You are a professional person, perhaps an engineer, a doctor, an attorney. You name it. Carpenters, welders, and store clerks are also included. You are over the age of 50, "retired," and living on a fixed income, the amount is of no importance. You are automatically expected to extend your abilities and expertise to the general public, and pick up your expenses to boot, for free.
You are now a "volunteer"! You have automatically been cut off from any supplemental income other than a "job" that pays minimum wage, or thereabouts. Since this "job" is generally for less than 40 hours, it's classified as part-time, exempt from normal employee benifits, such as insurance, retirement benefits, etc. It makes no difference that you may need productive employment at a decent remuneration, to help meet unexpected family needs that exceed your aforementioned "fixed," or controlled income.
Many employers don't think about the potential worker resources available to them, because we older folks have been stereotyped as "over the hill." Well, we "seniors" can out-work and out-think a lot of those, "younger" than we. We can drive, operate office equipment, are reliable, and the list goes on.
Often, we don't mind a minimum wage slot as we really need the money, and are limited in the amount of supplemental income we can earn, thanks to Social Security Regulations. We are established in the community, and could likely be a substantial fiscal asset by our mere mature presence in your business.
I really get hacked when I submit a resume for a position I could easily handle and have some young/middle age "human resourse" type, tell me I'm "overqualified." Bull muffins! These folks don't have the guts to tell me to my face, that in their "considered" opinion, "I'm too old." Thats a no-no, and I might file an age discrimination suit. It's a shame we can't force them to take a polygraph test, and file suit against those caught lying to a potential employee. There is one theory being kicked around that these people have a subconscious fear of letting anyone over 50 enter the work place, as a defenitive threat to their generation..........Could be.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
very important points well-put, Jim, thanks and welcome!
2 - Mark Saleski
Bull muffins!
man, i just had a mash/col. potter flashback.
3 - Ed Godard
It's funny how criticism evolves over time. 50-100 years ago, people complained that they had to work until death. Now that lifespans are longer and working careers are shorter, people are free to actually enjoy a retirement, but they complain that they are put out to pasture. Which is it?
4 - Eric Olsen
I believe it's the option to work longer that is the issue
And by the way, at 45 with four kids, including two under the age of 5, I will not be retiring for at least another 30 years, assuming I live, and I intend to.
5 - Anon
Wow, Eric. I never knew you were so old...
You're still cool in my book, tho. (I mean, you're still makin' babies like a Palestinian, so you must be doing something right...)
;-)
6 - Eric Olsen
I'm not old, just not as young as I once was. I am in early middle age.