[Shiny]

I am very lucky - laid off in 2009 for the first time in my 30-plus year career. After 6 months of rejection for being "overqualified", I had to relocate to find a job. It is still hard because we left 3 sons, more family, and lots of friends behind. I have a good salary again and fantastic benefits, so I don't complain, but there was a loss and I am still grieving. I did get a raise after a year, but the real raise was being able to keep health insurance for my wife and youngest son.

I totally agree with Formulabruce about the cause for age discrimination. It is not age, because they want the experience. It is the health care costs that go with it. It does not take rocket science to see what group insurance rates have done to business. I have no doubt the health care costs for my family targeted me when I was layed off. I also have no doubt that hiring decisions consider impact to the health plans. I wouldn't be surprised if health insurance companies walked in every year with a chart showing cost of the plan vs percent of employees over 50. Just facts. And as my employer was big enough to fund its own health plan, I have no doubt they put an annual cost for every employee's health expenses in a spreadsheet right next to the salary so they could add them up and rank them for the layoff list.

I suspect health care is as big a factor in the economic downturn as mortgage loans, but that would be a different thread and if I started, I would be told to go lay down.

Yes, I'm lucky and I know it, because I found a good job and can take care of my family for now.

I hope all struggling to support themselves and their families find a path to recover their lost jobs.

Work is dignity.