Coworkers Sven and Kurt are both laid off from their jobs at the factory and visit the unemployment office. Kurt is the first in line to meet with the clerk.
"Tell me your occupation, please," the clerk asks.
"Panty stitcher," says Kurt. "I sew the elastic onto cotton panties."
Panty stitcher is listed under unskilled labor. The clerk gives Kurt $300 a week in unemployment.
Sven sits down with the same clerk and says he works as a diesel fitter.
Since diesel fitter is a skilled labor, Sven gets a weekly check for $600.
When Kurt finds out Sven is getting double the amount of money that he is, he returns to the unemployment office and demands to know why he is getting less money for a similar job.
"It's not the same," the clerk says. "Diesel fitters are skilled laborers and panty stitchers are not."
"What do you mean, skilled labor!" Kurt yells. "I sew the elastic on the panties, Sven then pulls them over his head and says, 'Ya, diesel fitter.'"
