Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston, Worcester, Pittsfield: mortgages, section 8, apartments)

[WestieWhitie]

Entry-level white collar jobs might be a different story but I feel like there will be a complete reversal for unskilled low wage labor market in a few months once the cash squirreled away after over a year of getting free money while not paying rent finally runs out, housing courts are open and landlord comes knocking.

Originally Posted by id77

Correct. These aren't for entry-level positions that people walk in and apply for.

An interesting segue-way from this is that I am hearing more about people who did work in walk-in/entry-level positions playing the current market to try to get in a higher-paying or experience-required position that they previously wouldn't have stood a chance at getting. They're still largely not getting them, but these people do at least feel emboldened to try more than pre-pandemic.

[Amontillado]

Could be true, yes. For high-pay professional jobs, they'll be careful who they hire, and people will have to agree to at least some of the employer's terms. For lower-pay jobs, maybe the labor shortage will indeed last until workers start feeling the need to bring in a few bucks.

[msRB311]

Interesting scenario at Brigham and women's:

https://tbdailynews.com/brigham-and-...et-vaccinated/

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Anyone else seeing abrupt changes in their office return to work plans?

Not necessarily abrupt, but we knew eventually return to 5-days for ~95% of the workforce would be coming this fall.

What i am seeing is that the question does come up in interviews as to if the position is hybrid or full 5-days. Folks definitely want to know up front what to expect.

Regarding interviews, i've also seen a VERY bold applicant pool. They seem to know there are few applicants and a lot of jobs available and they have the power to pick and choose. I've had a couple folks (who were terrible applicants, but the pickings were slim) try and pull a power move. Needless to say, it's been 4-5 months for a mid-level, 6-figure position and it's still open. I haven't had a new resume in weeks. In pre-2020 times, I would have had 100 resumes to sort through every couple weeks easily.

I also have a lower level $20-23 manufacturing job i've had open for 3 weeks that i've gotten zero resumes for.

It's slim pickings out there, so i can totally see folks testing the waters and sourcing opportunities that allow WFH

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Amontillado

Could be true, yes. For high-pay professional jobs, they'll be careful who they hire, and people will have to agree to at least some of the employer's terms. For lower-pay jobs, maybe the labor shortage will indeed last until workers start feeling the need to bring in a few bucks.

I’m kind of wondering how many low wage workers have thousands in savings where they can’t work? I doubt it’s very many. I think the labor shortage is mostly caused by couples concluding they’re better off dropping down to one income. Particularly when they can’t find daycare or when daycare costs more than the net pay increase of being dual income.

[WestieWhitie]

You can sock away quite a bit if you’re getting $3000 worth of free money every month for over a year while not paying rent.

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I’m kind of wondering how many low wage workers have thousands in savings where they can’t work? I doubt it’s very many. I think the labor shortage is mostly caused by couples concluding they’re better off dropping down to one income. Particularly when they can’t find daycare or when daycare costs more than the net pay increase of being dual income.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

You can sock away quite a bit if you’re getting $3000 worth of free money every month for over a year while not paying rent.

I would like to see stats on who is actually doing this. What landlord would let someone get away with not paying rent for a year?

[WestieWhitie]

You mean haven’t heard of the great landlord parasite purge in the name of mao? I mean, the eviction moratorium? You have been living under a rock, haven’t you?

Originally Posted by msRB311

He allowed this ridiculous unemployment to go on but he didn't condone people not paying rent.

[msRB311]

I guess so.

[western mass and love it]

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

The one named Comrade Joseph Bidenin? Have you been living under a rock this whole time?

You mean the eviction moratorium that started under everyone’s favorite cult leader 45? Is that the one we are talking about.