Ohio’s economy, like the nation’s, has been improving in recent years since the economic downturn in 2008. Many of the jobs that are coming back are not like the ones that were lost during the most recent depression.
Lisa Hamler Fugitt is the head of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. She says many of the jobs that left Ohio paid living wages and provided benefits. But she says a recent federal study shows many of the jobs that are coming back are considered contingent jobs.
“Current contingent workers that fall into those categories were 30.6% of employed workers in 2005 and within five years, that number had risen to 40.4% of the U.S. workforce.”
Hamler Fugitt says those jobs usually don’t provide benefits for employees and don’t provide long term employment. She is urging Ohio lawmakers to consider that information when coming up with legislation to deal with unemployed or low-income Ohioans.