Woman takes garden center job after director layoff to pay bills

Leslie Friday, 48, lost her communications director job and now works at a garden center for $17 an hour. She took the position to help pay her family's bills while she looks for full-time work. Friday is a mother of three and lives in New England. She schedules job interviews on her days off. The work is very different from her old desk job because it involves physical activity outdoors. Friday grew up on a farm in the Midwest, so working with plants is familiar to her. Her situation is common among experienced professionals who have lost their jobs. Many take lower-paid work temporarily because they still have financial responsibilities while they search.