About being laid off and unwanted when you're 59

The Star (South Chicago) ^ | 4/23/6 | Michael Bowers

[SmithL]

One of my readers is an underemployed 59-year-old man from among us here in the South Suburbs. Call him Harry. He works in information technology. Slowly and wearily, he says: "Once you get past 50, I swear, it gets tough, it gets really tough."

For instance, Harry applied for a job with a city of Chicago department that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He got an offer for some contract work. There were no benefits, but it was a paying job.

A woman from the city called him one Monday morning and wanted to know if he could start at midnight. Harry said he'd like to give his current employer a week's notice. That wasn't good enough. The job was gone. The caller told him: "This is a brave new world. Learn to live with it."

[usmom]

Today, it really starts getting tough at 40.

You know, my husband and I were just talking about this the other day. We both just turned 40 and we can already see the writing on the wall for what the future holds. Currently, I work only one day a week to stay home with the kids, but we both work for the same company. Their MO has become very clear: once you start accumalating vacation time and benefits and hit 50/55, you can expect a visit from upper management telling you that you have been 're-assigned'. They don't fire you per se, they just make your life so miserable that out of depseration you do quit and try your luck finding another job, only to be faced with more age discrimination. This has happened to several of his older friends and co-workers. Basically, they only want new, 20 something grads with no family and lots of debt so they are willing to work as much and under any conditions. Experience means nothing anymore, and in fact, has become a liability. We have always saved aggressively and lived within our means. I have wanted to build a nicer house for years, but especailly now that my husband turned 40, he says we will never be able to afford to since we need to save for the inevitable.

[McGavin999]

I hope you never find out just how devestating cancer can be to your "retirement" plans. How it eats through all your assets. But then, perhaps you have never loved anyone enough to give up your little nest egg, perhaps you would just let them die.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Well, it was a great discussion but I have to go do some work to build up my retirement now...

:)

[Malesherbes]

Good comment. I believe some journalists (e.g. Mike Barnickle, formerly of the Boston Globe) have been caught making up such "exemplary" tales about imaginary characters. Notwithstanding, there is a reality out there that is pinching hard on many people who find themselves competing with younger, cheaper, and often foreign workers.

[SJackson]

I’m not sure what the criticism of this guy is about.

Graduated high school, worked briefly for Ford, then a decade in the Navy, not a high paying positon. It’s probably fair to say he entered the work force in his early 30s.

Peak earnings, upper 70s.

It’s fair to assume that’s not a 25 year average.

Since he works, he’s been paying income and ss tax on all his earnings, at least a quarter.

$700 per month mortgage, that’s not living large in Chicago any more than a $200 per month auto payment is. I’m willing to assume he’s been just as extravagant in other expenses.

In those circumstances, expectations of saving enough to support a $70m retirement income at 59 aren’t realistic. It’s a function of our tax system.

He makes no criticism of his employer for firing him on the spot, in fact complements the employer.

He’s not interested in lawsuits.

All he says is it’s tough to get a job when you’re 50, which it is, and he might have to work the rest of his life to support himself, which he might.

Government help doesn’t come up at all. Other than the Peotone airport, which would be a local economic boom.

His solution

Is there a solution? Harry suggested two. One is the responsibility of the employee: He must keep himself employable by continuing his education and upgrading his skills. If you want a job, you must have a skill set that employers value. Such as? Management is an important one, he said.

That’s good advice for everyone.

[hedgetrimmer]

There seem to be way too many arguing against taking personal responsibility for their actions/inactions electing transnationalists and globalists to run our government and creating a phony "freet trade" system that is funded off the backs of the wage earning American.

[squalus192]

69ConvertibleFirebird needs to pay attention to his own tag line. Age doesn't necessarily imply wisdom! If you can't get a real job, work for the government or a union, that way you can retire by 59!

[McGavin999]

I'm just waiting for the big government rescue team to come knocking at my door, taking away what I've saved to give it to the high rollers.

You know who can come knocking at your door faster then the government? Doctors and hospitals. They can eat right through every cent you've ever saved, they can eat up the equity in your house, they can take over just about everything you've ever owned. They can cause you to willingly empty out your 401k (AND pay the premium for cashing out) just to give you a few extra days with someone. Don't be so smug about how well you have things planned out.

