[Dilbert San Diego]

Companies will try to avoid hiring older workers.

While older workers may be more experienced, two things work against them. First, is that companies can generally get away with paying younger workers less money. Secondly, older workers in group insurance plans will cost the company much more in insurance premiums. So pay and benefits for older workers will cost the company money.

Another factor depends on the job. But for all but senior management type positions, the fact that someone has 20 or 30 years of experience in some field does not impress employers. If they can hire a 35 year old with a degree in a certain field and five years of experience, that’s just as good to them as a 50 year old with 25 years experience. And the younger worker will cost them less money, so the bias is towards hiring younger workers.

[x_plus_one]

Last time we hired an 'older worker' he stayed long enough to sprain his back and collect 50,000 from workers comp. He had a bad back when hired but put off the pain. Small business can't afford indepth physical exams for hiring. So we don't hire old guys. Ever.

Workers comp insurance and lawyers have made hiring very problematic. Who wants to hire someone who will take you to the cleaners - Only a small percentage of job seekers aren't angling for a permanenet disability.

In uncertain times, no one wants to gamble with their livelihood - especially the guy with skin in the game. Ever.

[Buckeye McFrog]

If they can hire a 35 year old with a degree in a certain field and five years of experience, that’s just as good to them as a 50 year old with 25 years experience. And the younger worker will cost them less money, so the bias is towards hiring younger workers.

the fly in their ointment being 38 years of legalized abortion have left them with a dwindling, truncated pool of younger workers