Forced retirement and Social Security

[Jainarayan]

Start your own business, I'm sure you have enough knowledge with that comprehensive amount of experience to do so.

Capital, raising it. And getting clients. Unfortunately, in this economic and social climate (we're still largely in lockdown) it will never happen.

 

[Riders]

Well I have run into a few older people who went back to college at 58 and 60, I am about to turn 54 in January and I am planning to go to Jr. College over the winter semester next year. I may get a degree in Graphic art and or web design, I think they are both one year certificates so I might get both

A grant or loan could help pay for your rent and personal necessary's while in college,

 

[Shaul]

I am sorry to read you’ve had these hard things happening in your life. Although I have some thoughts and suggestions, I would not presume to offer them unless you want to hear them. I wouldn’t want to in anyway minimize you troubles. But I would like to say this. Don’t allow these things to overwhelm you to the point where it damages your mental health. This is one of those times to call upon all those that are in your network of support and caring. Don’t be shy to do so. It isn’t any sign of weakness. It is actually a sign of integrity and strength. Don’t deny those that care the blessing (mitzvah) of helping you in these times of troubles. May you be well and blessed.

 

[Mindmaster]

Capital, raising it. And getting clients. Unfortunately, in this economic and social climate (we're still largely in lockdown) it will never happen.

Eh, stuff always breaks, and people need people to manage break-fix/adds/moves/changes. The only person that believes you can't do it is you. The lockdown has made many competitors fold up, and that means opportunities will out-strip the labor. Someone who is good is always in demand whether they know it or not, and you certainly have the skillset to train people up. Yes, you may never go back to doing things the way you did, but you don't have to.

 

[Jainarayan]

Eh, stuff always breaks, and people need people to manage break-fix/adds/moves/changes. The only person that believes you can't do it is you. The lockdown has made many competitors fold up, and that means opportunities will out-strip the labor. Someone who is good is always in demand whether they know it or not, and you certainly have the skillset to train people up. Yes, you may never go back to doing things the way you did, but you don't have to.

I’ve done consulting before, so that’s a possibility I haven’t discounted.

 

[Bird123]

Some of you know this story, or part of it. There’s really no decision to be made, I have no choice. I was furloughed from my job on Apr. 5., getting unemployment benefits that are 25% of my take home salary... and I’m at the max. rate of benefits. The $600 federal PUA supplement helps but it’s still not my salary, and there’s talk it may end on July 31, or be extended through August. Savings are completely gone. I send my rent payment in chunks over the course of the first 2 weeks of the month. My landlord is a very nice couple who completely understand. But that’s not the point.

On June 25 I got a phone call from my boss and one of the HR directors that my job was eliminated. I am 1 of 6 in my group of 16 who have been terminated. That’s something like 37% of the local IT group. I was the systems admin. plus tech support for the applications development and QA teams. I don’t know what they’re going to do when things that I handled transparently will happen, but oh well, it’s not my problem. In one 10 minute phone call, almost 23 years on that job was swept away. But they did say “thank you for your service”. In fairness we’re getting a severance package of 1 week per year of service. That will be a big help.

My health coverage was also terminated, of course. They’ve graciously offered to foot 50% of the first month’s cost of COBRA, but after that I’m responsible for the almost $600/month premium. Yeah, uh, no thanks. Private health insurance is not much better. When my meds run out and I can’t see the oncologist or my internist or pain specialist I guess I’ll let nature take its course. Maybe 63 years has been enough to fulfill my dharma (my duties, reasons for being here).

I won’t find a job in my field, not at my age and in this economic and social climate. I probably won’t find much, if anything, not full time anyway. Part time plus the adjusted partial unemployment would still only equal what I’m getting now. This is what’s happening to older workers. And yes, it’s documented. It’s not just sour grapes. Companies are slick in avoiding allegations of age discrimination but it’s exactly what they’re doing.

So, the only really viable option is retirement and Social Security. I lose $600/month because I’m only 63; at 66 1/2 I get the full SS amount. That’s still only half my salary. But I’m not going to wait, I can’t... I’m tired after over 40 years in IT and corporate in one form or another. I’m tired of the business world bull****, games, politics. I’m not looking forward to a round of interviews, if I even get any, as if I’m a desperate loser begging for a job. It’s time. I still can’t get Medicare until I’m 65; I still have the medical coverage issue. I can get a part time job up to about $18,000/year with SS. Maybe I’ll go back to being a bank teller. I did that in college and liked it.

I almost walked out of the oncologist’s office, phlebotomy line still in my arm because the billing manager came in brandishing a statement showing I had a balance. I said I would check with the insurance company (I still had coverage). She said check all you want but this is what you owe. I said hey, I’m out of work and doing the best I can. She raised her hand dismissively as she left the room and said “everyone has problems”. I called the office the next day, told them what happened and canceled my follow ups. They apologized, said they’d take care of her and please don’t cancel my appointments. I’m not going back [funny thing, I got a call just now as I’m typing this, confirming my next appt.]. I said cancel it, for the reasons I mentioned and because I don’t have the money to get my brakes fixed, so I have no transportation.

Soooo... this is what’s happening to people. I’m not going to give my thoughts on why this is happening; though I will say it didn’t have to. I’ve stayed away from the forums and discussions because I do have a dog in the fight, and feelings that no one, and I do mean NO ONE is going to change. People have their opinions, but they’re not experiencing what we’re experiencing. When they do, we’ll talk.

So there it is... another over-60 being forced into retirement he had no intention of taking for a number of years more. And if I sound angry and bitter, and hurt, that’s very perceptive... I am in ways no one can imagine.

