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| Jobs; Government decides what jobs you can hav | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 21 2007, 11:53 AM (258 Views) | |
| Herb | Sep 21 2007, 11:53 AM Post #1 |
Ruler of the Mountain
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I have my views on this but I am curious about what others think. What are your thoughts? Jobs You are Not Allowed to Have by Adrian Moore, 9/19/07 Ever thought about being a fortune teller in Maryland? Your future better include a license from the state. How about being a hair braider in Mississippi? You’ll need 300 to 1,500 hours of training and government permission. Want to sell flowers in Louisiana? Only licensed florists can do that. And almost every state requires certification if you want to move furniture and hang art while calling yourself an interior designer. We all know some jobs require a license from the state, but most people don’t realize how many jobs require them and how sometimes the requirements to get a license are onerous and ridiculous. My colleague Adam Summers has done a full analysis of what occupations the 50 states license (see the table below) and discusses the unfortunate effects that often occur. You can get the full study or a summary We’d like to think such licenses exist only to protect consumers, but too often, they have slipped into limiting competition. That licensing requirements don’t always exist to protect consumers is most obvious when you consider how arbitrary requirements are from state to state. Doesn’t it make sense that consumer would require similar protections in neighboring states? But California has 177 job categories licensed, while if you take one step across the state line into Arizona just 72 careers are licensed. In North Carolina you need a license to do 107 jobs. Next door in South Carolina, only 60 jobs require certification. Indeed, states like California, Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire all require job seekers to obtain a license before performing two or three times as many jobs as in states like Missouri, Washington, and Kansas. Does anyone think, therefore, that consumers are victimized twice as often in Connecticut as Washington? No, the broad difference in licensing requirements has more to do with successful lobbying by existing business to keep out competition, which winds up restricting consumer choice, destroying entrepreneurship, driving up prices, and reducing job opportunities. And since many of these jobs—hair stylist, florist, interior decorator, for example—require talent and passion but not formal training, they are great opportunities for those without the benefit of wealth or higher education to start their own business. Occupational licensing requirements for formal training or high fees raise a formidable barrier to this important channel of upward mobility. Ranking the States on Occupational Licensing States (Number of jobs requiring a license) 1. California (177) 26. Virginia (89) 2. Connecticut (155) 27. Louisiana (88) 3. Maine (134) 28. Ohio (88) 4. New Hampshire (130) 29. Georgia (85) 5. Arkansas (128) 30. Indiana (85) 6. Michigan (116) 31. Iowa (85) 7. Rhode Island (116) 32. Utah (84) 8. New Jersey (114) 33. Delaware (83) 9. Wisconsin (111) 34. Montana (79) 10. Tennessee (110) 35. Texas (78) 11. Alaska (109) 36. New York (77) 12. Massachusetts (107) 37. West Virginia (77) 13. North Carolina (107) 38. Wyoming (74) 14. Oregon (107) 39. Arizona (72) 15. Vermont (107) 40. Alabama (70) 16. Florida (104) 41. Colorado (69) 17. New Mexico (104) 42. North Dakota (69) 18. Maryland (98) 43. Mississippi (68) 19. Nebraska (96) 44. Hawaii (64) 20. Minnesota (95) 45. Pennsylvania (62) 21. Nevada (95) 46. Idaho (61) 22. Illinois (93) 47. South Carolina (60) 23. Kentucky (91) 48. Kansas (56) 24. Oklahoma (91) 49. Washington (53) 25. South Dakota (90) 50. Missouri (41) |
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| Almtnman | Sep 21 2007, 06:43 PM Post #2 |
Administrator
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Herb, about all I can say is; I used to be able to get trimmed around the ears and edges of a new haircut by a barber using a straight razor. It really made the haircut stand out as professional looking. Now my state won't let barbers use a straight razor any more, only the ones that could before, but most of them are gone now. To get a barber's license years ago, they had to learn about the human anatomy and where blood vessels were located, now just about anybody can get a license to cut hair. I used to hold my breath when that straight razor was scrapping around my ears, but I felt like I had a real haircut when I walked out of the shop. |
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| Ali | Sep 21 2007, 09:32 PM Post #3 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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I know what your getting at Herb - it's kind of ludicrous, but maybe some States have seen more problems without licensing than others. I've got a good idea that it's all about insurance and the almighty law suit! Contractors in NY don't need to be certified! Slap on a tool belt, and you're a "contractor"! The last guys I hired (to put in french doors) came by reference from a friend. I made them promise on their mother's lives that they would be here when they said they would! They were! Two days later, they left the State with $5,000 of my friend's money, leaving her with an unfinished roofing job!! As far as haircuts go Almtnman, Pete and I have been cutting each others hair for twenty six years! Neither one of us are licensed! (HA!!) |
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| Condor | Sep 22 2007, 12:08 AM Post #4 |
Ruler of the Mountain
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I have repaired a lot of very dangerous electrical work that was done by licensed, professional electricians. |
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| Ali | Sep 23 2007, 08:37 PM Post #5 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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Pete and I have done some electrical work too, Condor! I hold the broom (because I've been told that if you get 'shocked' you should grab on to something wooden); Pete always gets real sweaty when doing these jobs, and I tell him not to be nervous .....then he yells - "D@%& it Al, I'm NOT nervous"!!  |
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| Condor | Sep 24 2007, 11:31 PM Post #6 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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Actually, you are supposed to knock him off the connection if he gets juiced. The convulsion of his hands will grasp the circuit and he won't be able to let go. I sweat a lot too when I work on live circuits. Remember, knock him off the circuit with the broom! |
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| legitlinda | Sep 25 2007, 03:04 PM Post #7 |
Ruler of the Mountain
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Only if you know they put the screws to you before your house burns to the ground. Most houses that are over six years old have outlived the civil grounds and the warranty as well. I always thought the benefit of hiring someone who is licensed is that you have some recourse if they try to put the screws to you. |
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| Herb | Sep 26 2007, 05:17 PM Post #8 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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Actually, the license or certification is supposed to guarantee a minimum level of competency. Note: MINIMUM LEVEL!!!!! Most states also have a requirement for a bond to be posted to maintain the license. The bond is supposed to cover any awards to customers when it is found that a job was not done correctly. |
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