The Underground Economy

     The underground economy or the shadow economy, is a system composed of those who can't find a full-time or regualr job. Some workers turn to anything that pays them under the table, with no income reported and no taxes paid-especially with an uneven job picture. A professor stated that he thinks "the underground economy is quite big." He goes on to say that even though "it is using undocumented workers or those legally, it is still pretty large."

     This hidden economy can be beneficial due to the fact that, even though it can be related to drug dealers and other not so good things, it supports the personal and domestic workers such as housekeepers and nannies. It also includes firms that hire hourly or day construction labor, information technology specialists and web page designers. Many people in this category have a job, but take another due to the fact that they don't get paid enough from their original job.

     For the people who have certain underground jobs, it can be great, but there can also be some bad side effects. The result of these hidden jobs, "is less tax money paid to the various levels of government." What does that mean to the average working human? It means that, "those working and not paying taxes puts the burden on those who pay the tax."

     Another side effect is that those who are not in the books, don't gte Social Security or Health Benefits. "People who do these types of jobs run the risk of getting exploited with lower pay or not being paid at all."
All and all, the underground economy can truly only be judged by you and you alone. There are pros and cons, but it's you who has the final say.