By Sharon Wagner
Whether due to choice or necessity, many adults stay in the workforce well past retirement age. Unfortunately, many of those seniors work in customer-facing professions where they’re at high risk of contracting COVID-19. Sales and service-related jobs are the second and third most common industries for older workers, with 37 percent of workers aged 55 and up employed in these sectors.
For countless seniors in customer-facing professions, the decision to stop working wasn’t an easy one. Going without pay means living lean for many seniors, 44 percent of whom still live paycheck to paycheck. However, with older adults at high risk of severe illness due to coronavirus, staying on the job is simply too dangerous.
If you’re a working senior wondering how you’ll get by while unemployed due to coronavirus, here’s what you need to know.
Yes, you can collect unemployment benefits
Working seniors who lose their jobs can collect unemployment benefits without affecting Social Security payments because unemployment benefits aren’t counted as wages. If you’re newly unemployed, apply for unemployment insurance and SNAP benefits to make ends meet until you figure out your next steps.
You don’t have to be laid off to collect unemployment benefits. Under the CARES Act, workers who have to quit their jobs due to coronavirus concerns are also eligible for unemployment insurance.
You don’t have to be a tech wiz to work remotely
For seniors who need or want to keep working, telecommuting jobs offer the safest solution. With the ability to work from home, seniors don’t have to worry about exposing themselves to the novel coronavirus.
Despite the appeal of remote work, older adults are underrepresented in the remote workforce. While many young people work for a remote-friendly employer, less older workers are able to telecommute.
Established companies tend to be reluctant to adopt remote work, but seniors can look for remote positions with younger firms or by searching for freelance opportunities online. Freelancing is an especially attractive option during the pandemic when workers need short-term assignments to make ends meet. Online staffing boards have freelancers for hire in a wide range of industries, including accounting, customer service, and technical writing as well as more typical freelance fields like web development and design.
Setting up a home office is also surprisingly simple, even for workers who have never telecommuted. However, remote workers will need to acquaint themselves with programs for remote work. Knowing the basics of popular remote work tools like Asana, Slack, and Zoom shows senior workers have what it takes to succeed at remote work.
There are lots of jobs that let you work from home
For seniors who have lost their jobs during the pandemic, the need for remote work is even more pressing. Luckily, a number of industries have embraced remote work, making it possible for workers to find telecommuting positions whether they’re looking for a new career or a part-time job.
Insurance is a great choice for seniors with experience in sales. In addition to telecommuting, insurance sales lets workers set their own hours for a truly flexible work option. Seniors laid off from the service industry can look to remote customer service jobs that let them put their people skills to work from home. Amazon provides remote customer service employees with benefits, and Williams-Sonoma hires remote call center employees with only a high school diploma.
Seniors can also look for a wide range of opportunities at companies known for remote hiring. Organizations like Lionbridge, UnitedHealth Group, and Humana are among the companies known for their remote-friendly policies.
There’s no question that leaving work due to coronavirus is disheartening, but it doesn’t have to put your financial security at risk. Between unemployment benefits and work-from-home opportunities, seniors have options for making ends meet. Whether you just need a way to get through the coming weeks or an opportunity to start over, these solutions put your safety first.
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