[VOA]

bump

[ImpBill]

Exactly as I pointed out in my first post to you and bfree on nr 105. This poor chap is but a reflection of what I believe is the vast majority of hard working middle class Americans. We, for a myriad of reasons, took the roll of the Grasshopper (Grasshopper and the Ants), and with us boomer's hitting the "golden years" it isn't going to be very golden for many. And unfortunately "many" will turn to Sam ("us") to bail them out.

And the message you, I, and a few others have been putting forth - personal responsibility - is being ignored by virtually all.

Tis sad indeed we have gotten ourselves into the place we have gotten ourselves into as a society, but predictable for many decades.

Congratulations for having made and worked a plan that allows you to enjoy the fruits of taking responsibility for your financial security.

Sad you are taking hits for being responsible.

[hedgetrimmer]

He must keep himself employable by continuing his education and upgrading his skills. If you want a job, you must have a skill set that employers value. Such as? Management is an important one, he said.

This discussions was going on in the early 1990s. Computer programmers saw foreign workers being brought in who worked for pennies on the dollar of domestic programmers. Many realized that coding was not going to continue to be a viable occupation, unless you were always working on a cutting edge product. Coding work for established products was going to be given to the foreign workers because it was basically just maintenance, not new development. Many programmers decided that management was the thing, that way if foreign coders were brought in they'd still have jobs.

Ha Ha. The laugh is on them, isn't it.

[CIB-173RDABN]

Most people who are laid off were productive members of their companies. The companies either no longer had work for them to do, or pretended not to, and then sent the work to India or China, or hired a new grad to do the same work (although probably not as well).

---

Then I should rephase it. If I am laid off, it will not be because of something I did or did not do.

I work work "at will", which means I could become unemployed at any time.

Having clarified that point, it just re-enforces the main point(s).

Due to no fault of my own, I could be unemployed. It is up to me to be prepared for that event.

[Jmouse007]

Thanks for your compassion. I am 56, have a BA, MA and a Ph.D. in my field. I am conservative and have 12 plus years teaching on the graduate and undergraduate level and exceptional references. Well, I have spent the last 10+ years looking for a full-time teaching position and sent out thousands of resumes. My problem = conservative, white, male and over 50.

We have nothing saved for retirement due to unforeseen medical bills and credit card debts we incurred when we both found ourselves unemployed with two sons. My wife, God bless her soul has to commute 60 miles one-way into Boston from NH because they pay almost half less as much over the border for the same work in the "Live Free AND Die" state.

It is easy for rich people, or those who have not undergone difficult circumstances who have been able to save for one reason or another to cast stones and look down on people who are not in the position they are in. Thank you again. Dr. Jerry S

[tet68]

"I'm really sorry, you're overqualified for this position."

[marajade]

"We paid for their K-12 private schools."

That's a financial sacrifice you chose. You could have chosen to send them to public school for free.

[SJackson]

This discussions was going on in the early 1990s. Computer programmers saw foreign workers being brought in who worked for pennies on the dollar of domestic programmers. Many realized that coding was not going to continue to be a viable occupation, unless you were always working on a cutting edge product. Coding work for established products was going to be given to the foreign workers because it was basically just maintenance, not new development. Many programmers decided that management was the thing, that way if foreign coders were brought in they'd still have jobs.

Yes, labor cost savings do have ramifications.

[hedgetrimmer]

You could have chosen to send them to public school for free.

Public school is free?

[marajade]

Have you tried applying with us:

http://www.juvenile.state.az.us/CareerOpps/CareerOpps.htm

[FreeReign]

I’m not sure what the criticism of this guy is about.

His solution

Is there a solution? Harry suggested two. One is the responsibility of the employee: He must keep himself employable by continuing his education and upgrading his skills. If you want a job, you must have a skill set that employers value. Such as? Management is an important one, he said. That’s good advice for everyone.

Yes Harry offered the right solution. Some didn't read down to the bottom.

[tortoise]

Somebody has to pay for your Social Security.

What kind of mental illness is it that you have that you think it a noble act to breed indentured servants? The very premise is vile, and I certainly would not air such views in public. Indeed, this is the very thing that is wrong with Social Security.