Global Health and Youth Employment
7.01.2018
Employment is the process of being hired as employee, for a wage, salary, fee or payment to perform or carry out a task, work or job for an employer. Employment is an important marker of development, and can be used to predict how well a country is doing economically. Countries where there is low youth employment usually have very high crime rates since people will often find other means- including illegal ways, to make money.
As determined by John Maynard, unemployment like inequality, is one of the major loopholes of capitalism. Clearly, the link between unemployment and inequality rests on the fact that the inability to obtain a job results in poverty which is the major determinant of inequality resulting from class and status. Youth employment reduces crime and poverty, increases productivity, generates revenue in forms of taxes and creates a sense of responsibility and fulfilment among the youths. Employment helps youth to provide and maintain support for government projects, producing useful outputs. It also generates respect for, and feelings of self-worth in, the workers employed in these projects.
Employment offers several benefits which are available to employees based on the type, length and agreement of the employment. Eligible employees include full and part-time staff hired into permanent, probationary, temporary, term or hourly position, scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week and whose length of employment is at least six months. Some common benefits of employment include:
• Health Insurance including Dental and Vision Insurance
• Basic and Department Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Disability (Short Term/Long Term) Insurance
• Deferred Compensation
• Retirement Benefits
• Pension
According to a 2012 study on employment and health, employed people showed better self-reported health and longstanding wellness or wellbeing compared to the unemployed individuals. More so, the unemployed were more likely to smoke compared to the employed. Consequently, there is need for on-going job empowerment or health promotion and vocational rehabilitation efforts targeted towards unemployed youth in order to reduce the negative health, social and economic effects associated with unemployment.