Could it also be that all these jobs stink — that is, they’re part time, temporary and/or seasonal — and pay less than if the unemployed stayed on welfare or whatever assistance they are receiving?
In my area some jobs are posted completely in Spanish; some people don’t want to hire someone familiar with labor law, rights, etc.
The fact is that many of us in that age group have expenses that could never be covered by these McJobs, so potential employers know we could never stay if there was an economic recovery. They hire younger people who barely have the required skills; they get what they pay for, and that is all they want.