Long-Term Unemployed: Hidden and Hurt (Older workers are having a tough time)

Fox Business News ^ | 04/23/2013 | Christina Scotti

[SeekAndFind]

Two men named Bob. Both are over fifty. Both had been working consistently for nearly three decades before losing their jobs in 2009. Both were out of work for more than 99 weeks.

Now there is one glaring difference. Bob Greeney is employed. Bob Sullivan is still fighting to get back into the workforce.

Friendly and candid, the 61-year-old Mr. Sullivan worked in the travel hospitality industry until his former company closed its Boston branch. After taking a brief pause to care for his mother, he said he went through job agencies, attended job fairs and applied to scores of jobs online.

“Still, no bites,” said Mr. Sullivan, whose ongoing search, day in and day out, continues. “It’s just a malaise you fall into. It’s like having a slow disease, especially if you get rejected or don’t hear back.”

The battle to get back to work is indisputably grueling, and Mr. Sullivan and the other roughly 4.7 million people who have been unemployed for over six months know all too well that as each month goes by the stigma of long-term unemployment can make it increasingly more challenging to find work

“If someone is out of work for a while the perception from employers is that there must be something wrong with you, and after a couple of years the people themselves begin to believe they don’t have value, that it’s over for them,” said Joe Carbone, creator of Platform to Employment, a five-week program that focuses on retraining and placing “99ers” into eight-week internships with the possibility of that turning into a job. The term “99ers” refers to those out of work for 99 weeks or longer and whose unemployment benefits have run out.

“We don’t see bread lines. But that despair is there, it’s just behind closed doors,”

[Dr. Pritchett]

Funny, but I don’t care about any of them that didn’t vote the same way I did.

[Kozak]

Oops.

[Rumplemeyer]

We tried that once, it was called Smoot-Halley the result was FDR and the Great Depression, Jug Ears would love it...

[rockabyebaby]

That's when you start working temp, particularly in Accounting. Contracting pays more, but then you have to do your own 'books.' (Oh wait a minute.)

I've been temping for years - I started an assignment in July of 2008 and it ended in September due to lack of work - this particular job where I interviewed a couple of months ago was a "permanent" job. I contacted several temp agencies in September. When a temp job comes up several "candidates" from the agency are interviewed by the client and one is picked for the assignment. Temp jobs are few and far between, the market here is not all that good right now and temp jobs/regular jobs that used to pay good money are now paying $11.40 - $12.30 p/h. The permanent job I interviewed for was a hell of a lot more than that!

[Kozak]

Okay, since NONE of the columns add up to 100%

[SeekAndFind]

Let’s look at it this way.

The figures are not accurate but let’s make them a whole number for the sake of illustration

There are 10 million unemployed men today. And there are 10 million unemployed women for a total of 20 million unemployed people.

Of the 10 million unemployed men, 42% or 4.2 Million are LONG-TERM unemployed.

Of the 10 million unemployed women, 41% or 4.1 Million are LONG-TERM unemployed.

This makes a total of 4.2 million (men) + 4.1 million (women) or 8.3 Million LONG TERM unemployed.

So, of the total 20 million unemployed, 41.5% ( 8.3 million MEN AND WOMEN ) are LONG TERM unemployed.

[WVKayaker]

What's your plan to fix 23% unemployment?

I know that increasing the cost of every daY COMMODITIES WHICH ALL AMERICANS PURCHASE will do nothing to lower the unemployment rate. It is the ignorance of many who scream about the Chinese (who do nothing but scream) who forget about Mexico, Thailand, Taiwan, India, and of course, Japan and so many more poor countries.

Free trade is a benefit to America, just as technology is our strength. We cannot compete on any playing field against the third world, as their cost of living is so much lower.

I became unemployed at 60. I am now 65. I sought work for three years. I am now living on my SS retirement in the Philippines. I live well, since my meager check equates to more than three average Filipino families make, IF THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS.

The Philippines has strict import requirements and wants everything made here that can be made, in order to increase employment. It does not work. There are Chinese imports abounding here, as it is still cheaper than the local products, and more often of better quality.

