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Cynthia Stone, 53, is considering traveling overseas — to do the job she used to get paid enough to do here, near friends and family. After 24 years in the pharmacy tech field, she feels her experience has priced her out of the market. As for leaving her career, she feels one strong obstacle: “my age.”
Monday, April 13, 2009 | 6:36 p.m.
Sun Archives
- On the road back to work (4-11-2009)
- Budget panel releases $6 million for worker training (4-3-2009)
- Bill advances to increase jobless benefits (4-1-2009)
- Building, casino job losses fuel jobless rate (3-27-2009)
- Manpower opens new branch, program (3-20-2009)
- State jobless rate jumps; numbers worse in Las Vegas (3-13-2009)
- Laid-off workers get break on COBRA; employers to foot bill (3-13-2009)
- State's jobless rate jumps to 9.4 percent (3-6-2009)
- Businesses cutting costs with more than just layoffs (2-6-2009)
- Forecast: 1 in 10 Nevadans jobless (1-2-2009)
Cynthia Stone is a 53-year-old grandmother who is trying to leave everything behind in Las Vegas.
She wants to leave behind unemployment, which came to her after 24 years in the health care field, and a 2007 home foreclosure.
Stone calls herself a trusting person who made some bad investment decisions. Those decisions sucked up her savings and caused her to lose her home two years ago.
Staring at dead ends, she says she's ready to move on.
"I have branched outside of the state in hopes of finding employment that way," Stone said. She said she's even looking at international traveling agencies.
That means Stone could leave her 7-year-old grandson and family to find health care work on another continent. She's also looking in California, but is tempering her hopes: Unemployment there, like in Nevada, has climbed above 10 percent.
Stone is yet another face of unemployment. She was laid off in March after eight years as a certified pharmacy technician at University Medical Center. She says she's willing to work for less than what she was making before. Stone was recently hired elsewhere at a salary about half the $55,000 she was making annually at Clark County's hospital but was informed this week that there are no longer any hours in the budget at that job.
Every morning she is in front of the computer in her two-bedroom apartment in northwest Las Vegas, surfing employment Web sites. Those in the health care field have the highest in-demand careers with the highest average salary, but Stone can't seem to find a job.
"It's the one industry that has grown through the recession," said Jered McDonald, an economist with the Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation.
He said historically there has been a lack of supply in the state. The population is getting older and there are fewer health care workers per person. The top three jobs in demand in 2009 are registered nurses, medical assistants and nursing aides.
But pharmacy technicians are not one of the hot jobs. McDonald speculated on the reasons.
"Pharmacies are seeing a downturn so they can't afford to keep on assistants, so the pharmacist is doing the work," he said. "Or maybe there was a glut with students going into this field."
Stone came to Las Vegas in 1994, when the area was booming for workers in every field. Stone said she's found herself over-experienced and priced out of the market.
"I'm probably considered an old fossil and a lot of employers are probably looking for someone fresh, inexperienced so that they can train them the way they'd like them to be trained at a far reduced income level than what I've seen," she said. "It's a challenging position to be in because I have to accept that and let the employer know the income isn't the key factor, but it's the (health) benefits they offer."
Despite Stone's opinions on the age gap, current state unemployment claims show age distribution is equal, McDonald said.
Those aged 25 to 34 make up 23 percent of all those who claim unemployment. Those aged 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 both make up 24 percent of claims. The remaining claims are spread out among other age groups.
Stone doesn't have any savings or resources to get training in another field. For now, unemployment has covered the bills. Stone said she hopes to be gone from Las Vegas in a month, whether that's to California, or beyond.
Buona Sera, Mrs. Stone.
Hope it works out for you and you can come back to your family.
Very strange. She's only 53, but has never saved a dime. Becky Bosshart writes about her like she's a sainted victim, but I "deg to biffer". Cynthia is simply your typical worker who spent every dime, every day, and never planned for the future. I don't know what she did every day, but other than having kids and having her house foreclosed, she just seems like your average loser. Where's the Old Man? If you said he died, then maybe I would understand-but otherwise, she simply lived for the day, and not tomorrow. I wish you the best, Cynthia, but you brought it on yourself....
