Wednesday, April 20, 2011

We didn't cover this in labor class

This semester's labor economics class is winding down. Somehow, I neglected to cover this novel workforce development strategy.
It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's just an unemployed guy in a red cape.

A Florida unemployment agency is under investigation for spending $14,000 in public funds on red superhero capes as part or broader campaign that frames joblessness as a battle between good and evil. The agency, Workforce Central Florida, even created a fictional villain, Dr. Evil Unemployment, whose superpower is apparently handing out pink slips in a bid to somehow take over the world.
The campaign has now been withdrawn, but you have to wonder what they were thinking.

About the only positive thing that you can say about this is that it beats the agency's careereoki campaign from two years ago.

Floridians must be so glad that they contract these services out to private agencies instead of letting the government handle social services.