It takes longer for seniors to find new jobs in the Great Recession. Unemployment benefits help but may not be sufficient to allow these long term unemployed to find another job before their benefits expire. With no income from any other source, seniors may be forced to take early retirement as the only remaining asset they have to avoid being forced into extreme poverty and/or homelessness while still seeking work.
Currently such a choice for those between 62 and 66 requires losing forever the full Social Security benefits they have worked for and paid for all their lives.
Please establish a hardship exception so that the unemployed who are forced to access early retirement may do so for at least 12 months without losing the full benefit once they reach full employment age.