Millions of laid-off Americans plan to stay away indefinitely: report

NEW YORK - Millions of Americans who left their jobs last year plan to stay away indefinitely, signaling a trend of "long social distancing," US financial news website Business Insider has reported.

The number of those who have dropped out of the workforce and shunned in-person work, shopping or eating out in the United States is estimated to be around 3 million, said the report on Sunday, citing a latest research jointly conducted by Stanford University, the University of Chicago and Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico.

The study, which surveyed 5,000 people over 12 months, found a quarter of respondents unwilling to return to pre-pandemic activities cited pandemic fears as a primary or secondary factor.

The findings suggest the labor market will remain tight, putting more pressure on wages and prices even as interest rates rise, the report said.