Jobless hit particularly hard

[marmar]

via the San Francisco Chronicle:




Jobless hit particularly hard
Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press

Sunday, November 15, 2009


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Americans have more than triple the debt they had in 1982, and less than half the savings. They spend 10 weeks longer off the job. And a bigger share of them have no health insurance, leaving them one medical emergency away from financial ruin.

For these reasons, the unemployed are more vulnerable today to foreclosure and bankruptcy than they were a generation ago.

Donald Schenk knows. He has been without work both times. It's worse now, he says.

Back in the early 1980s, when Schenk lost his job at a phone company, he was able to find several temporary jobs - including one testing pinball machines - to make ends meet until he landed full-time work nearly two years later.

But now, Schenk, 55, of the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Ill., has been seeking work for a year and a half after losing his information-technology job. Potential employers aren't interested "if you are not a perfect fit," he says. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/15/BUUE1AGHTJ.DTL&type=business

[Greyhound]

1. K&R

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Maybe They Can Sell A Kidney to a Banker?

After all, the government's out of money after giving trillions to the bankers, as is their due, no?

[bobbolink]

3. That's why we need to organize now more than ever.

This can be an opportunity for big change.

Please read this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7022478&mesg_id=7022478

[prolesunited]

4. And he's 55

That is another reason why we need health care reform. Companies don't want to take on older workers because they are more likely to have medical conditions. All of a sudden, their utilization rate goes up and the following year, the insurance companies hit them with a big increase.

[truedelphi]

7. The haalth care bill as it was passed by the House will not help us

Who happen to be over fifty much. The premiums are allowed to be disastrously high in these times of companies cutting back on spending.

And the premiums are allowed to be high as long as they are not that way on account of a previously existing condition. Other than the one excluded from it - having been here for several years longer than others.

[C_Lawyer09]

5. Perfect fit is right

The competition is amazing, but I certainly question availability. I drove sixty miles for a job fair the other day. It was going to be a fairly small one, 60 employers were advertised. About 40 tables were there, 20 of those 40 were not neccessarily employers, but agencies and organizations set up to help the unemployed, vets, etc. One of the things that is annoying me a lot during this job search, is half of the H.R. reps are rude and either can't or don't want to answer basic questions. O.K. now that I've vented a little bit, maybe if I re-evaluate, edit my resume' maybe I'll have better luck. Luckily my wife is very employable. I empathize greatly with anybody whom is job searching out there.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Give that writer a Pulitzer Prize

Under the new category, The "No Shit, Sherlock" Award for the most obvious news story.

This "recession" is different. Life changing. Not just a "bump in the road".

We did the right things. Got an education. Were frugal with our money (mostly). Kept our noses clean.

But we STILL get the shaft while Wall St. gives out $700 million in bonuses to their rank and file workers.

:grr:

[Paula Sims]

8. At least he's had interviews

My husband, also 55, has had 1 interview in 1 year -- and he's in engineering. It's true, unless you're a PERFECT fit (read: young, no more than 3-5 years' experience), then don't bother. Even the contract offices aren't getting requests in -- not just ones that don't fit my husband, nothing. A lot of companies have shut down their HR departments because if they're not going to hire anyone, why bother having a hiring staff -- just outsource the basics somewhere else.

It's nasty out there.