As April came to an end, economists are projecting that the unemployment rate in the United States grew during the month. It is believed that the number of people who were fired or laid off is greater than the amount of new jobs that were created. Obviously, this isn’t good news for those with a job and it’s especially bad news for those looking for a job.

With the job market flooded with people out of work, it’s going to be more difficult to find jobs. Even if you find a job, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to make as much as you could have made a couple years ago.

Companies, like everyone else, are fearful of a recession. That alone will likely keep companies from spending freely.

“Businesses are getting very cautious,” Michael Gregory, an economist at BMO Capital Markets, told Bloomberg. “They’re going to wait to see consumers start coming back before you start to see hiring again. We’re in a little bit of a vicious circle.”

If you are looking for a job, you may have to lower your expectations for the time being. Accepting a job for less pay may be necessary, at least in the short term. The good news is that once the economy turns around, the job market should revert to normalcy relatively quickly.

May Day is celebrated on the first day of May each year. Depending on where you live, May Day can mean a lot of things. It can just be a day of festivals and pagan dancing around the Maypole. The Maypole is created by covering a tall wooden poll with flowers and greenery. Then the pole is raised up and the celebration begins with dancers frolicking around the pole with colorful ribbons. Another May Day tradition is leaving a basket of flowers or candy on the doorstep of someone you are interested in.

However, May Day isn’t all fun and games; it is also a day of solidarity of the labor force.

Many cities have marches where workers are encouraged to take the day off and join in solidarity against “The Man.” In various labor movements around the world, May Day is synonymous with International Workers’ Day - a day of celebrations, marches and other organized activities of workers and labor unions.

Over the last few years, there have been some problems with the May Day marches in some major cities, like Los Angeles. In 2007, the May Day pro-illegal immigration rally in MacArthur Park in L.A. turned into a melee between a group of about 50 protesters and LAPD. The protesters threw water bottles and oranges at the police. The melee was broken up when the officers began firing foam rubber projectiles at the protesters.

Though there are May Day activities scheduled in Los Angeles again this year, the police are expected to be on alert.

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