The American Workforce How It Has Changed free essay sample

The American Workforce: How It Has Changed Kathy Reed SOC304: Social Gerontology Professor Marie Mika August 1, 2011 The American Workforce: How It Has Changed The workforce has always been the backbone of America, ever since the beginning of time to the modern world of today. It begin with the men of the family going out and working, while the women stayed at home and took care of the children and the home. The workforce for men and women has changed because of the consequences of age, gender, immigration, politics, education and the economy. Even though the workforce has been affected by these consequences, the question is now, what can be done to make sure it is sustainable for the future. The following will cover the consequences of change, healthcare cost, and housing needs, social security, and programs for the aging. First, the consequences, such as age, gender, immigration, politics, education and the economy has made the percentage of the workforce change drastically. We will write a custom essay sample on The American Workforce: How It Has Changed or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lee, M. A. , Mather,M. , (2008) states that: â€Å"the historical growth of the U. S. labor force in the four decades is linked to two main factors: growth in population size and increases in women’s labor force participation rates. In the 1960s, the U. S. labor force increased by 1. 7 percent annually as baby boomers those born during the high-fertility period from 1946-1964 started to enter the workforce. Labor force growth accelerated during the 1970s as more baby boomers reached adulthood. At the same time, women started to enter the labor force in greater numbers. As a result of both of these trends, the labor force grew at a fast pace of 26 percent each year. † There are several people of the baby boomer era, including myself, that have changed jobs more once throughout our life growing and preparing for a comfortable life for our family and the future, there are some that have retired, became disabled or suffered the loss of a loved one, but with the workforce changes, some of us have suffered more than one type of loss. According to, Dennis Cauchon: only 45. % of Americans had jobs in 2010, the lowest rate since 1983 and down from a peak of 49. 3% in 2000. Last year, just 66. 8% of men had jobs, the lowest on record. The bad economy, an aging population and a plateau in women working are contributing to changes that pose serious challenges for financing the nation’s social programs. For example, job troubles appear to have slowed a trend of people working later in life, putting more pressure on Social Security says Marc Goldwei n. Another change: the bulk of those not working have shifted from children to adults. The aging of 77 million baby boomers born from 1946 through 1964 from children to workers to retirees is changing the relationship between workers and dependents. † In the trends of men and women working, they are different because, when looking back in history, men has always been the person to build a financial basis for the family and over time women have increase their presence in the workforce, which added to the financial basis of the family structure. Then there are women who are single parents and they have increased the workforce as well, they sometimes have more than one job. Then there is the diversity, racial and ethical differences in the workforce make up a large ratio when it comes to any race or ethnic group according to various surveys. Another trait that affects the baby boomers is age discrimination, because of the economy; some employers are finding ways to get rid of, force retirement or lay off older employees and replace them with younger employees that will accept the pay offered just to have a job or an opportunity to excel throughout the company. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) banned discrimination against workers aged 40 to 65 and forbade employers to fire, demote, or reduce the salaries of older workers without good cause. Yet age discrimination still occurs. Although ads stating that no one over 40 will be hired are no longer legal over 20,000 claims of age discrimination are filed each year. The problem is proving it. Although the ADEA has prevented employers from many older workers, it has had little effect on hiring (Quadagno, 2011, p. 235). When a person gets to the age ransition (40 or older) of working for years, raising their family, there comes the time when you have to start preparing for retirement, not just planning it. The children are getting older or have already left the house and started on their own. People will consider the benefits they will receive when they retire and health benefits are very important because of the possibilities of health concerns that are current or that cou ld happen later in life. Retirement is also the time to think about taking time to enjoy the time off, being with family, friends and the grandchildren. Also trying to stay active and healthy is an important part of retirement. When a person has worked for certain of years for a company to provide for their family and themselves and they want their retirement to reflect the success of planning and preparing and that it will be able to sustain their way of living in their retirement years. Lauer, R. H. , Lauer, J. C. , (2008, P. 290), writes â€Å"that all things change. The American economy, the nature of work, and the nature of the workforce are vastly different today from what they were at various times in the past. Initially, the Unites States was an agrarian society, that is, a society in which agriculture is the dominant form of work and people and animals are the major sources of energy. In the competitive context of the global economy, a number of changes have occurred that are detrimental to the well-being of many American workers. As a results of such changes, many Americans are not only unable to better their lot in comparison to their parents, but are finding them worse off than their parents. † The United States Department of Labor (USDL) states: â€Å"who are the workers of the future? Many of them will be older versions of us. In fact, over half of the population of 2030 is alive today. Over the next fifty years, the population of the United States is expected to grow by nearly 50 percent, from about 257 million in the year 2000 to an estimated 394 million people in 2050. U. S. population growth is influence by immigration and emigration rates, as well as by birth and death rates. Immigration will play the largest role in the growth of the Unites States through mid-century. † Additionally, there is the health care and cost of the aging population, which is those that were born between 1946 and 1969 and most of the baby boomers are preparing to retire. The health care cost for the aging can increase drastically, because of the number of aging adults entering retirement and some have insurance coverage for of their current health conditions and others may not, but is there also the concern for future health concerns, and whether or not they will be able to pay they those services if needed or if their insurance will cover it. A healthier lifestyle can help increase a longer life and decrease the multiple health concerns and conditions a person can acquire from aging. David M. Lawrence (2010,p. 82-85) writes, what liable to happen in the next forty years in medical advancements and healthcare? We propose a scenario. Some things don’t change. We will still get old and gradually lose our facilities, our mobility, even our independence. Eventually we will die, most of us suffering from chronic conditions. Death will not be an option, nor will it’s prelude be a gentle descent. To believe differently is to live with false hope. But by 2050, important changes will occur in the medical care we will receive and the way in which we receive it. Victoria R Ballesteros Athan G Bezaitis, (2011,p. 50-52) writes, in June 2009, The SCAN Foundation commissioned a national survey to understand public opinion toward long- term care and its association with healthcare reform. The poll overwhelmingly demonstrated people’s concern about being able to afford long-term care services in the future, and showed broad-based support for improving coverage for home and community based services. Nine out ten Americans (92%) said it was important insurance coverage for services that help people remain in their homes instead of going to skilled nursing facilities. Furthermore, eight in ten Americans (80%) supported improving insurance coverage for home and community based long-term care services as part of healthcare reform, again with support crossing party lines. According to Science Daily (2010, December 20) increased life expectance in the United States has not been accompanied by more years of perfect health, reveals new research published in the December issue of the Journal of Gerontology. Indeed, a 20 year old today can expect to live one less healthy year over his or her lifespan than a 20 year old a decade ago, even though life expectancy has grown. From 1970-2005, the probability of a 65 year old surviving to age 85 doubled, from about a 20 percent chance to a 40 percent chance. Many researchers presumed that the same forces allowing people to live longer, including better health behaviors and medical advances, would also delay the onset of disease and allow people to spend fewer years of their lives with debilitating illness. Although such factors as heredity and biology partially determine whether an individual develops a chronic disease, research also shows that social factors play an important role. The likelihood of developing a chronic disease that produces disability is partly a function of one’s health lifestyle, defined as a pattern of behavior based on choices and options that are available to people according to their life situations. Health lifestyles include behaviors that directly affect health care, such as having checkups and complying with prescribed treatment, as well as decisions about smoking, food, exercise, personal hygiene alcohol use, and risky behaviors such as unprotected sex. (Quadagno,2011,p. 257).