Personal Reflection On Unemployment

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Throughout the semester, our course focused on the various structural and environmental factors as well as the psychological experiences of unemployment. While it is critical to understand the theories and statistics behind the consequences of unemployment, it is also important to hear and learn from discharged workers and other stakeholders who provide a unique and diverse viewpoint outside of the classroom. On Wednesday, I got the opportunity to gain real-world experience regarding various unemployment issues that affect rural communities in Upstate New York. Not only did my visit to Bath help me grasp the magnitude of the devastating ripple effects of unemployment that we have studied in the classroom, it also introduced me to the severe structural shortcomings of Justice Courts that deprive unemployed workers of their protected legal rights as well as a newfound appreciation for civil legal services such as LawNY. In the beginning of our visit, I met with Amy who serves as a deputy director for LawNY. She gave me an overview of the organization and its many services. For example, I learned that they cannot bring forth class action lawsuits nor engage in lobbying activity. I believe that these restrictions might be problematic for unemployed workers because class action lawsuits typically have lower …show more content…

On the sides of the highway, I saw many mobile homes and empty plots of land. There were some small neighborhood stores, but I did not see any large national chains or companies. I believe that this is a critical limitation in rural areas because the lack of employers puts pressure on unemployed workers and their ability to find work. For example, it would be difficult for an unemployed worker to be “actively seeking for work” and submit job applications when there is only one business in the

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