Unemployment and Human Services



Unemployment and Human Services

Introduction

Unemployment is one of the major causes of poverty. Along with financial difficulties and family problems, an individual who is unemployed may face several mental and physical illnesses including. Human services agency provides the individual with benefits in cash payment which helps an individual to fulfill his basic needs such as food and housing, and support family. In this paper we will discuss unemployment and its effect on human life. Further, we will discuss about human services with a focus on Maslow's human needs and , services of human services agency in terms of unemployment and its benefits that how can it be effected on human life.

Discussion

Unemployment

A person is considered to be unemployed when he or she is willing to work according to his terms and conditions but does not have a job (Darity, 2008). Those people who do not want to job, ill, retired or studying in school are not classified as unemployed and are not counted in the unemployment rate. Unemployment can be separated into three categories (Thoma, 2012).

Cyclical Unemployment - cyclical unemployment occurs when supply of the labor force exceeds demand of the labor force. Such condition usually arises in business depressions.

Structural Unemployment - it occurs when labor markets are not balanced, means demand of the labor force is rising in one region and falling in another region. For example, a factory moves to another region and labor supply cannot get adjusted to that region.

Frictional Unemployment - frictional unemployment is a result of people moving to another area and/or finding themselves between jobs. It is usually short term and voluntary.

Effects of Unemployment

Unemployment affects people in so many ways. The jobless person loses his self respect, value, purpose, sense of achievement and, of course, does not get income (Jones, 2008). It creates a psychological impact on an individual mind. The social network tends to get shrink of the unemployed person. He loses his interaction with colleagues, which results in isolation and mental health problems (Institute for work & Health, 2009). An Unemployed individual may lose his self esteem and personal dignity; it leaves an individual with self doubts and anxiety.

According to the study by Rantakeisu et al (1997), an unemployed person might catch diseases or has to face health issues and poor mental health. Along with mental health, an individual may face physical diseases such as cardiovascular disease. An unemployed person may also fall into addictions for alcohol, tobacco or drugs. On the whole, an individual facing unemployment may get involved into high risk of poor health and well-being socially. Apart from individual health life, unemployment can also affect family life. When a parent loses his job, his children and even friends tend to get changed. Conflicts and stress can be seen in an unemployed family life.

Human Services

Human services are organized set of various activities to help people in various areas, such as health care, disability, social welfare, criminal justice, housing, education and ...