NATION Older workers find fewer job opportunities

Through necessity or boredom, more seniors are rejoining the work force.
PITTSTON, Pa. (AP) -- Kathryn Lawler has an impressive r & eacute;sum & eacute; that includes 35 years of purchasing experience, 11 company awards for job performance and fluency in three languages.
But lately, it seems like another number is jumping out at prospective employers: Her high school graduation date.
"They look at me, ask me what year I graduated and do the math," said the 68-year-old Hamlin, Pa., woman. "Once they figure out that I'm older, they want nothing to do with me."
Lawler retired 11 years ago from her last job at a clothing design company in Manhattan, and then moved to Wayne County. With the death of her husband in 1999 and increasing living costs each year, she has no choice but to try to find a job to make ends meet.
"The only thing I can find are these $6- and $7-an-hour jobs," she said. "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with those jobs, but I have 35 years of experience in my field. You would think someone would want to hire me and take advantage of what I have to offer."
Leaving retirement
Lawler is not alone in her struggle to rejoin the work force. Throughout the state and nationwide, senior citizens are coming out of retirement for a variety of reasons running the gamut from boredom to necessity. Many are facing age discrimination, lower-than-expected salaries and a lack of health coverage.
Nearly 5 million senior citizens -- those 55 and up -- are active in the labor force, according to AARP.
And the number of workers age 65 or older are growing more rapidly compared to other age groups. From 2001 to 2002, the number of these older workers increased by about 1.4 percent, AARP figures show.
With an aging population, experts predict the trend of more older workers seeking jobs will continue. Across the state, seniors make up about 16 percent of the population.
"We're seeing a lot more of those 62 and up going back into the work force," said Gerald Durkin, director of the Senior Community Service Program, which is run by the Scranton Lackawanna Human Development Agency. "It is a trend and I think we're going to see a lot more in the future."
Reasons for returning
Many are looking to supplement their income, he said. Changes in federal laws also allow older workers to earn more without being penalized on their taxes.
"I'm going back to work for the medical insurance," said Barry Schroeder, 64, of Scranton, Pa. "My wife and I pay $800 a month in medical insurance and that doesn't include eye or teeth."
After sending off dozens of r & eacute;sum & eacute;s, Schroeder considers himself lucky to have found a part-time job in his field -- industrial building maintenance. While the job does not provide health benefits, at $13 an hour it will help cover the costs of his current medical insurance coverage.
"The job situation is sad around here," he said. "Most of the jobs pay $7 an hour."
Other senior citizens re-entering the work force are also finding their occupation choices limited.
When 68-year-old Helen Black of Moosic, Pa., and her husband sold their moving and storage business about 13 years ago, she thought she would be able to find a job to supplement their income using her business skills.
"I have always been active," she said. "I had a small pension and Social Security. I wanted extra money so we could take vacations." She applied for positions as a receptionist, bookkeeper and other office openings.
"I couldn't find anything," she said. "It was really hard ... I can't say it was age discrimination but a lot of times they said I was overqualified. I thought they were just saying that because they didn't want me. I got very discouraged."
Finding something
She finally got a job at a J.C. Penney telemarketing center and then, three years ago, as a seasonal tax preparer at H & amp;R Block in Scranton.
"H & amp;R Block doesn't discriminate against age," Black said. "I like the job a lot because I get to meet different people all the time. It keeps me busy."
She works at H & amp;R Block from January through April 15. During the summers, she is able to take classes about new tax laws.
"When I hear people talk about age discrimination, I always pooh-pooh that," said Julie Doyle, senior employment coordinator at the Wayne County Area Agency on Aging. "Maybe in certain industries, it's a problem but in general, the employers I work with don't care what age someone is."
Many employers request an older worker, she said, because they value their experience and work ethic. But most of the employers are in retail or service industries.