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With unemployment as high as it is, job seekers are getting increasingly frustrated with trying to find a job, and some of them are taking it out on people who are helping them look.
Lately, things have become a lot busier at the Department of Workforce Services building on 200 East in Salt Lake City. You'll see some people looking for specialized work, and others just looking for anything that pays more than minimum wage.
Granted, looking for a job is always a frustrating experience, but lately, it seems to be getting worse. Some job recruiters say they're becoming the targets of misplaced anger by people frustrated by the job markets. One recruiter, who will stay anonymous, says everything on his desk was shoved off by an angry man in a huff. Other counselors say they've watched people break down.
Department of Workforce Services Employment Counselor Paul DeHaan said, "I've seen people come into my cubicle in tears. They don't know what they're going to do, and I don't have any answers for them."
DeHaan says they've had to physically escort people out of their building after they lost their temper. He says many people don't know how the system works.
"When they do come in to register for services, they tend to get the registration done not as completely as they could," he said.
That makes it harder to find jobs that match that person's qualifications. Sadly, this frustration among job seekers could get worse. Some of the services that are normally available, like health insurance, are practically gone.
"We have the Primary Care Network, which is a Utah funded program, but that's been closed for enrollment since the end of July," he said.
He says there are just too many people using the system now to bring on new customers. He also says people are getting so desperate for any employment, they're signing up for low-paying programs designed for people who don't have employable skills, even if they don't qualify.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