“Frank sits at home ‘cause he lost his job.
He plays guitar all day, drinks and cries a lot.

Many people love him for his happy smiling ways,
But the sadness inside him never goes away.

He thinks to himself ‘I had it all, now there’s nothing left!’
Now his life is changed in a way he can’t accept.”

Maybe one day, hopefully soon, things will change for the better, all around.

Are you letting assumption get to you? Why do you assume no one will hire you even before you try? For a company having IT problems a good experienced person might be a good catch. Further, everyone loves a deal. If your asking pay is right, you might just catch that fish.

My father told me that if a person is willing to work, they can find work somewhere. It might not be what you want to do, however there are many jobs nobody wants to do or are hard to find employees to do.

What is the old saying? When the going gets tough; the tough get going. Are you willing to work? Let's get with it.

There was a company in sales. All the salespeople hit a slow time. They told their manager: How can we get any more sales? You can lead a horse to water but you can't make the horse drink. The manager replied: You do not understand. You are not supposed to make the horse drink. The horse already knows how to drink. You are supposed to make them THIRSTY.

Sell yourself. Make them thirsty. Further, the manager also said: Do not count the failures. It's a matter of statistics. You ask enough people, then it's just a matter of time and you will sell someone.

So, let's get off the doom and gloom, can't and won't. You want to work? Get to work!!!

That's what I see. It's very clear!!

 

[Jainarayan]

Are you letting assumption get to you? Why do you assume no one will hire you even before you try? For a company having IT problems a good experienced person might be a good catch. Further, everyone loves a deal. If your asking pay is right, you might just catch that fish.

My father told me that if a person is willing to work, they can find work somewhere. It might not be what you want to do, however there are many jobs nobody wants to do or are hard to find employees to do.

What is the old saying? When the going gets tough; the tough get going. Are you willing to work? Let's get with it.

There was a company in sales. All the salespeople hit a slow time. They told their manager: How can we get any more sales? You can lead a horse to water but you can't make the horse drink. The manager replied: You do not understand. You are not supposed to make the horse drink. The horse already knows how to drink. You are supposed to make them THIRSTY.

Sell yourself. Make them thirsty. Further, the manager also said: Do not count the failures. It's a matter of statistics. You ask enough people, then it's just a matter of time and you will sell someone.

So, let's get off the doom and gloom, can't and won't. You want to work? Get to work!!!

That's what I see. It's very clear!!

I try to be diplomatic in these matters but I have to say bluntly, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know the economic, business and social climate in New Jersey. I hear comments like yours all the time. Those are the assumptions.

It’s not any assumptions on my part. I’m the one experiencing it. I have family in the labor dept., and financial investing. The one at the dept. of labor handles unemployment claims and sees what’s coming through. An inordinate number of older workers and workers from IT. I have friends the same age who’ve been terminated, I have friends and colleagues in IT who have been terminated. We are all competing for jobs that no longer exist. It’s also well studied and documented that over-55s are the first to get the axe.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...AhVFTt8KHZHRA-oQBSgAegQICxAC&biw=1112&bih=719

No, it’s not legal but neither is drug trafficking, but it’s alive and well.

IT departments are swinging the axe mercilessly. I won’t bore you with the details of what I do/did in my job, but suffice it to say my coworkers are asking who is going to do what I do, what is the company going to do without me? Clearly I’m not indispensable, for the time being, but they are also not in the peak season (specialty retail... books). Thirty seven percent of my dept. was eliminated.

Unemployment compensation and the federal supplement together come to less than my salary, and I get the max. unemployment benefits amount. If I’m lucky enough to find something for $15/hour and 40 hours/week that’s less than my unemployment benefits. That plus the PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the $600) is still less than my salary. So what am I gaining? Keeping busy? I got plenty for that.

 

[Bird123]

I try to be diplomatic in these matters but I have to say bluntly, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know the economic, business and social climate in New Jersey. I hear comments like yours all the time. Those are the assumptions.

It’s not any assumptions on my part. I’m the one experiencing it. I have family in the labor dept., and financial investing. The one at the dept. of labor handles unemployment claims and sees what’s coming through. An inordinate number of older workers and workers from IT. I have friends the same age who’ve been terminated, I have friends and colleagues in IT who have been terminated. We are all competing for jobs that no longer exist. It’s also well studied and documented that over-55s are the first to get the axe.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...AhVFTt8KHZHRA-oQBSgAegQICxAC&biw=1112&bih=719

No, it’s not legal but neither is drug trafficking, but it’s alive and well.

IT departments are swinging the axe mercilessly. I won’t bore you with the details of what I do/did in my job, but suffice it to say my coworkers are asking who is going to do what I do, what is the company going to do without me? Clearly I’m not indispensable, for the time being, but they are also not in the peak season (specialty retail... books). Thirty seven percent of my dept. was eliminated.

Unemployment compensation and the federal supplement together come to less than my salary, and I get the max. unemployment benefits amount. If I’m lucky enough to find something for $15/hour and 40 hours/week that’s less than my unemployment benefits. That plus the PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the $600) is still less than my salary. So what am I gaining? Keeping busy? I got plenty for that.

One can always find excuses not to try. On the other hand will that get you the results you desire?

 

[Jainarayan]

One can always find excuses not to try. On the other hand will that get you the results you desire?

Ok, I was trying to be nice, but what do you know about what I’ve tried or haven’t tried. I said the way it is; I do have some knowledge of the situation. I don’t think I asked for advice or a critique, or sympathy or pity This is a journal, relating a story. If you want to think I’m making excuses, then put on my skivvies, walk in them then come back.

We’re done.