Hey, Bdover why don't you do something constructive with your life besides judging others! Oh, I think I know why.... it's always easier to judge others than to get real and deal with your own issues.
I have no issues with Cynthia, 9ballguy. I simply saved enough to live decently. Single, retired, moved around the country for 30 years to keep working, didn't knock up anyone, and life is smooth. I feel badly for people like Cynthia, but there are so many Cynthia's in this world, it gets a little old. I wish her the best, but life ain't easy, and it gets a little old reading about their problems. I've given a lot more to charities than you ever will. Hello?
bdover -- "She's only 53, but has never saved a dime."
From the article I read: "Those decisions sucked up her savings..."
What else is false in your post, buffoon?
bdover you are right on target with your comments. Also, we all know UMC is a mess. They get ripped off by their clients, and by their managers. And lets face it, if you want a job in the government, you better learn Spanish.
"a 2007 home foreclosure"
"Stone calls herself a trusting person who made some bad investment decisions. Those decisions sucked up her savings and caused her to lose her home two years ago"
That was way before the crash and way before she laid off 7 months ago.
She lost her money before the crash of 2008.
How did bad investments cause her to lose her home?
Something does not add up.
Perhaps she purchased a house that was beyond her means.
We all make dumb decisions at some point in our lives.
It is still a sad story.
At least she has her health with is the most important thing.
hey - "single, retired, didn't knock up anyone" - try saving money when you have children to clothe, feed, and educate. It's almost impossible. I wish Cynthia well.
Local-
It's simple. Don't get knocked up. Unless you can afford it. Life is tough, but it's easy to have kids. Not so easy to raise them, sure, but that's a lifestyle decision you made when you decided to mate with another person. I wish her the best...
she lost her home in september of 2008, not 2007.
There is definitely more to this story. But lets not judge other people. Nobody is perfect folks.
ivegotcha......so you are saying that reporter listed this wrong, "and a 2007 home foreclosure" in the story and this " Those decisions sucked up her savings and caused her to lose her home two years ago."
Do you have information that is different then what is being reported?
Check out Tri-Cities (Richland, Kennewick, Pasco) Washington. Fastest growing cities next to Pasco in the state. We are professionally geared here, and I am sure you will find something.
yes I do, she lost her home in september of 2008, if I remember on the savings 9/11 started the fall of her savings, then a divorce, she tried to start a business only to fail the following year. In 2008 the market was crazy probably took what ever was left.
Bdover now I get it... you're assuming superiority due to your large donations to charity. I bow in deference to you almighty one!
Good luck to you Cynthia! Every single human being is trying to do the best they can with whatever they have been given in life. I was born with many advantages but my heart goes out to these people. I understand.
bdover is a jerkwad. MANY people used up all their savings so they WOULDN'T go bankrupt and COULD save their homes.
then when they DO lose their homes, people turn around and say "why didn't they save"? most americans are just 4 or 5 missed paychecks away from financial ruin. NOT because they don't save or overspend, but because even if you are bringing in $1,000 per week ( used to be a good wage ), it's really NOT that much money anymore if you are single. and how many $50,000 per year jobs are REALLY in vegas right now?
a decent apartment is still $800 - $900 per month, power and gas, phone, even an econo-box car is a few hundred payment per month, then food, car insurance, etc.
that $1,000 per week gets eaten up pretty quick, not much left to SAVE. so when you get laid off for more than a few weeks, it's almost impossible to catch up.
Sometimes it's the guy who decides after years of marriage that he suddenly wants 'greener pastures'. It's so easy to blame the ex-wife - who knows WHAT her personal situation is and whose business is it anyway - I just get very tired of it always being the womans' "fault" - it takes two to tango - maybe she didn't get 'knocked up'. Just maybe she got married and then pregnant - seems like a normal progression to me - those who sit in judgment need to shut up and spend their time counting their blessings instead of just blasting a woman everytime something goes wrong.
Good Luck Cynthia, I hope everything works out for you and wish you all of the best during these tough times.
