Out of Work : A Study of Employment Agencies; Their Treatment of the Unemployed, and Their Influence Upon Homes and Business

Uncovering how employment agencies shaped homes and work in early 20th‑century cities This essential study examines the rise of intelligence offices and employment agencies that linked households with workers. Based on a large, multi‑city investigation, it reveals how the industry operated, the people it affected, and the reforms that were explored to improve conditions for both employers and workers. The book looks at how agencies functioned, who ran them, and the complex social and economic pressures surrounding domestic service. It discusses the challenges investigators faced, the methods used to gather information, and the realities of wages, contracts, isolation, and supervision in home work. How households and agencies interacted, including licensing, fees, and practices across cities. The lived experiences of house workers, including hours, independence, and social constraints. Issues of trust, safety, and legality in the hiring and placement process. Early ideas for regulation and reform that emerged from the study. Ideal for readers of historical labor studies and urban reform, this edition brings to light the pressures and possibilities faced by workers and the agencies that matched them with homes.