Mature workers news roundup – November 2020

How ageism is preventing some Australians from getting employed

For older and younger jobseekers, and women in their mid twenties-thirties, it can be difficult to get a job due to ageism in recruiting.

Motherhood, too much or too little experience and looming retirement are common reasons why some Australians don’t succeed in job interviews, but age discrimination commissioner Dr Kay Patterson AO says rules and regulations can help prevent this.  – ABC Radio Melbourne, 30 November 2020 (Audio)

RTÉ begins appeal against age discrimination award to former employee (Ireland)

Irish television station RTÉ has commenced a Labour Court appeal against a €100,000 Workplace Relations Commission award to a former employee who claimed age discrimination after being forced to retire at 65.

The employee’s employment contract did not specify a retirement age, and she argued that she was going to be disadvantaged as the state pension would not be applicable until she turned 66. However RTÉ argued that a compulsory retirement age was required to create “intergenerational fairness”, avoid stagnation, free up promotional opportunities for younger staff, and generate appropriate content to attract younger viewers.  – RTE, 30 November 2020

No children doesn’t mean more savings for single women

New Australian research has debunked the assumption that single women without children have no career interruptions and healthy retirement savings.

Researchers from the University of Sydney (including CEPAR’s own Prof. Myra Hamilton), the University of NSW and Curtin University found two-thirds of study participants experienced an involuntary career interruption despite not having children. The researchers found that single women over the age of 45 without children were more likely to have caring responsibilities for ageing family members than people with partners and/or children.  – Sydney Morning Herald, 30 November 2020

China to tap elderly population in bid to tackle looming demographic crisis, boost economy

China is planning policies to boost the economic contribution of its elderly citizens, including improving their use of technology. In 2019, 12.6 per cent of China’s population was aged 65 or above and that group will hit 300 million by 2025, official data shows.  – China Macro Economy, 29 November 2020

Worker asked if she had Alzheimer’s by manager wins age discrimination case (UK)

A worker who was subjected to jokes about Alzheimer’s disease was a victim of harassment and direct discrimination, even though the comments were meant as “office banter”, a tribunal has ruled. Despite being called ‘Dementia Debbie’ the Tribunal considered “any injury having been slight” and awarded the minimum compensation. – People Management, 27 November 2020

Being good at your job won’t stop age discrimination

How old you are could be more important to some employers than your experience, or your capacity to do the job – particularly for older candidates. That was the conclusion of research my colleagues and I recently published on age discrimination. We tested 500 managers across nine European countries, using job applications of people aged between 43 and 63, and showed more suitable job candidates did not experience less discrimination.  – The Conversation UK, 27 November 2020

Shoring Up And Future Proofing NZ’s Specialist Workforce Is Beyond Urgent

A report out today from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists warns urgent, co-ordinated action is needed to tackle staffing shortages and future proof the specialist workforce, or New Zealanders will increasingly miss out on the specialist care they need.  – Scoop NZ, 26 November 2020

Woman wins age discrimination battle against boss who asked her if she dementia (UK) 

A woman has won an age discrimination claim after her boss mocked her for making mistakes by asking if she had dementia.  – Express, 24 November 2020

Number of unemployed people in UK over 50 rises by third, figures suggest

The number of unemployed people aged over 50 in the UK has increased by a third in the past year, according to analysis of official figures. There are 91,000 more unemployed older people than there were 12 months ago, the biggest percentage increase of all age groups and significantly more than the national average increase of 24%.  – The Guardian, 23 November 2020

Number of out-of-work over-50s surges (UK)

The number of unemployed over-50s has leapt by a third in a year – well above the increase across all age groups, analysis has found. The number of over-50s out of work increased by 33% in 2020 with 371,000 people in this age group unemployed in July to September 2020, compared with 280,000 in the same period in 2019.  Across all age groups, the unemployment level between the two periods increased by 24%.  – Personnel Today, 23 November 2020

