Millions of retirees wish that they could feel useful again. The only thing that is available to most of them is babysitting their grandchildren. Many would like to go back to work because they could use the extra money. But employers turn down elderly job applicants in favor of the young. This is age discrimination but it is rarely enforced. One way to get our elderly population back to work is by giving tax incentives to employers that hire them. An affirmative action style program would also help.

The restaurant service industry is the largest employer of unskilled workers in the nation. Very few of them are senior citizens. There is no good reason why the elderly are not hired. They are capable of doing the work. This unfair practice must be stopped.

Many restaurant owners would rather hire young illegal immigrants rather than a senior citizen who has been paying taxes. The elderly eat in the same restaurants and fast food franchises that will not hire them. The owners should be told by their elderly customers that they find this hiring practice offensive. The owner will get the message and the next time you eat there you will see a happy waitress who might be a grandmother.

There is no reason why a healthy senior that wants a job should be out of work when over twenty million young people are employed in the fast food industry. The irony of it is that without elderly customers they would go broke.

Young people also need the work and they are being hired. But it wouldn't hurt a restaurant owner to give at least one elderly person a chance to earn a living. Older people might be a little bit slower but the work gets done. If the owner has the patience to wait for an elderly person to pay the tab he should also have the patience for an elderly person that is a little slow at the job.

There are over 36 million people 65 and over in the United States. This age group accounts for 12 percent of the total population. This is a capable and overlooked work force. If we give them a chance to go back to work it would eliminate the need to import unskilled workers that wind up costing the nation billions of dollars in welfare and health benefits. They might be a bit slower but they would solve many of the nation's problems.

melpol

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