DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF)- The AARP Foundation is offering help to older workers looking to get back to work and accessing financial benefits.
According to the U.S. Labor Department, another 3.8 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits during the week ending April 25. In the previous six weeks, more than 30 million Americans filed unemployment insurance claims, and if the unemployment rate hits 20% in April, that would be the highest rate since it reached 25% during the Great Depression.
Emily Allen with the AARP foundation said 30% of the workforce 50 years old or older experienced coronavirus-related business shutdowns and layoffs and it has taken a heavy toll on this demographic. The number of unemployed Americans 55 and older grew by more than 3.7 million during the period of the April report.
Allen also wants to make them aware that the CARES Act will provide and additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to help those who remain unemployed. “It’s a little bit of a buffer that will help workers of all ages but particularly older workers because we know unfortunately they can be out of work twice as long compared to those that are younger,” said Allen.
She said many older workers have not needed to write a resume in years and are concerned that potential employers may be biased against hiring them.
“At AARP foundation we have a number of programs and resources that help older adults really understand the strategies of today to help them get reemployed,” she said.
The Back to Work 50+ program provides training and tools needed to compete with confidence for today’s in-demand jobs.
The AARP Foundation Work for Yourself 50+ helps those who want to start their own businesses.
All of these resources and information are available here.
