Safe Jobs for Seniors During COVID-19

How can seniors stay safe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans have lost their jobs. With a vaccine in sight, many are feeling a sense of relief that there is an end to this economic downturn. But, what about the people who are still out of jobs in the meantime? With so many seniors having lost their jobs, they face a major predicament. Working in an environment that is high-risk, while being high-risk themselves, or trying to find some remote work options.

Older Americans and the current workforce

It’s an unfortunate fact that a lot of older Americans (55 and older) are being forced out of the job market due to bias. Some of the reasons that it’s hard to enter the job market after a layoff include:

• Being seen as too expensive.
• May not understand newer technology.
• Not wanting to stay at a job very long.

Ageism is illegal, but there are ways that it still happens, and the pandemic has made it all the more difficult getting back into the workforce.

Not only is it hard to get back into the workforce, but being laid off for just a few months can have a negative impact on your financial future. It affects retirement, savings, mortgages, and more. Losing a job at 55 can in some cases be more devastating than losing a job in your early 20s.

Job options that are COVID safe

Seniors don’t only have to worry about finding a job, they have to be worried about finding a safe job during this pandemic. Though a vaccine is in the near future, workers need to pay their bills now. The government is at a standstill with pandemic relief, so senior Americans are having to find something else—quickly.

A silver lining to the pandemic has been that businesses all over are realizing that their workers are productive at home. With workers at home, overhead costs are greatly reduced, passing on more revenue to the company. Remote work has steadily risen over 2020 and seniors can use this to their advantage.

Bookkeeper

Bookkeepers are responsible for an organization’s accounts. Typically, they record transactions, costs, income, and more. They create financial statements for their managers. You don’t need a degree to be a bookkeeper and they are easily done at home.

Customer service representative

This is a way to not only make some money, but to feel social during the day. Many seniors feel lonely or that they don’t have anyone to talk to, so taking a job as a customer service representative can check off plenty of boxes. These reps can work from home and can make up to $18.00 an hour.

Data entry

Data entry specialists use their work time updating data on a computer. You don’t need to be super tech savvy to have this job, but you do need to know how to work some basic computer processes.

Marketing roles

If you’ve worked in marketing before, you may have seen many marketing jobs going remote before the pandemic. Digital marketing is a job that can be done at home. With Zoom, Slack, and other online platforms, many marketers find themselves more productive when working remotely.

IT worker

This is a job that you’ll need some technical know-how to be successful, but almost all of the duties can be done from home. This is a great option for any senior who has technology skills.

Other opportunities

Freelance - Freelancing through online sites like Upwork can be a way to supplement income. Companies are hiring writers, editors, developers, designers, and more.

Work overnights - If you’re more a night owl, then consider working an overnight shift. While you will still have to go in, most places are closed at night or have a very low amount of shoppers, so your risk of virus contraction is low.

Substitute teach - With kids being at home, teachers are struggling more than ever. You don’t need credentials to substitute teach and you can do everything through the schools video platform of choice, like Zoom.

Staying safe throughout these trying times

This has been an exceptionally hard year due to COVID-19. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and the economy is struggling to recover. With so many remote jobs available, it’s important to seek them out so that you can stay safe, while still paying your bills.

Related Articles

• Financial Lessons We are Learning from COVID-19
• Financial Help, Retirement, and Older Americans
• How to Handle Termination of Employment
• Services to Help You and Your Community Throughout the COVID-19 Outbreak