• CobraChicken3000@lemmy.ca
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    3 days ago

    “functionally unemployed”… includes not only people who are unemployed and looking for a job, but also those who are involuntarily working part-time and who are earning poverty-level wages, or less than $26,000 annually before taxes.

    This is insane. These old metrics are hiding an ugly reality of exploitation. Just consider that homelessness does not count millions of Americans who reside in extended stay hotels (paying week to week or day to day) because they can’t afford to rent an apartment in many cities despite having a full-time job. Absolutely infuriating!

    • EmpathicVagrant@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Easily much higher if you count the ones slightly above that, working part time jobs and not making rent and never getting benefits of employment.

  • manuallybreathing@lemmy.ml
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    2 days ago

    I’m functionally unemployed but I can afford to be, and I do it so I can tell myself I’m contributing less to the imperialist government

    I also can’t hack a full time job because of mental illness, so there’s that. I don’t qualify for a pension.