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."

[Melas]

The point at which my skepticism is based isn't answered by your post. Does your insurance refusing physician have admitting privileges at any hospital?

[napscoordinator]

I am 56 and worked for 20 years. I also had a nice "nest egg" put aside, which was used up to feed and educate 9 kids.



I think you are fantastic. You are richer than that ego freak. Good luck to you. God has blessed you and will continue to do so. I am so proud of you and glad to know there are good people like yourself and your husband in this world.

[CindyDawg]

Foreign or American, ours make the same. I see things slowly changing. We have two programs that just opened up for LVN programs for nurse aides only. My son is in one. Bridge programs are opening for LVNs to be able to work and become RNs. It may drop wages a little but that is ok. There is such a shortage and many qualified people haven't been able to get in.

What's this about retirement though. When the legs go I guess they will start issuing us wheelchairs! I was reading an article about how medication labels and other stuff we need to read is being enlarged and stocking reading glasses due to the mean age of a nurse increasing:')

[CIB-173RDABN]

Most likley, but it is one of those things that has been there so long you sort of just don't see it.

Now we are waiting to see what is going to be required for the new HDTV standards before we replace it.

[Melas]

they sold their house in the city and paid cash for a double-wide trailer

There are some things you just shouldn't admit to no matter how true they may be. Having relatives who live in a house that had wheels on it at one time is one of them. :)

[steve-b]

Somebody has to pay for your Social Security

LOL. I can do arithmetic, and therefore realize that I'll see a UFO piloted by Elvis before I see a Social Security check, and therefore plan accordingly.

[CindyDawg]

I think most of us have fallen into that credit card trap. I agree. If you pay as you go you reduce your debt . I have also found that even though I like to shop for those grandbabies that I don't spend near as much when I'm paying cash. It's just harder to fork it over for some reason. My husband and I have even decided we are not financing cars anymore. We will just save and pay cash.

[Glenn]

Why did you choose to have 9 kids?

What kind of question is that? How rude!

[KoRn]

" if you expect two weeks notice from your employees be damn sure to grant two weeks to people you hire.."

It depends on the situation really. We were recently hiring for an open position in our IT Dept. We needed the position filled quickly and people requiring to work out a long notice of 2 weeks or more weighted in a negative way when we were evaluating our candidates.

[CindyDawg]

Thanks. There are a few typos but I left them there to kept the spelling/grammar checkers happy.

[Cvengr]

IMHO, it's laudable to bear one's own burden. Even with that point of view and actionable experience, events in our lives might not be so favorable for all people in society.

On the contrary, there is nothing in Scripture promising a perfect physical environment prior to the second coming. One popular misconception is to think that if one works hard at improving his environment, one's future is secure in retirement and old age. A far more valuable lifelong goal is to remain in fellowship with God through faith in Christ in all things.

It is interesting to note that every time Satan suffers a fall in Scripture, he is first surrounded by perfect environment, yet even when Christ Himself didn't have a place to lay his head to sleep, He nevertheless was provided with His needs by the Father.

One study in predestination regards the doctrine of logistical grace. Another study concerns providential testing and momentum testing of our faith in Him.

Consider what Christ endured physically and thoughtfully on His way to the Cross. God has predestined a plan for each of our lives in eternity past. By remaining faithful to Him, we are able to be at the right place at the right time to fulfill His providential grace. When we fail and sin or disobey His will, we simply leave rewards on the table in heaven as eternal memorials of our stupidity in sin.

It might be the case that those who only live for the moment, harvest the whirlwind of their foolish decisions prior to the first death. Also possible are many situations where our fellow man might be in need, due to no fault of his own, but merely an opportunity or testing of how we have advanced in our thinking to respond to any situation in life. The issues of sin have already been settled through faith in Christ. Issues of good and evil in the angelic conflict are still being evaluated and our response to them through faith in Him provides opportunity for receipt of those predestined awards in heaven.

I've witnessed those who he loves, with substantial resources and more capacity for worldly growth, lose everything of this world, yet still are without want living in joy from His providence.

I've also witnessed those who reject him, heap treasures for their retirement, living very miserable lives in luxury where every fleshly and worldly desire has been made available.

Lazarus and the Rich man is an outstanding example of joy and misery in such predicaments.

[TheOracleAtLilac]

...waiting to see what is going to be required for the new HDTV standards

Not to worry. A converter Fm: HDTV to: broadcast will probably cost $10+/-

[CindyDawg]

See though, if he just thinks of only # uno then why should we get upset for a company doing the same? It goes two ways. As much as I have needed help I have hired people with a 2 week delay, telling them to go give notice.

[McGavin999]

It's not a question of being offended, it's a question of pointing out that not everyone is as lucky as others. I'm not complaining about it, I'm attempting to inform you (but it looks like that's a lost cause).

Glad you have been so fortunate, because someone as shallow as you would never make it through a major tragedy. Good luck.

[BJungNan]

Today, it really starts getting tough at 40. There recently was a FReeper who offered this advice: "Young workers should find a good job and start saving their money so that by the time they turn 40, they will be in a position to start their own business.

They are in for one heck of a lot of work. And waiting until 40 to get the business going? I don't care what anyone says, you have 10x the energy needed to get a business moving when you are younger. Those 16 hour work days for months straight to get a business rolling wear you down much more when you get older.

And, you better make sure you start that business with savings dedicated only for the purpose of starting a business - don't use your house or other savings to do it. Too much risk in that downside.

[blam]

"By 59 he should have saved enough so that he could retire. Then it wouldn't really matter if he were laid off. His savings should have been enough for your food, clothing, health insurance, and whatever fun he wants to have. Your home should be paid off by then."

Yup. Been there done that. I quit work at the end of 1994 at age 50. Haven't worked a day since. With a good plan, anyone can do it in 15-20 years. Always pay yourself first...it's about capital and preserving it..

[SamAdams76]

Yeah, but double-wides have come a long way! It's actually a pretty nice looking house once it's put together and the wheels get taken off.

[BJungNan]

I've always wanted my own business. In July I'm opening a career school. I plan to continue working at my job for two more years, at least part time but I'm not ready to slow down or retire. I just want more freedom to set my schedule to do more stuff I want. It's as an opportunity . The kids are grown. My bills are minimal. The time is right. The only draw back is not losing my health insurance.

As politely as I can put this, you are dillusional if you think that is what starting your own business is going to be like. The only part you have right is the part about it being a draw back to lose your health issurance.

One very definate thing you lose when you start your own business is your time. Yes, in a regualar job you might have to be there when they say. But compare that to having to be there when the business needs you - it is ALWAYS tugging on you for time. There is no such thing as a "freedom to set your scheudle" when you have your own business - not when you are first building it.

[CindyDawg]

Have you seen some of those double wides? I was looking the other day. 80-90K

[hedgetrimmer]

I can tell you from experience that companies are always starved for managers.

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.

Let's see. You are saying that all those coders who became managers should now expatriate themselves to foreign countries so they can manage the offshore development teams?