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Fewer People 55-And-Over Choose To Work. But Why? (www.investopedia.com)
submitted 1 week ago by MasterBlaster@lemmy.world to c/workreform@lemmy.world
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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.

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[-] MasterBlaster@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Someone else already got to it before me to show that ageism is really a thing. However, I still want to comment.

The dirty little secret about unemployment statistics in the United States of America is that it only counts people who are considered searching for work.

Searching for work means they're receiving unemployment benefits. My benefits ran out six to eight months ago. I am not considered unemployed.

Consistently, month after month, the percentage of the population that is in the workforce is decreasing. I believe that statistic is called the workforce participation rate. This is why the unemployment rate is so low. Everybody who can't find a job and finally gives up drops off the list.

I saw a figure that I can't get the source for at the moment that states we have about a 14% rate of people who are unemployed who want to work.

[-] TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 1 points 1 week ago

Searching for work means they're receiving unemployment benefits. My benefits ran out six to eight months ago. I am not considered unemployed.

The department of labour defines it as anyone receiving benefits or still seeking employment. Seeking employment is defined as making specific efforts to find a job in the last 4 weeks. So no, that is not correct.

the percentage of the population that is in the workforce is decreasing. I believe that statistic is called the workforce participation rate.

The labour participation rate keeps track of the percentage of the civilian non-institutional population (ages 16 and older) that is either working or actively looking for a job

It has been in decline since the year 2000 largely due to the baby boomers reaching retirement age.

[-] stringere@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

Searching for work means they're receiving unemployment benefits. My benefits ran out six to eight months ago. I am not considered unemployed.

The department of labour defines it as anyone receiving benefits or still seeking employment. Seeking employment is defined as making specific efforts to find a job in the last 4 weeks. So no, that is not correct.

And how does the department of labor measure the number of people still seeking employment. What data are they gathering to measure that. Where are they getting it?

https://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm#unemployed

People are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work. Actively looking for work may consist of any of the following activities:

  • Contacting:
  • An employer directly or having a job interview
  • A public or private employment agency
  • Friends or relatives
  • A school or university employment center
  • Submitting resumes or filling out applications
  • Placing or answering job advertisements
  • Checking union or professional registers
  • Some other means of active job search

Passive methods of job search do not have the potential to connect job seekers with potential employers and therefore do not qualify as active job search methods. Examples of passive methods include attending a job training program or course, or merely reading about job openings that are posted in newspapers or on the Internet.

Who is not in the labor force?

As mentioned previously, the labor force is made up of the employed and the unemployed. The remainder—those who have no job and are not looking for one—are counted as not in the labor force.

A series of questions is asked each month of persons not in the labor force to obtain information about their desire for work, the reasons why they had not looked for work in the last 4 weeks, their prior job search, and their availability for work

I have never seen such a questionnaire when I was unemplyed past being able to collect benefits. 4 weeks after my unemployment ran out I become considered "not in the labor force". There is no followup program to identify people who are no longer considered in the labor force, yet are still seeking work.

this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2026
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