..and from the WSJ, a column by Captain Obvious

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With Jobs Scarce, Age Becomes an Issue
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More Young Workers Are at Risk of Layoffs as Employers Grow Wary of Letting Older Employees Go
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By DANA MATTIOLI

Age discrimination in the workplace has long been a concern for the 55-and-older set. In this downturn, however, younger workers may have as much to fear as their more-mature colleagues.

Employees in their 20s and 30s are finding themselves more at risk of a layoff, according to labor lawyers, as employers look to avoid age-discrimination lawsuits by adopting a "last one in, first one out" policy and turn to tenure as a means of conducting layoffs. In some cases, young, childless professionals say they feel they're being targeted in layoffs, while employees who have families to support are given special consideration.

While no age group is exempt from layoffs, younger workers seem to be shouldering a larger percentage of the burden, according to recent Labor Department figures. The unemployment rate for those between the ages of 25 and 34 was 9.6% in April 2009, up from 4.9% a year earlier. For those ages 55 and older, the unemployment rate was 6.2% in April 2009, compared with 3.3% a year earlier.
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Wary of Lawsuits

While younger workers tend to earn the lowest salaries, making them the least-expensive workers to retain, companies are becoming wary of laying off older, better-paid workers.
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Employers are wary of laying off the older workers? Or better still, the older workers could be more knowledgeable, more reliable, have a better track record, and thus, are better suited to retention.
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I'm assuming the WSJ is keeping this columnist, because of said writers insights, or age. It would seem, being a journalist the writer shows no concept of real world working experience.
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Schteveo, BTW, is employed again!! Kettle Korn for sale!!!
....free shiping on orders over $50.00....
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