Not Working: The Pulse of the Great Recession (DVD & SV)

Description

• U.S. Faces Recession (04:34)A young man describes losing his job as a loan officer at the end of the subprime mortgage bubble. In 2011, filmmaker D.W. Gibson interviewed unemployed Americans across the country.
• Zip Code Eliminated (02:25)In June 2011, the company town of Empire, Nevada closed when the plant shut down. Tammy Sparkes had just bought the general store; she describes community members’ reluctance to leave.
• Recession’s Domino Effect (03:04)Doris Tullar lost her job as a bus driver in Empire, Nevada; most families have left the area. Demand for mining gypsum was driven by the states construction boom.
• Nevada’s Foreclosures (01:16)University of Nevada professor Elliot Parker explains how the state’s recession is linked to the California housing market.
• California’s Sub Prime Loans (03:13)During the recession, Fresno’s unemployment went from bad to worse. Loan officer James Morrison recalls issuing mortgages that would inevitably end in foreclosure.
• Disabled and Unemployed in Utah (03:25)Employment assistance organization PARC contracts custodial positions with a nearby Air Force base. Dusty Nance was laid off and can’t get benefits.
• Fighting Unemployment Depression (04:47)Brenda Scott describes losing her custodial job at a Utah Air Force base while going through a divorce. She’s considering opening her own cleaning business.
• City Cut Backs in Wyoming (04:31)Sue Whetten describes being laid off from Cheyenne Botanic Gardens – a job she loved. She misses working with volunteers and having financial independence.
• Outsourcing U.S. Jobs (05:13)Three generations of Randy Badman’s family lived and worked in company town DeWitt. He describes being laid off after 36 years; soon after the factory was shuttered.
• Company Town Shuts Down (02:35)Badman describes DeWitt before and after the factory closed, and the emotional impact of being laid off. He’s optimistic that the economy will pick up again.
• Psychology of Unemployment (04:28)Wendy Hamilton describes her depression and financial struggle after being laid off in Omaha. U.S. leaders are reluctant to label the recession a depression.
• Unemployment Solidarity (07:06)Doug Messenger describes a series of layoffs as an architectural drafter. He now works two retail jobs but makes half his old salarybut finds comfort that others share his situation.
• Losing Hope in Kansas City (07:39)The U.S. GDP continues to grow, but employment is stagnant – resulting in fewer people working harder for less pay. Granketha Major and Christine Myrick describe losing their jobs at city hall, and the difficulty getting interviews in a competitive market.
• Living without Benefits (01:46)Dominic Brocato describes his job search as frustrating. He’s been unable to get health insurance due to a preexisting condition.
• Losing a Career Identity (08:00)Roni Chambers relates the emotional impact of firing 1,000 employees across the U.S. – and then being laid off herself. She volunteers at networking organization for middle aged, unemployed people.
• Technology Driven Economy (01:28)An expert discusses how professionals have to upgrade their education and skills to stay valuable in the labor market.
• Journalism during the Recession (05:20)Jenny Elig and Judy Wolf recall losing their jobs at the Indianapolis Star – causing a professional identity crisisand describe the mental challenges of unemployment.
• Identity Crisis of Unemployment (02:45)Nancy Lee talks about the psychological and emotional process after losing her job – coinciding with a divorce.
• Finding New Career Inspiration (05:15)After losing her job, a relationship helped Nancy gain life perspective. She’s turned a jewelry making hobby into a business and reconnected with her son.
• Optimism during Bankruptcy (06:16)An expert discusses how short term thinking has resulted in environmentally irresponsible behavior. Pittsburgh private investigator Bob Bendig recalls losing his business; facing failure and networking have helped him get back on his feet.
• Jeopardized Careers in New Jersey (06:11)State and local government layoffs outnumber federal ones during the recession. Rafael Rivera, Matthew Bonnette and Renee Muhammad describe their dismissal from the Camden Fire Department – the first in the citys history.
• Human Capital in the Recession (04:36)Factors such as self-esteem are difficult to measure. Skills depreciate when unused – impacting the economy as well as individuals. Unemployed Americans give their definitions of work.