Petrea Zingrebe: Age-old employment questions

None of us knows what each day will bring, and I am often surprised at the different path I’m on. One thing I never expected was my husband being out of work at 62 (due to a merger) and not being able to find work. He has had a solid business career. He is a very hard worker, loyal to a fault and very current in technology and has a current graduate degree but can’t get anyone to show interest in him.

His full retirement age for Social Security is 66, but he would gladly work beyond that age for a job that is fulfilling. He wants to work. He has been applying and networking, hard, for a year. We can’t prove that his resume is overlooked because they can guess he’s in his 60s. We can’t suggest age discrimination, nor would we want to.

I’m OK with being on a different path from what we expected. That’s where something different and exciting is likely to happen. But with life expectancies increasing, with Social Security full retirement age increasing, with AARP saying “life begins at 50” and with “80 being the new 60,” how are we going to help mature workers stay employed, and find new employment, when they need or want it?

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Petrea Zingrebe: Age-old employment questions."