Signaling and hirer’s remorse. Becker’s critique also naively assumes that employers automatically dismiss any worker who falls short of expectations. Labor regulations and lawsuits aside, firms are not run by robots.37 When humans work side by side, they develop fraternal feelings for one another. As long as their business is not in jeopardy, many employers retain moderately subpar employees indefinitely. And even if the boss is bereft of empathy, most of their employees won’t be. Disgruntled workers are less productive workers. Any boss who “deprives someone of their livelihood” has to fear
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