The so-called 'Great Resignation' isn't a reality for many workers of color
Gwen Aviles
Dec 4, 2021, 1:41 PM
The so-called 'Great Resignation' doesn't apply to many workers of color.
GCShutter/Getty Images
However, that dream came to a halt at the beginning of the pandemic after he was furloughed from two different companies due to downsizing.
Villegas had to burn through his savings to keep his family afloat.
"The first thing you start to worry about is health care," Villegas told Insider. "Luckily, my daughters and I were able to get on my wife's health care coverage."
Villegas, who works in business development and has a background in engineering, recognizes the privileged position he holds.
With more than 20 years of work experience in his industry, he's developed a Rolodex of contacts and good reputation — two factors that helped him immensely as he looked for another job.
He also had savings and his wife's health insurance to rely on, which helped relieve some of the stress associated with being out of work.
Yet even with these advantages, the pandemic has taken a significant financial toll on his family, to the point that when he sees coverage about The Great Resignation and sometimes wonders who's doing the actual resigning.
The phrase is in reference to the phenomenon where people across industries are quitting their jobs en masse for better working conditions and opportunities. Since taking a considerable pay cut in his current position, Villegas can't imagine resigning from his current job, and he's not alone.
"It's disingenuous to say folks across the board are resigning and sitting tight as they figure out their next moves," Villegas, who is Mexican-American, said. "If they are, it's because they have enough resources to survive."
While the labor movement labeled the Great Resignation is historic, it's not all inclusive, and thousands of people — many of whom are people of color — can't leverage the current moment.
Many told Insider that bills to pay and children to feed means quitting their steady source of income isn't an option.
Financial, cultural pressure forces employers of color to stay in jobs they hate
Financial pressure from the Covid-19 pandemic can force employees of color to stay in toxic work environments.
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images
Diane, who requested her full name not be published for fear of workplace retaliation, recently started working at a law firm.
But she says she would have quit law altogether if she hadn't racked up thousands of dollars in education debt.
"The postgraduate pressure of trying to find a job in law and not feeling like my law school was supportive made my mental health take a nosedive," Diane told Insider.
"I would have seriously considered taking time off and even leaving altogether, but after being in law school and accruing debt, I needed the salary to pay it off," she added.
There were also cultural reasons Diane decided to stick through law school during the height of the pandemic.
As a Black and Asian woman and a daughter of immigrants, people with her background are vastly underrepresented in the industry.
"Only 2% of lawyers are Black women, so there's this ongoing burden to be an example for Black women and other women of color," Diane said. "And both my parents are immigrants, so I was always taught we don't quit things."
She noted that her classmates who did decide to take a break from school or exit law were white and had a significant safety net.
Gwen Aviles
Dec 4, 2021, 1:41 PM
The so-called 'Great Resignation' doesn't apply to many workers of color.
GCShutter/Getty Images
- While the labor movement labeled the Great Resignation is historic, it's not all inclusive.
- Thousands of people — many of whom are people of color — can't quit their jobs.
- Employees across industries told Insider they feel stuck because of financial and cultural reasons.
However, that dream came to a halt at the beginning of the pandemic after he was furloughed from two different companies due to downsizing.
Villegas had to burn through his savings to keep his family afloat.
"The first thing you start to worry about is health care," Villegas told Insider. "Luckily, my daughters and I were able to get on my wife's health care coverage."
Villegas, who works in business development and has a background in engineering, recognizes the privileged position he holds.
With more than 20 years of work experience in his industry, he's developed a Rolodex of contacts and good reputation — two factors that helped him immensely as he looked for another job.
He also had savings and his wife's health insurance to rely on, which helped relieve some of the stress associated with being out of work.
Yet even with these advantages, the pandemic has taken a significant financial toll on his family, to the point that when he sees coverage about The Great Resignation and sometimes wonders who's doing the actual resigning.
The phrase is in reference to the phenomenon where people across industries are quitting their jobs en masse for better working conditions and opportunities. Since taking a considerable pay cut in his current position, Villegas can't imagine resigning from his current job, and he's not alone.
"It's disingenuous to say folks across the board are resigning and sitting tight as they figure out their next moves," Villegas, who is Mexican-American, said. "If they are, it's because they have enough resources to survive."
While the labor movement labeled the Great Resignation is historic, it's not all inclusive, and thousands of people — many of whom are people of color — can't leverage the current moment.
Many told Insider that bills to pay and children to feed means quitting their steady source of income isn't an option.
Financial, cultural pressure forces employers of color to stay in jobs they hate
Financial pressure from the Covid-19 pandemic can force employees of color to stay in toxic work environments.
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images
Diane, who requested her full name not be published for fear of workplace retaliation, recently started working at a law firm.
But she says she would have quit law altogether if she hadn't racked up thousands of dollars in education debt.
"The postgraduate pressure of trying to find a job in law and not feeling like my law school was supportive made my mental health take a nosedive," Diane told Insider.
"I would have seriously considered taking time off and even leaving altogether, but after being in law school and accruing debt, I needed the salary to pay it off," she added.
There were also cultural reasons Diane decided to stick through law school during the height of the pandemic.
As a Black and Asian woman and a daughter of immigrants, people with her background are vastly underrepresented in the industry.
"Only 2% of lawyers are Black women, so there's this ongoing burden to be an example for Black women and other women of color," Diane said. "And both my parents are immigrants, so I was always taught we don't quit things."
She noted that her classmates who did decide to take a break from school or exit law were white and had a significant safety net.
