Deb Silverberg

Ever ask someone a simple question about where they work and before you know it, they've gushed for five minutes about how much they love what they do? A great employer can make all the difference between starting Monday with pep in your step - or not.

[Updated 6/24] Some argue that the Great Recession is in the rear-view mirror. That's not the case if you're a layoff victim over a certain age and if you've been unemployed for nearly a year - or longer.

When you hear "small business start-up," many people think of 30-something techies leaving bigger companies to go out on their own. Would it surprise you to learn that about one fourth of aspiring small business owners are in the 40 - 60 age bracket?

A staggering number of people in the United States remain unemployed, with more workers over age 45 remaining out of work for a year or longer.

Bring up Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer among colleagues or friends, and I dare you to try to have a five-minute conversation. You'll likely hear jeers, cheers, or both when it comes to Yahoo's pending ban on full-time and occasional telecommuting.