54% of Households Have Someone Who's Been Without Work This Year

Apparently the recession is over, but it doesn't feel like it. People and companies are still hesitant to spend money as we are slow crawling out from under this heavy burden we've had for the last couple of years. The impact at the personal, family level has been severe. Everyone I know knows someone who has been laid off. Five years ago, getting laid off seemed to be something that happened to incompetents, or to those who worked at bad companies. In recent years, however, getting laid off might be considered in vogue.

Not that it is fun, but perhaps it is more acceptable to be "that person" who is out of work.