World News for Students of English

31-01-2022 07:00

The pandemic affected businesses around the world, and companies are now looking to move on from the closures in 2020 and 2021. However, many are running into problems again because they can’t find workers.

Shutdowns were a turning point in the American economy, as they forced millions of people out of work. However, when businesses reopened, many hourly workers chose not to return to work, and others changed jobs.

Economists called this situation the Great Resignation. In April 2021, a record 4 million Americans quit their jobs, and the number grew in August and again in November when 4.5 million Americans quit. Businesses that work directly with people are feeling the effects the most. Restaurants and stores do not have enough workers, and the trucking industry is struggling, which causes delays at US ports.

While the world was at a complete standstill, many people had a chance to spend time with their families and to think about their lives. They did not have the chance to do this when they worked full time. Although millions of people are still jobless, they have had new job opportunities, too.

Difficult words: turning point (when everything changes), hourly worker (an employee who’s paid for the actual hours that he works), Great Resignation (a pun on the phrase the Great Recession or when many people lost money), standstill (a situation when there’s no movement or activity at all).

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