Labor Force Shrinks As Jobless Swell Disability Ranks

[Gina]

The civilian labor force shrank in April by 342,000 workers, and remains below where it stood when the economic recovery started 34 months ago, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Had the labor force not declined, unemployment would have been 8.3% in April, instead of the 8.1% reported.

That same month, more than 225,000 workers applied for Social Security disability benefits, and nearly 90,000 were enrolled, according to new data from the Social Security Administration.

http://news.investors.com/article/610306/201205040931/labor-force-shrinks-as-disability-grows.htm


comments

I have heard some people say, "Obama makes me sick". Not only does the President make some people sick, he actually makes some completely disabled

 

[Billy_Bob]

what did they expect when 99 weeks of unemployment ran out?

Obama's lowering the UE by simply removing the jobs from the work place. this changes the math.. Fewer available jobs vs those looking for work lowers the UE number.. its all smoke and mirrors..

real UE-3 is about 14.9%

total UE-6 is 24.8%

as figured how the great depression levels were obtained.

just 58% of those who can work are working... that's a drop of over 4% in three years.. (it was 62.8)

[Kyle Ricky]

That sounds about right. The rate of disability fraud is probably as high as it is with welfare fraud. People will do anything to get out of working.

Ie; I know a guy who tried to get on disability because, from what he said, couldn't handle the stress of a job. Of course they denied him, but now he is going to doctor after doctor and trying to come up with anything that will make him eligible.

That is pathetic right there.

[TVDOC]

And you never hear from the politicians and the media that this is what's wrecking the Social Security system......SS alone for just retired people is adequately funded through 2045 (at today's artificially low contribution levels), but the number of people hopping on the SSD and SSDI  gravy train is killing the system......primarily because they are working age, and contributed little, if anything, into the system.

There is an entire cottage industry of doctors and lawyers that make an extremely good living gaming the system to get anyone that wants it on that train.......

doc

[MrsSmith]

Disability is very easy to obtain...just eat yourself over 300 pounds.  (Why does the government subsidize obesity while trying to reduce it??) 

[Gina]

That sounds about right. The rate of disability fraud is probably as high as it is with welfare fraud. People will do anything to get out of working.

Ie; I know a guy who tried to get on disability because, from what he said, couldn't handle the stress of a job. Of course they denied him, but now he is going to doctor after doctor and trying to come up with anything that will make him eligible.

That is pathetic right there.

I was on STD (short term disability for you gutterbrains) from 7 weeks pregnant til 3 months after with my daughter when I was pregnant with her.  I was harrassed and dr after dr complained that they were being hammered with paperwork trying to get me denied but I had a true medical cause for being off.  I couldn't stop throwing up.  Hypermesis gravidum.  So How do all these fat slobs and lazy people get it?  why isn't the gov't hammering them and watching them? 

[Kyle Ricky]

I was on STD (short term disability for you gutterbrains) from 7 weeks pregnant til 3 months after with my daughter when I was pregnant with her.  I was harrassed and dr after dr complained that they were being hammered with paperwork trying to get me denied but I had a true medical cause for being off.  I couldn't stop throwing up.  Hypermesis gravidum.  So How do all these fat slobs and lazy people get it?  why isn't the gov't hammering them and watching them?  

As long as it is a feasible reason, I don't have anything against. It is the people trying to get on because they are obese, have migraine headaches, ADD, Bi-polar, can't handle the stress of the job, etc. etc. etc. that get to me. It comes down to the people who are too lazy to work.

I also get upset when parents put their kids on it because they are too lazy to work. The rate of parents putting their kids on disability because of things like ADHD, or asthma for example, is increasing. You will find that a majority of them also collect complete welfare.

Once again, that is the independent in me talking.

[Gina]

As long as it is a feasible reason, I don't have anything against. It is the people trying to get on because they are obese, have migraine headaches, ADD, Bi-polar, can't handle the stress of the job, etc. etc. etc. that get to me. It comes down to the people who are too lazy to work.

I also get upset when parents put their kids on it because they are too lazy to work. The rate of parents putting their kids on disability because of things like ADHD, or asthma for example, is increasing. You will find that a majority of them also collect complete welfare.

Once again, that is the independent in me talking.

well that is what I am saying.........I had to go through a private entity to get std.  I didn't do it through gov't.  Why does the private entity do what they should and make it hard as hell to stay on disabilty pay and the gov't doesn't?  Seems to me it would cut alot of worthless people that are on it just to live on it out and that is a good thing to the taxpayer.  Or is that why private business is bad?

[DLR Pyro]

Disability is very easy to obtain...just eat yourself over 300 pounds.  (Why does the government subsidize obesity while trying to reduce it??) 

I know of a worker at my County job who was caught numerous times surfing for porn on county computers during work hours. He was diagnosed as disabled with a bipolar condition.

[jtyangel]

And you never hear from the politicians and the media that this is what's wrecking the Social Security system......SS alone for just retired people is adequately funded through 2045 (at today's artificially low contribution levels), but the number of people hopping on the SSD and SSDI  gravy train is killing the system......primarily because they are working age, and contributed little, if anything, into the system.

There is an entire cottage industry of doctors and lawyers that make an extremely good living gaming the system to get anyone that wants it on that train.......

doc

This is so irritating too as I have a brother who is on disability from complications of JUVENILE diabetes and kidney failure that requires 3 day a week dialysis and would love anything to be healthy and working like a normal person. Not to mention my son will probably be on it as a CLASSICALLY autistic person who may never reasonably be able to work. Those systems are in place for individuals like this, not some lazy ass who doesn't want to work anymore. Infuriating.

[jtyangel]

I was on STD (short term disability for you gutterbrains) from 7 weeks pregnant til 3 months after with my daughter when I was pregnant with her.  I was harrassed and dr after dr complained that they were being hammered with paperwork trying to get me denied but I had a true medical cause for being off.  I couldn't stop throwing up.  Hypermesis gravidum.  So How do all these fat slobs and lazy people get it?  why isn't the gov't hammering them and watching them? 

yep, me too. Transitioned from what you had to hypertension It was the suckage even though an awesome baby girl now a lovely young lady came out of it. My docs too said the private disability insurance would keep bugging them. 

[Gina]

yep, me too. Transitioned from what you had to hypertension It was the suckage even though an awesome baby girl now a lovely young lady came out of it. My docs too said the private disability insurance would keep bugging them. 

that's what I had happen too    I went in at 28 weeks on Halloween because my heart was racing and my bp was sky high and they kept me until I had her at 35 weeks.

[seahorse513]

I have heard people go on disabilty for depression....ad/hd is the other one. There are medications for those things....
I could go on disabilty for my health issues, but I refuse to. I have two arms, two legs, and a working functioning brain, so I am somewhat on the short side. I know how to use a ladder for goodness sakes. I don't want to look back on my life, and think I was a no good lazy bullshitter, who made excuses not to work...

[Gina]

I have heard people go on disabilty for depression....ad/hd is the other one. There are medications for those things....
I could go on disabilty for my health issues, but I refuse to. I have two arms, two legs, and a working functioning brain, so I am somewhat on the short side. I know how to use a ladder for goodness sakes. I don't want to look back on my life, and think I was a no good lazy bullshitter, who made excuses not to work...

Agreed.  I also feel guilty when I even take sick time.

[jtyangel]

that's what I had happen too    I went in at 28 weeks on Halloween because my heart was racing and my bp was sky high and they kept me until I had her at 35 weeks.

It's something about the red hair I think....  

[jtyangel]

Agreed.  I also feel guilty when I even take sick time.

Same here..I hate making that call. I'd rather go in and vomit on my desk then make that call of shame!