Since when is $1000 a week not a good salary? Since Americans started to think they are entitled to everything, now.
People make poor choices everyday. This particular woman seems to have made a lot of them. The difference? She chose to become a public persona by allowing her story to be written and published. She consented to becoming a public persona, so she consented to judgement and criticism from the public.
People should learn from her failure, not coddle her for it.
Well said James_P_Reza.
I don't think she is looking to be coddled.
I wish you the best in finding a new job Cynthia.
Thank you for allowing us (Readers) an insight into how hard times have gotten for a lot of blue collar folks out there.
By-the-way, There are a lot of "Trust Babies" with out a dime now too, with their new found social status brought to them by the likes of Madoff, and the market.
We all need to look at this and pull together not apart. Now is the time for Americans everywhere to make ways and means for each other, not mean ways for each other.
This crisis is still a far cry from over, and if you think not, just look around to family and friends who are now in a tuff position with no hope in sight.
We as Americans can, and will as our fore bears did, pull each other out of this crisis.
I as an American am entitled to everything this world or life has to offer. I don't need any approval from anyone on my persuit of happiness.
If only more people understood this priciple, there would be more people helpping each other than putting each other down during these hard times.
For those of us vested in America lets keep going forward, and to those just living in America, please, just enjoy the ride of our blood, sweat, and tears.
The inovative minds of Americans can and will see us through these times of economic tension.
Still to this day most people around the world want what America is all about. To the nay sayers I say, nice knowing you but can you just get out of the way!!!
I'm sorry to hear about her bad investments. I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear that she was talked into taking equity out of her house for an investment, trading up houses, etc. Then you lose a job, your investments lost 50% of their value, and your house loses 50% of its value. Probably the banks lose some here too.
I hope she has enough to relocate. Many states are doing better than the west coast now.
I thought that pharmacy tech was a hot career. I wonder if the cynical bdover looks and talks like Tony Soprano, or Lee Marvin. lol Yeah, having kids is expensive. I'm single and I can't imagine dealing with those kinds of bills. Go to pbs.org--there is an interesting discussion about debtor's prison in 1800's England in the Masterpiece Theatre section.
Uddeboda,
140/month??? Assuming 5% interest rate, your principal is only $27K. Well, you either put a lot on down payment, or you bought your place for a really really cheap price. This is of course does not include taxes and insurance.
More power to you.
uddeboda,
Wow!!! Get real!!! At the unlikely event you received a five-percent interest rate. The $140 mortgage payment you claim would only cover a beginning loan balance of $26,095 based on a 30 year note.
Did you refinance a home left by your parents or what?
good story, becky. you went out with style!
Let's see. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce. 1 out of 2. A fact. So you get knocked up, the old man runs off, and you are screwed-with a number of kids. Chasing him for child support.
Now how about $7.50 a week? $30 a month? That's what BC pills cost.
I'm a financial planner, and I always tell my younger married clients "Don't invest in 401K's for at least 10 years, until you're sure you'll be together forever". Why? Because when you split, for example, 10 Grand becomes $6,600 divided by 2. You lived cheap to invest in a 401K, and now you each get $3,300. Yippee. Sorry people, that's the facts, and that's why you can end up at the end of the road at 53. Best of luck, Cynthia...
Nice
I guess you are not buying a home just renting? Which is what it amounts to.
Isn't that how alot of other people lost their homes too, just interest payment loans.
Back to a more realistic point, the Banks which remain will show tremendous profits in two years. Do the math, low cost money from the Govt, take-over of properties at 25% there value, sell those same properties back to the Govt. at 100% of there value with a new name - Toxic. The way I see it, Banks will make 300% profit in one year or so.
The Rich will make all that money via Tax payers.
Nice
Udde, easier said than done - and if you're paying $140 a month then kuddo's to you but realize you are truly the EXCEPTION. If I could get a loan I could probably buy a house and pay less than the $1200 I'm paying for rent - but in my 'stupid youth' I abused credit and now will pay the price for my stupidity till I die. But that's ok because I've now lived without credit cards for 15 yrs. and I LOVE IT. It's just too bad I learned too late - but at least I learned.