Older unemployed workers suffer acutely

"For men and women over 50 - whoa - it's scary out there," said Deena Pierrot, an employment recruiter who runs the Mosaic Job Cafe attended by McCloud and Schwarz. "They'll take lower-level jobs just to get by. You want everyone to find a perfect job, but at some point, it's a question of: How do I keep a roof over my head?"

The recession didn't spare any age or gender group, but older workers have "generally bleaker prospects of finding a job," said Scott Bailey, regional economist with the Washington Employment Security Department.

The reason is up for debate.

Many older workers say their age works against them in the job market.