China to introduce new policies to tackle ageing population

China is planning to include new measures to encourage more births and address issues associated with its rapidly ageing population and shrinking workforce as part of its new 2021-2025 “five-year plan”, according to state media.  – Al Jazeera, 23 November 2020

The outlook for older women in Australia is dire – but no one seems to care

The reward for a lifetime of putting other people’s needs ahead of their own is very likely an old age of poverty and sleeping rough.  – The Guardian, 23 November 2020

Closing the gender pension gap: Women must be part of debate (Ireland)

It is nonsensical that a commission to examine raising the pension age does not include representatives of groups directly affected by the issue. The commission lacks the balance needed to arrive at conclusions that can accommodate a range of interests, especially those most affected by any pension age increase, and achieve a consensus.  – The Irish Examiner, 22 November 2020

Older renters on the dole the most financially strapped as calls grow for JobSeeker increase

Older renters who end up on the dole before reaching pension age are the most financially vulnerable retirees, a new report shows, as social services groups pressure the federal government to increase the JobSeeker payment.  – Brisbane Times, 21 November 2020

Forum: Legislate six days of paid eldercare leave (Singapore)

Family caregivers face difficulty juggling caregiving responsibilities with paid work, due to the high demands of both. Unsurprisingly, many are forced to quit their jobs or reduce their working hours to cope with caregiving duties. This was the case for about 67 per cent of the respondents in the Association of Women for Action and Research’s (Aware) 2019 research on the conflict between caregiving and work for female caregivers to the elderly.  – The Straits Times, 20 November 2020

Covid-19 could reverse pensioner poverty progress (USA)

Covid-19 could increase pensioner poverty and reverse progress that has been made in increasing employment among older generations, according to a report from the Centre for Ageing Better.  The report, entitled The State of Ageing in 2020, showed that older workers had been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, with the number of over-50s claiming unemployment-related benefits having doubled to 600,000 people between March 2020 and September.  – Pensions Age, 19 November 2020

Plan to raise China’s retirement age sparks anger

A decision by the Communist Party of China to raise the retirement age under a long-term economic and development plan has sparked anger on social media in fast-greying China.  – Channel News Asia, 20 November 2020

Working Daughters Balancing Elder Care Are at Their Breaking Point (USA)

Almost daily since March, I read a new headline about how the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing working mothers to their breaking point — and it is. However, it’s not just working mothers who are impacted. Working daughters balancing elder care and career are, too.  – Next Avenue, 18 November 2020

REPORT: Strengthen age discrimination protections to help confront the challenge of population aging (USA)

One key policy imperative in response to the aging of the U.S. population is to increase employment among older workers. There is ample evidence of age discrimination, especially in hiring, that can impede policymakers’ efforts to encourage or induce older people to work longer, and that inhibit working longer more generally. – Brookings Institute, 19 November 2020

REPORT: Increasing employment for older workers with effective protections against employment discrimination

Observers of older workers’ economic conditions in the United States quickly encounter a paradox. On the one hand, the labor force participation rate among workers aged 55 and older (hereafter “older workers”) is roughly half the rate of prime-age workers (aged 25 to 54). Their employment rate is also far lower. On the other hand, many older workers have insufficient savings to continue their preretirement standard of living in retirement. The paradox is that a large portion of older workers, including many without sufficient retirement savings, are not engaged in the principal activity that facilitates more retirement savings: continued employment.  – Brookings Institute, 17 November 2020

Pietermaritzburg traffic warden wins fight against age restriction on training (South Africa)

A Msunduzi traffic warden has won a five year battle to overturn a rule that barred traffic wardens from attending college after their employment. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) which manages and controls the 14 traffic officer training colleges, followed the law which stated that no person over the age of 35 could attend traffic college.  –  News 24, 17 November 2020

Leaked KPMG email warned retirement age covered by discrimination law (Australia)

KPMG’s own lawyer told the firm that partners’ awareness of its mandatory retirement age of 58 before they joined was not a defence against the provision being discriminatory. In a confidential email sent in 2018, the firm’s general counsel told the firm’s CEO Gary Wingrove and other senior executives that its partnership agreement was covered by the Age Discrimination Act.  – Australian Financial Review, 16 November 2020

UQ joins Age-Friendly University Global Network

The University of Queensland has become the first university in the Southern Hemisphere to join the Age-Friendly University Global Network. The international network of higher education institutions is dedicated to addressing the needs of older people and the challenges presented by the ageing population.  – University of Queensland, 16 November 2020

Why should India consider increasing the retirement age?

