older workers face massive discrimination

Can't Retire, can't get a job:

While it's not easy to land a job in this weak economy, older workers are in a particularly tough spot. Corporate downsizings are hitting this group hard, with many companies looking to shed the higher-paid positions these employees often occupy. Even worse, older job seekers are discovering the search is even rougher as many employers shy away from hiring those closer to retirement than to the start of their careers.

The downsizings come at a bad time for older workers. Not only can't they afford to retire, but many were counting on beefing up their 401(k) accounts in the years before they exit the labor force. Compounding the problem is the slumping stock market, which has left them with a deflated 401(k) cushion to draw on while looking for a new post.

Next time you hear worker shortage think of this story.

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What About the Social Security Gap?

The Social Security system assumes that workers draw their maximum salary for several years before they retire. The reality is that most white-collar workers will face a serious income gap in their 50's and early 60's.

20 years ago, we would be on the verge of paying off our mortgage. Now we lose our homes.

20 years ago, we contributed to Social Security until retirement. Now we draw unemployment.

add to that

If someone is a contractor or permatemp, they cannot get unemployment benefits. I think we should be pointing to all of this experience being thrown away every chance we get. It's high time older worker really started aggressively confronting this entire "younger preferred" hiring practices.

Dropped from Unemployment roles - Where do they go?

Ok, latest unemployment statistics show an increase in the number of jobs lost, but a drop in the unemployment rate due to a few hundred thousand of ex-employees that are no longer looking for employment.

Where do they go? What do they do for income?