The current rate of unemployment is at somewhere around 5 percent; it has been recognized that the economy has had rates closer to 4 percent. The question is asked if components such as frictional, structural, cyclical, voluntary, or involuntary unemployment exist. I feel that each type of unemployment play an integral part in the makeup of our national unemployment rate. People have different reasons for their unemployment status which have an impact on the unemployment rate. Companies definitely impact the unemployment rate by hiring and firing of employees.
Lets examine why unemployment exists in the first place. "The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the economy who are willing and able to work but who are not working" (Colander,140). People for the most part want to work and earn money so they can have the things they need and also want. It is when a person becomes lazy or unappreciated in there job is when unemployment exists. However, a company may also have something to do with the loss of your job, which in turn affects the unemployment rate. .
If a company is struggling in the business they are doing an employee may experience unemployment. Many times a company goes out of business or bigger businesses come in and buy them out. leaving people without jobs, the result is unvoluntary unemployment. It is one of the most cruel forms of unemployment because the employee has no say in what takes place. If a company decides to downsize, your job is now gone. I have experienced a company moving from the bay area to Dixon. I was given the choice of moving away from my family and friends or having a job. I had a decision to make, it was not worth the move to me leaving all I had behind for a job that was not worthy of the move. As a result of my decision I experienced unemployment for the first time. The decision I made had an affect on the unemployment rate.
What happens when a person voluntary decides to have unemployment? This is the case for a lot of Americans today.
