ReleaseCPFsavingsforhardshipneeReleaseCPFsavingsforhardshipneedsByPeterOngIbelievemoreandmorepeopletodayarecryingout"moneynoenough."Having"notenoughmoney"tospendisbutasmallmatter.Whatismoretroublingishavingnomoneytomeetdailyexpenses.Imagineafamilythatisshortonfoodandthebasicnecessities，andthebreadwinneriscompelledtoturntoloansharksformoney.CouldthishappeninSingapore?Iamafraidtheanswerisyes.Andasthenumberofjoblessincreases，moreandmorefamiliesarelikelytomeetthisfate.Notlongago，MrLimSweeSay，NTUCDeputySecretary-General，projectedthattherateofunemploymentwouldriseto4percentbeforetheendoftheyear，andreach7percentnextyear.Givenaworkforceof1.8million，thenumberofunemployedcouldexceed120，000.Unemploymentaffectsboththemenandwomen，andtheyoungandold.Butthemostvulnerablearethoseaged40andabove.Likelytobethesolebreadwinners，thesemiddle-agedworkershailfromwhite-andblue-collarjobsanddifferenteducationalbackground.Generally，whenwomenworkersareretrenched，familiesgettoloseoneoftheirincomeearners.Whenyoungworkersarelaidoff，mostofthemwilljustfallbackontheirparentsforfinancialsupport.Andwhenworkersabouttoretirelosetheirjobs，theycandigintotheirCPFsavings(oncetheyreachwithdrawalage)totidethemthrough.However，whenmenaged40andaboveareaskedtoquit，mosofthemrunintoadeadend.Menaged40andabovearemostvulnerablebecausetheyareafavouritetargetforretrenchment.Theyarealsolikelytobeshunnedinanyrecruitmentexercisebecausetheirsalaryisgenerallyhigherthanyoungnewrecruitsduetotheirlongerlengthofservice.Managementrealisesthattheycouldlowercostsiftheyreplacetheseolderworkerswithyoungerbutlower-salariedones.Olderworkersarealsolikelytohavegreaterfinancialcommitments-suchascarandmortgageloans，childrenstillattendingschooland，forsome，elderlyparentstolookafter.Ahumanresourcemanagerfromacruisecompanytoldmerecentlythatshedetectedadesperatesenseof"hungerandthirst"whenthiscategoryofworkersshowedupforjobinterviews.Shesaid:"Mostofthemhavebeenlookingforjobsforseveralmonths.Someofthemareevenpreparedtoaccepthalfofwhattheyusedtoe