TEMPLE, Texas — Kris Ables called it quits at his building supply job two weeks ago.
“I left because we had our daughter. My wife did not go back to work. We decided that we were going to kind of do something, to supplement her income,” said Temple resident Kris Ables.
While his wife stayed home to take care of their newborn, the two decided to start an interior construction business soon after seeing a job posting on Facebook for a subcontractor to do interior work.
“I’ve said I have a connection I know everybody that can do the work,” said Ables.
Ables accepted two bids, for two jobs and got the work done. Since then, he is hired two workers and has not looked back.
“My wife and I decided hey let’s do it take a leap of faith and get after it,” said Ables.
He's hardly the first person to quit this year. In fact, the U.S. Labor Department announced last week 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September or about 3% of the nation's workforce.
That is higher than the 4.3 million in August and far above the pre-pandemic level of 3.6 million.
“There’s a fair number of people that are doing side gigs because I can balance your lives and said their own time schedule and they can work from remotely,” said Texas A&M Central Texas Interim Department Chair of Finance accounting and Economics Robert Tennant.
“There’s a big battle about minimum wage and what people should be making and finally people are taking matters into their own hands.”
Financial experts say the pandemic allowed people to explore higher-paying jobs and new avenues of income and some, like Ables, are finding success.
“I get to hang out with my daughter every night have supper with my family. It’s freedom and that’s the best part of the whole deal," said Ables.
Now employers are trying to find ways to keep workers, like offering incentives and more flexibility.
Ables said for those planning to leave their jobs it’s important to plan your next steps and save enough money to sustain yourself for several months.
