Article 43
Saturday, August 04, 2012
The Beaten Baby Boomer
Employers know that these individuals are in dire need and will often offer less to them because of their situation. The unemployed could be particularly vulnerable to distinct hiring discriminatory practices, as the reward for their human capital will depend on the subjective and discretionary evaluation made by the prospective employer who is typically, in a superior bargaining position.
- Mavromaras & Rudolph
My former employer wrote today that beginning next month COBRA (medical insurance) cost will increase to $705/single, or $1557/family - monthly (that’s $8,500 - $19,000 yearly) while my TEA PARTY FRIENDS continue TO HATE OBAMACARE and cheer to destroy American JOB CREATION. The REST OF US either sit by idly IN DENIAL or are STARTING TO AWAKEN while THE MIDDLE CLASS CONTINUES IT’S SLOW DEATH.
A BANK started CHARGING $15/month maintenance fee to keep an account alive, while all it gets is $0.03/month interest. So much for encouraging people to save. I’ll stick the money under the bed where IT’LL PROBABLY BE SAFER.
As with all phone calls to business these day, a recorded announcement at the bank’s 800 number stated, “This call will be RECORDED." As usual I asked the agent, “Who’ll be recording this conversation, who’ll have access to the the recording, where it will be stored, and for how long?” She didn’t know. As always I asked, “Please shut it off.” As usual the reply was “I can’t,” so I gave tons of PERONALLY IDENTIFYABLE INFORMATION like my BIRTH DATE and social security number - to a recording that MAY BE STORED with no safeguards anywhere on the planet, or given away to anyone, anywhere - maybe some crook down the street - without my knowledge or consent.
After SEARCHING FOR MONTHS - I landed a new job that takes advantage of my EXPERIENCE and computer skills. Getting it meant passing two phone screenings, and face to face interviews with six different department heads. I waited in anticipation of a bright, new career - until getting the the official compensation offer from the company’s HR department. It was pretty INSULTING and EXPLOITIVE. The job is a TEMP (big letdown) doing SYSADMIN WORK at MUCH LESS THAN MEDIAN SALARY, exempt from overtime (another big letdown), and carries no benefits whatsoever - no paid time off - no sick leave, no medical insurance, no paid holidays - no nothing - and involves a COMPREHENSIVE and long BACKGROUND CHECK. I tried to bargain for a better deal, but the company wouldn’t budge. I almost said, “No thanks,” then friends REMINDED ME of HOW BAD the JOBS SITUATION is, and how many DESPERATE PEOPLE would kill for any offer. They’re right. I gave in and took it.
Now I can say I’m working, but CAN’T SAY I’m paying the bills, or FEELING ANY INKLING OF SECURITY, or HOPEFUL about a BETTER TOMORROW. The new temp job simply slows down the BLEEDING of my retirement savings to meet expenses for as long as it lasts. And I’m still keenly aware, and deeply afraid, that ONE CATASTROPHIC ILLNESS is all it takes to face devastating financial ruin. The GEN-Y younger adults that got hired with me said they’re getting good pay and medical benefits.
It’ll be over soon enough.
EIGHT YEARS AGO staffing agencies set me up with temp jobs that carried no benefits, security, longevity or hope. It took over a year to dig myself out of that hole, and land a real job. The employment situation may be getting worse for workers, cause now it looks like businesses are cutting out the middleman and hiring highly-skilled professionals as temps on their own. And anyone DESPERATE enough for work - like the over FIVE MILLION distraught LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED today - would be hard pressed not to take ONE OF THESE disposable DAY LABORER jobs.
People that complain the baby BOOMERS are MILKING society - AREN’T BEING FAIR. Those of us UNEMPLOYED, who AREN’T enjoying PENSIONS are being COMPLETELY and UTTERLY discriminated against, and IGNORED by society, with only a LITTLE HOPE in sight.
Probably the worst thing for NON-RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHOSE SPIRITS HAVE BEEN BROKEN from prolonged unemployment/underemployment (or any other tragedy) - is not getting the peace and comfort religious folks get from PRAYING. Two friends that hit bottom turned to Jesus their savior - and SEEM TO BE much happier living in the world of faith that GOD WILL FIX EVERYTHING.
I live IN A WORLD of REALITIES, as beautiful and ugly as they are.
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How does Baby Boomers affect society today?
About now mostly all Baby BOOMERS are in their sixties. Baby Boomers have now had their children and they children have produce grand children and some are great grand parents. They are expected to spend the final years of their lives living in of their family home. In other situations they are more or less expected to walk out into the wilderness to die alone. So with a choice like that it is no wonder the the retirement Communities are so popular.
So what is it like being a Baby Boomer, in today’s society? Unless they have saved enough money to live their lives, then I see this side of the B/B happy and enjoying their lives. But what about the rest of them? It is sad to say that they are getting a raw deal by the goverments that are in power. B/B are getting a raw deal in today’s unenlightened western society. Lets use, How about Bleck.? The B/B spend a lifetime working, paying taxes, playing be the rules. And what about that investment that you have saved up for, by now it should start paying you out dividends, but what happens you are turfed out banished, and in most cases you are exiled to geriatric ghettos for the grey. Suddenly, no one wants to listen to Baby Boomers. Their years of experience mean nothing. Our opinons do not count. What most of the Baby Boomers feel today is that they have been sentenced to an almost ghost-like existence on the sidelines os a society that thinks nothing of milking you for ever last cent you have got. No doubt about it - the Baby Boomers are getting a raw deal.
The SOURCE comes from many B/B who chat to me about this problem.
Section Dealing with Layoff • Section Telecom Underclass • Section Personal •
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