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The National Employment Law Project finds that while many of the jobs lost during the recession paid somewhere between $13.84 and 21.13 per hour, the jobs that have come in to replace them pay, on average, are only paying between $7.69 and $13.83.
“The disappearance of midwage, midskill jobs is part of a longer-term trend that some refer to as a hollowing out of the work force, though it has probably been accelerated by government layoffs,” writes The New York Times. Low-wage jobs accounted for 21 percent of the jobs lost during the downturn, but 58 percent of the jobs gained. Retail and food prep were two of the biggest gainers.
Middle wage jobs, paying between $13.84 and $21.13, counted for 60 percent of the jobs lost between the beginning of 2008 and early 2010. Nineteen percent of the jobs lost during recession were on the higher end of the pay scale (paying between $21.14 and $54.55 per hour) and they account for about 20 percent of the gains. The National Employment Law Project is calling the current situation “a good jobs deficit.” Overall, less than half of the 8.8 million jobs that were lost in the economic downturn have come back.
Looking at it geographically, the picture is much more scattershot, according to USA Today. Those places with a strong place in the energy or auto industry, for instance, are doing well. Florida and Georgia, which rely on real estate, are struggling. And growth in technology are helping New York and Massachusetts. (We tweeted an interesting story about the push for more women and minority tech entrepreneurs.)
With all of the jobs problems, it’s no wonder that people are looking for side gigs and other additional revenue streams. Click here for tips on how to make your side gig work for you.
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