Good luck with your screeds. They do nothing to solve the problem. The problem is that the US Gum't has killed the golden goose of American productivity, with ever increasing regulatory costs and higher taxation. Your answer is to increase the cost of living to everyone else, by taxing those items, to aid an abet that Gum't behemoth.

Your ideas fall on deaf ears, here, FRiend. I now employ 17 Filipinos, and will make a difference where I can... with people that appreciate a job at any wage. I worked for someone else in the US despite having been self-employed in five successful businesses. I spent my money well, and have been a benefactor to many, as well as assuring my prodigy a good inheritance. I kept nothing for myself. I know how to produce wealth. I have three registered American Not-for-Profit Corporations (NGO) at work around the world, and have built schools and a hospital in some of the poorest countries. Yes, I AM bragging. I believe in promises.

Have you done anything to help the unemployed? I doubt it!

Disclaimer: I pay more than most local employers and have a line of hard-working Pinoys waiting for a job! I plan to die here, after making a difference.

[Nervous Tick]

>> almost half of the 3.5 million currently out of work for over a year at 45 or older

In other words, SLIGHTLY OVER half of the unemployed are BELOW 45...

[equaviator]

“...the effect of Young People in the “Personnel” Departments.”

I got an e-mail from a recruiter today. The subject line read, “Reguarding your resume”

[Nowhere Man]

Raise the import tariffs and put Americans back to work.

Add: Stop all immigration for 2 decades, at least; then you have plan.

I'd go for that, the only immigrants I would let in is by marriage, other than that, I'd cut it to zero or nearly zero. I'd also send illegals back and any Moslems that put religion above America would go too.

Let me add that we need to lower taxes and regulations to the above as well.

[Nowhere Man]

I am one of those “older” workers. Went on an interview about two months ago (accounting position) and was told to my face that “we don’t want anyone at the end of their career” - sounds like age discrimination, however, because I didn’t record the conversation nothing can be done about it. Also, due to “sequestration” unemployment benefits here in MA are being cut 12.8%, not sure what the cut % is in other states.

I hate to hear that. I'd find some way to sue if I can. BTW, I do understand why older workers go on disability after a while. I know it is part of the problem but I do have my mercenary side where I do believe you do what it takes to survive. Not a good equation though.

[PLMerite]

Shouldn’t those percentages add up to 100? Or is this some of that “damned lies and statistics” thing?

[warchild9]

They are trained to accept sports as reality. It keeps the peasants thinking like adolescents, who consume from mommy and daddy and don’t feel the need to take responsibility.

[warchild9]

prodigy = progeny

sorry

pet peeve

[rockabyebaby]

I hate to hear that. I'd find some way to sue if I can.

Can't sue, it's my word against his and without any proof there's no case. I know someone who went through this a couple of years ago, here in MA without any kind of solid proof lawyers won't touch it because it's just hearsay.

I do understand why older workers go on disability after a while.

Yes, now I too understand why so many people are going on disability, granted some of them are probably just the usual sit on their ass types but I can understand if it's an older worker. People say there's plenty of jobs out there and if you really want to work you'd go to Burger King, problem is Burger King doesn't want to pay the money to train people because they know that as soon as the economy turns around we're gone. Entry level jobs are out of the question because we are waaaay too overqualified. I have faith in God that something will turn up!

[WVKayaker]

Thank you. I knew better, but was typing without full engagement!

My thoughts were more about the subject, instead of the grammar!

View from my back door...

[Procyon]

Isn’t there a moral hazard in 99 weeks’ unemployment compensation? Having the 12 or 18 month cushion (from the previous 6-month benefit) lowers the sense of urgency. It’s taking far longer for job recovery and many sectors will never regain the workforce levels of the past. Obamacare is scaring employers from adding to payrolls.

[Rusty0604]

Where are you getting a 90% tax rate? Their corporate tax rate is 25%

[familyop]

Except for many of our Baby Boomer peers (and older) in administrative and government jobs. They’ll try to hook up like the Borg and suck the life out of real production (manufacturing, agricultural, energy and mining) forever.

[familyop]

It’s essentially against the law to manufacture anything here, in the USA, even in the middle of nowhere in sparsely populated counties. There are also the anti-family policies and regulations against private property rights. And we know good and well what kind of families those regulations and anti-family policies come from.