Fewer People 55 and Over Are Working—Here’s Why
www.investopedia.com
Fewer Americans aged 55 and over are staying in the workforce as rising stock prices, retirement decisions, and labor market trends reshape participation rates.

This is a few weeks old, but I felt it is relevant here. Noticeably absent from the “speculation” as to the reasons fewer people in their 50’s are working is the elephant in the room: Ageism. I gave up searching for work because it’s painfully obvious my capability is not the issue. AARP has permanent support education for 50+ people trying to get hired.

All I hear about with respect to frustrations being unable to find a job is focused on the youngest, while it’s the eldest that are being forced out at alarming rates. The worst part is we don’t have any recovery path, and some of us are supporting adult children who can’t find work.

We either navigated all the pratfalls life throws at us and have savings enough to “survive”, or we didn’t, and we become another near invisible member of the predominantly elder population of homeless standing by intersections hoping for a handout.

Next January possibly millions of over 50 people thrown out of work and unable to find any job (even minimum wage jobs) will lose their health coverage, since Medicaid begins requiring 20 hours per week of work to qualify.

We are well beyond “fearing dystopia” now. We’ve been living it for a decade, some would say longer.

  • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
    1·
    24 days ago

    It’s enough of an issue that there’s a law against it and a lot of people say it happens.

    A law that was passed in 1967… When the largest voting block in history was starting to reach the age they wanted to protect.

    I don’t doubt that it happens, I’m sure older people face a lot of challenges in the work place. I just don’t think that the data we currently have substantiates the claim that they are less hireable. Even if there was evidence to support that it would be hard to prove if they were discriminated against because of their actual age, or if it is because companies want to exploit young workers for less pay than a more experienced candidate would require.

    researchers, legislators and job seekers to say that ageism exists

    Or… There are biases and alterior motivations that lead them to make those claims.

    suggest if you are going to go against the prevailing winds of evidence, you find some studies that shows that age discrimination in employment does NOT exist.

    Ah yes, Prove something doesnt exist. I’ll do that right after I prove God doesn’t exist…that’s not how science works my guy.

      • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
        1·
        24 days ago

        The burden of evidence belongs to the person making a claim. I cannot provide evidence to prove a negative. If you are claiming ageism exists and is the actual reason you cannot find a job then you must provide the evidence to support that claim.

        If I disagree with it, then I would offer an argument challenging the strength of that evidence, just how I’ve already done.

        Say you went fishing and caught a new type of fish never before seen by humans. How would I provide proof you did not?

          • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
            1·
            24 days ago

            Again, in this scenario you are making a claim. I am not making the claim that ageism does not exist. You are claiming it is the reason for your unemployment. My rebuttal is that the available data surrounding unemployment does not substantiate that.

            If I claimed ageism does not exist, it would be a falsifiable statement. You could give any example of ageism. However if I claimed ageism exists, it just isn’t why you can’t find a job, how would we test falsibility? How could I observe the reason why you are unemployed?

            think you’re repeating things you don’t understand yet.

            I think you are forgetting who originally made a claim?

              • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
                1·
                24 days ago

                Says the person who didn’t know the unemployment rate included people looking for jobs…

                What you want to look at is at people who are looking for a job

                This you?

                • schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
                  1·
                  24 days ago

                  Yes, first: let me congratulate you on your perseverance throughout the day on this topic.

                  Second, I did acknowledge that my first link was lacking exactly what I said we needed to establish bias, so I provided a study demonstrating exactly that: bias against older workers in the job application process.

                  Third, talking to you has been entertaining because you do offer a convincing simulation of thought, but the more I talk to you, the clearer it is that it is only a simulation and now I am done. Good day.

                  • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
                    11·
                    24 days ago

                    Even if you find some cases of bias, it doesn’t mean that it’s widespread, nor does it mean it affects you personally. Especially considering that your age bracket still has the lowest unemployment numbers.

                    only a simulation and now I am done. Good day.

                    I bet you need to conserve your energy to really handle being unemployed all day.