout for an insolvent Ponzi market capitalism its wars and federal ,state and municipal for government bondholders, and a private central bank monopoly owners of an increasing national debt that claims ownership title over decreasing government tax revenues.
"you think this is bad? just look at those guys over there!" Pretty tired of getting this as a response when I want to talk about exploitative labor practices on the home front. I understand that there are people who work for pennies an hour and for 16 hours a day 365 a year. The point is things can be better and should be better for workers in the US. It's so much easier to point out someone elses problem than to recognize that you yourself have a problem.
ReplyDeleteCorporates love that Americans are willing to be content with "at least we're not malaysia" instead of buckling down on them.
It's good you are concerned about whats going on abroad. Yes some places and people have it very rough, much worse than you have it now. That doesnt change the fact that there are issues on your doorstep that will effect you, your family, and your bottom line. But it seems most will be content to stare out the window thinking "those poor fellas" and hardly notice their walls falling down around them.
Somewhere along the lines the average American citizen lost the balls to stand up for whats right for them. You cast your ballot and wait for the filthy rich to regulate themselves and give you your fair cut. You allow your attention to be diverted so easily as the rug is taken beneath you.
Well everybody wants more American Apple pie
ReplyDeleteespecialy when things get tough .
"We Have a Dream "
The point made however, was that US workers consume more wealth, than they produce.
On the whole, Pre-crisis , they created no profits for capital .
Americans were living the good life on credit.
Profits for American corporations were borrowed from the rest of the world and from selling dud US AAA secutities.
Americans have chosen to bail out their "filthy Rich" for free by signing over future tax revenues to socialise the losses of the the rich and for wars .
Its no "pie" "fair cut" left over for giving you the good life you feel you are entitled to as an "average american" by "right" .
"Somewhere along the lines the average American citizen lost the balls to stand up for whats right for them."
Thats because there was no need.
Credit and cheap labour commodities from the Third World were cheaply available .
But now the Great Ponzi has imploded and the "pie" of available consumable has shrunk .
"It's so much easier to point out someone elses problem than to recognize that you yourself have a problem."
Your problem is Americans are headed for unemployment and third world living conditions.
Your Problem is namely a bankrupt failed system that cannot pay or even profitably employ an unproductive of profit whining labour aristocracy or get a profit from investing in falling in value comercial property or housing.
But your attitude is dont worry about the rest of the worlds people .Look at ME.
Because "we have a Dream" no economics required!
Its a right to credit and the good times.
But who will pay for the wars to keep that dream alive in a bankrupt Ponzi system ?
somebody has to bail out the 'filthy rich" and the wars now have to be paid for.
Eat your food stamps america!
what you say is true and I cannot disagree with your sound facts. This is the situation we are in. The bankers have failed us. And the government has failed us by allowing these bankers to keep billions in profit while they pass on the debt of their losses to ordinary people.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm talking about though is not so much wages as work environment. The disparity between rich and poor or employer and employee is a grand canyon like gap that is only getting larger. Sooner or later people will realize that they are doing all the work for a fraction of the wage and things are going to get worse.
Some experts have suggested America needs to convert to a "caring culture." This is all I'm talking about. The wage gap is insane. But all I'm asking for is fair treatment in the workplace, some scheduled breaks (time to eat, drink, human things you know) and a few more days off a year. We were kicked by the elites with this financial crunch generated by their own greed. And now we're being kicked again as the elites line up to take advantage of a pool of desperate laborers.
Your facts are spot on. but everyone who cares to know already knows what has happened. I think we're talking about slightly different things here. You talk about the debt and financial crunch we were given, I'm talking about how they mistreat us as we strive to pay it off for them.
"The peasants are revolting, oh my"
Considering i appeared to be laughing at you ithank you for your reply and discussion
ReplyDeletewithout the usual dogmatic abuse and name calling often common on this website.
A kinder and more fairer system would indeed be nice, but the contradiction between the different interests over future incomes, including for the use of tax revenues to pay for past losses of capital , will not be resolved by appeals to more humanitarian economics for providing higher wages and for un-economic jobs.
These competing claims from a limited 'pie" are mutualy exclusive.