Nov. 1/2, 2008—Many young workers [in Japan] are shunning choice promotions—even foregoing raises—in favor of humdrum jobs with minimal responsibilities. ... Employment experts have begun to call these workers hodo-hodo zoku, or the “so-so folks.” ... Chiaki Arai, who has written about the hodo-hodo phenomenon in newspapers, blames Japan’s economic woes during the long slump in the 1990s and early 200s. He says young workers saw older generations throw themselves into their work, only to face job and pay cuts as companies restructured. Now, young employees are cautious about giving too much of themselves—even it it means less money or prestige, Dr. Arai says... Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Co. is finding it so hard to identify managerial candidates that it has turned to the clerical workers it calls office e ladies to fill positions. ... Law firms say the trend has companies seeking legal counsel on whether they can fire employees who refuse promotions. WSJ A1. A
--Many of the roughly 3000 political appointees of President George W. Bush are beating the bushes harder than expected for post-election employment. WSJ A3
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