Freelance workers a growing segment of California economy

A short gig doing security for the True Blood television show. A stint driving for a rental car company. A week as a customer service representative at a retail store.

This is how Delvontaie Antwine, 34, makes do in California's economic recovery — earning a few scattered paychecks a month from odd temp jobs while living with relatives in Silver Lake.

Each week, he goes to a career center, where recently he was looking into positions transporting patients for Kaiser Permanente.

"I just need something consistent; otherwise, I'm like a puppy chasing its tail," he said. "I'm at the bottom of the totem pole right now."

It's a purgatory sometimes called the gray economy. Although the official state unemployment rate dropped to 7.4% in June, 16.2% of Californians — or about 6.2 million — were either jobless, too discouraged to seek work, working less than they'd like or in off-the-books jobs.

That's the highest rate in the country, tied with Nevada. The rate is higher, at 17.8%, in Los Angeles County, where nearly 2 million people aren't fully employed.

From the article: “People made a good trade-off 50 years ago — working 40 hours a week to have a home, send their kids to college and retire — but now they’re asking why they should have a full-time job if there’s no job security or benefits,”

Why? If you have to ask “why” you are nothing more than a lazy bum.

Job security? YOU are your job security. Learn something of value, learn work ethic, work hard for your employer and most of all, learn that your employer is not your adult baby sitter, counselor, pseudo mom, or responsible for your own actions.

Learn your trade or job very well and strive to excel at it and if your employer does not advance you, simply seek employment at another business. No one is making you stay there. In a “free society” business (not unionized, government, or government contracting) you will be compensated at a rate that will allow YOU to purchase your health insurance (used to be that way before obamacare) and other needed services.

Today’s employee’s M.O. is “I don’t have any skills but if you train me I’ll work for you.....but I won’t if you fail to pay me the same wages as those who are experts in their field and have worked for you for years.......MAKING A PROFIT FOR THE COMPANY.

Today’s job applicant has come to expect a job...not the chance to have a job. That, you have to earn.

Basically it’s a slave economy.

Basically, it's an entrepreneurial economy, which is much healthier than an employee economy.

Wanna make a buck...you'll have to hustle and produce.

If you're lazy or sloppy or unproductive, you don't eat.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.