Benefit Finders!

Since I discovered Libertarianism (a few years ago now,) I have endeavoured to instill in my children similar values.
Recently one of my sons became unemployed, so I gave him a rev up, and sent him along to “Jobfinders” who have an office in town that I pass ever day on my way to get lunch. In their window they always have a long list of jobs they have available, and of which there never seems to be a shortage. My son returned home to inform me that they couldnt give him a job, and they would not put him on their data base because he “didnt qualify!” Why didn’t he qualify? Was he not old enough? Was he not skilled enough? Was he too qualified? No! The reason he wasn’t eligible to apply for one of their jobs was because he is - wait for it - “not on a benefit!” Of course - I didn’t believe him! I thought this was just some lazy, teenagers excuse for not wanting to work, and a lame excuse to get out of showing up for an interview. I questioned him at great length, but he assured me that this was so. . . . Minutes later, I arrived at the “Jobfinders” office and asked to speak to the manager, who proceeded to explain the situation. He showed me a pile of jobs that he had available - the stack was about 100mm high. He then showed me another pile of sheets consisting of approx 12 sheets of paper - no more - these were the “people” that he had to place in a job. He explained that “Jobfinders” worked with WINZ. The applicants had to be on a benefit, because this was part of their “wages.” and the employer topped it up. I explained to him that I had worked hard to educate my children to be responsible for themselves, and not to be bludgers on the system if they were fit and capable of working, and I had tried hard to keep them off the dole.

He said, well, why dont you just tell him the dole is part of his wages, and not the dole. So what if he takes a job and it turns out not to be suitable - he can quit the job (40 hours a week possibly), and still receive a benefit for absolutely “no effort’ at all - he wouldnt even have to get out of bed, and he would still get paid. I know what “I” would rather do.
I thought it was the governments job to discourage people from signing on to the benefit, and to encourage them to find work. - silly me!

Meanwhile Jobfinders still have a list of jobs a mile high - about 1 million people on the dole, and about 12 people on the benefit actually looking for a job.