More Seniors Looking for Work
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KCBS) For the first time on record, senior citizens are outnumbering teens in the labor market.
21-year-old Ashley Burns was able to recently find a job as a barista in downtown San Jose, but she said she's one of the lucky ones.
"Especially in the service industry because it is entry level positions that they're looking for," she said. "And anyone could work in those positions."
Podcast
And more and more, senior citizens are getting those jobs.
According to data compiled by Bloomberg News, there are 6.6 million people over the age of 65 working or looking for work, compared to 5.9 million young people, the first time seniors have passed teens in the labor market.
Santa Clara University economics professor Bill Sundstrom said the crossover is really not all that surprising.
"People are living longer and staying healthier longer on average so the number of seniors in the workforce is likely to have been increasing steadily," said Sundstrom.
But he said the recession has exacerbated the problem for teens, as older workers are choosing to delay retirement.
