You might have heard the term labor shortage used a lot this year in response to the news that employers are scrambling to find workers as the economy rebounds from the financial fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But many people have confirmed that they quit their jobs as a result of low wages and hostile working environments, including the very real concern that their former jobs aren't following proper safety protocols to protect workers from contracting the virus.
So they went off in search of greener pastures.
If you're curious about why many of these people quit their jobs, look no further. Here are their testimonies, thanks to Redditor Wataru2001, who asked the online community,
"Record Number of Americans quit their jobs the last few months. If you were one of them, why did you quit and what are you doing now?"
"But I am more appreciated..."
"I wasn't get paid enough at my former job. I was working with special needs children and it was an awesome job, I really felt like it was what I should be doing. But I was only making $250 a week."
"Now I work at Costco for $17 an hour plus a ton of benefits. The work is not what I want to be doing. But I am more appreciated serving hot dogs and pizza."
Cyber_Mermaid
As someone who really loves Costco, well done! Glad to hear this.
"I quit a job where I was doing..."
"I quit a job where I was doing the work of multiple people and immediately moved to a job where I work significantly less for a 40% pay bump."
Massive-Ostrich2750
A 40% pay bump can change your quality of life overnight. Well done!
"She was gonna stay home..."
"My wife got a raise at her job. She was gonna stay at home with our new baby since there is no daycare anywhere but with her raise and benefits it made more sense for me to stay home with the kid."
yodaface
You won't regret your time with your kid–time flies by so fast.
"Because I got tired..."
"Because I got tired of slaving away in a kitchen, putting my all into every dish I made, getting paid peanuts for it, and barely surviving. I'm going to school now. Thankful for the GI bill."
No_Step_4431
Know quite a few people who've benefited from the GI bill. Good on you for going to school!
"I quit because I was contracting..."
"I quit because I was contracting and was told I would be hired after 6 months, but that didn't happen. So now I'm contracting for a different company."
SunderApps
They say things like this, they break their promises, and then they wonder why people are leaving...
"Now I stay at home..."
"Quit because teaching in a pandemic SUCKS. Now I stay at home with my toddler and my stress level is so much lower!"
rampaging_beardie
"I couldn't handle the stress of working at a clinic doing COVID testing. Most of my friends, and a decent portion of my family, are people who could literally die if they got exposed to COVID so I basically spent almost six months without seeing any people that I care about."
"And then I was being worked way more hours than I agreed to, on top of it there wasn't any overtime while I was trying to go to college, I just couldn't handle the stress."
"I ended up needing to choose between a job and my education and I choose my education. Even with everything, the clinic I worked at has a high turnover rate anyway, so it was probably better for my mental health, in the long run, to quit there."
I'm working at a local game store now where I work ~30 hours a week and can work on my school work when there are no customers in the store, my school and mental health are doing a lot better for it, and I get to talk about things I love with people all the time."
MyHoardIsALibrary
People Break Down The Nicest Celebrities They've Ever Met | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
They always say, "don't meet your heroes." But here's the thing, sometimes your celebrities are actually just chill, normal people who are overjoyed to meet ...Game store, eh? Sounds like heaven for you. I had the opportunity to work in a bookstore once, and it was heaven on earth.
"In March 2020..."
"In March 2020 I started working 10-12 hour days. Sometimes 10-13 day stretches. I was completely exhausted and burnt out by the end of 2020."
"I got pregnant in June 2021 and my husband got a new position at work that paid nearly double his previous salary. I quit in August and haven't had one moment of regret."
"I took two months off to do some self-care and mental health recovery. Now I'm a substitute teacher a few days a week."
mac_attack8968
Sounds like everything fell into place! Congrats to both of you!
"I quit my teaching job..."
"I quit my teaching job after 6 years for various reasons but primarily because of the commute and the ever-growing ridiculous demands/expectations by administrators and parents."
"I'll be starting a government job soon and I couldn't be happier."
McRibblus
A nice step up!
Teaching during a pandemic is no joke.
"I would be done with my work..."
"Low pay and I was bored out of my mind and no matter how many times I asked they wouldn't give me more work. I would be done with my work in an hour and have to stare at the screen for the next 7 hours. It was torture."
"Then they announced a full return to the office and I was done. Now in a job where I'm sufficiently challenged. And they're staying remote forever."
OrangeTree81
I had a job like this once–it was the worst. The boredom made me feel crazy. I was thankful to leave.
Hopefully, dear readers, now that you've read these, you have a greater understanding of why people have left their jobs.
These are complicated times. Will the economy right itself eventually? Will workers have their demands honored?
Have some thoughts to share? Feel free to sound off in the comments below!
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
@rewindrobbie/Instagram
@alysonaird/Instagram
@elfordio74/Instagram
@jessyr2025/Instagram