MovieChat Forums > Deux jours, une nuit (2014) Discussion > Is it that difficult to find new jobs in...

Is it that difficult to find new jobs in Belgium?


It really got me wondering. I understand that if you have an important position in a company, it's going to be hard to find a job that pays equaly, but that ddidn't seem to be the case here. She worked for a small factory or something, and it didn't seem she got a huge paycheck there. I don't know if the situation is different in Belgium, but in my country whenever you lose a low-income job, there are several places that always need staff, like fast food chains, supermarkets, clothing stores, and so on. Is it hard to find those types of jobs in Belgium, or should I assume Sandra was getting paid a lot more than those other jobs could offer her?

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The point isn't that it's hard to find a job. It's that it's hard for someone depressed as her to put herself out there. Not to mention, her current job would provide the stability of being around people and a surrounding she's familiar with. This film isn't just about "saving her job", it's also about overcoming her depression.

I don't think she was quite ready to go back to work in the beginning, but by the end of the film? Most definitely so. She's ready and willing to put herself out there. She doesn't need the push from her husband. She WANTS to do something for herself and her family. She's SMILING despite having lost her job.

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belle_writer, I had that impression that it was more about trying to keep the job to keep away from depression than it actually being hard to find a new one. But then why would some of the workers agree to lose their bonus when they know she could easily find a job somewhere else?

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Why? For various reasons, but I think the biggest is because they felt it was the right thing to do. Remember the guy who burst out in tears because he felt so guilty?

Also, the guy at the laundromat wasn't getting that huge of a bonus. Others could "afford" to lose that bonus.

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It's hard for anyone to find a job paying a living wage these days. Read the newspapers.

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I know it's hard to find jobs that pay well, but I thought it was still relatively easy to find jobs that don't pay so much, as I assume it's the case with that factory.

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Liège has a 23% unemployment rate, one of the highest in the country. It's like finding a job for a worker in Detroit.

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Europe generally mandates a very high minimum wage, plus extremely generous benefits.

If your compensation, inclusive of all direct and indirect benefits, is $25 per hour for the lowest paid positions, it can be difficult for a non-graduate to obtain the position.

Obviously, someone who is mentally ill is even less likely to be worth $25 per hour.

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