Laid-off workers eye the abyss

With 1.5 million set to lose jobless benefits, many don't know how they'll get by


Karen Inbody, a jobless resident of Elkhart, Ind., spends some of her time volunteering at the Harvest Basket for Community Services, where she helps people to borrow health equipment. Her unemployment benefits have nearly expired and she says, "there are still no jobs out there.

updated 8:35 a.m. ET, Thurs., Aug. 27, 2009
ELKHART, Ind.— Karen Inbody has just about three weeks to figure out Plan B.

The 58-year-old divorcee has been getting by on unemployment compensation since her layoff in early 2008, but she’s nearly reached the end of her benefits.

And even though she's applied for dozens of jobs, the former rental property manager has come up empty.

“I’d shovel horse poop,â€