As India looks to combat an impending slowdown in its demographic growth and a steady increase in its senior population, it must adopt a nuanced strategy to keep the ageing workforce engaged without endangering opportunities for the youth. Overall, an increase in the retirement age will lead to higher productivity and a healthier economy.  – Financial Express, 16 November 2020

$10m budget boost for women who have lost jobs in pandemic (NSW)

Women who have been unemployed for more than a month can receive grants of up to $5000 in a bid to help them return to work.  – Sydney Morning Herald, 16 November 2020

What you should know about changing retirement dates in South Africa

The obligation to retire depends on a number of factors which include the industry of the particular employee and, particularly, the rules and policies of their employer in relation to prescribing a retirement age.  – Business Tech, 14 November 2020

‘Must qualify for JobMaker’: Businesses wary of discrimination laws

Businesses around the country are advertising for roles exclusively for young people eligible for the JobMaker subsidy scheme but some are worried they may fall foul of anti-discrimination law.

Hiring people on the basis of their age is generally prohibited by state and territory discrimination laws but there are exceptions for the government to establish schemes like JobMaker that help particular age groups to get work.  – Sydney Morning Herald, 2 November 2020

Employer’s Talent Pool was found to be age discriminatory (UK)

Historically age discrimination in the workplace has been prevalent. The case of Ryan v South West Ambulance Services NHS Trust shows that despite the removal of overtly discriminatory policies such as mandatory retirement age rules, apparently age neutral policies and practices can be indirectly discriminatory on the grounds of age and unjustifiable.  – Lexology, 12 November 2020

Silver tsunami or silver lining? Why we should not fear an ageing population

With people living longer than ever and the baby-boomer generation reaching retirement age, some people worry that we will run short of workers and taxpayers. Media reports and political discourse about our ageing population often adopt a tone of panic.

But is this panic justified? This in-depth discussion paper commissioned by SPA untangles the facts from the myths, so that Australians can look afresh at the population ageing issue.

Authored by Queensland academic Dr Jane O’Sullivan, the paper contains original data analysis and extensive literature review, to help separate the facts from the spin.

This paper addresses key questions, including:

• Will an ageing population blow government budgets?
• Will ageing cause a shortage of workers?
• Is high immigration and more population growth the answer?

A thorough analysis of the evidence finds that each of these concerns is unfounded. Far from being an economic calamity, our demographic maturity offers many advantages for improving social and environmental outcomes.  – Sustainable Population Australia – Discussion Paper; October 2020

Latest age discrimination class action against Hewlett-Packard lands in Georgia

The proposed class action is one of several the company is fending off over claims its Workforce Reduction Program illegally discriminates against older workers.

A putative class action levelling age discrimination accusations against Hewlett-Packard was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, making it the latest venue to see the information technology giant hit with such claims in recent years.  – Law.com, 12 November 2020

Ageing workforce poses challenge to health sector (Kenya)

The country’s health system is seemingly struggling to cope with the changing disease burden because of critical gaps in human resource and training.

A human resource audit on capacity by the government reveals that the health sector has an ageing workforce that is inadequately trained and distributed, to meet the changing disease burdens and mix.  – Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, 2 November 2020

Age Discrimination Will Be More Widespread: Here’s What to Do

Advice based on what happened to older workers in the Great Recession

Age discrimination by employers due to the pandemic is moving from a hypothetical to a real issue. But there are tactics older workers and job applicants can adopt accordingly to help protect themselves and their careers.  – Next Avenue, 5 November 2020

Jobmaker: discrimination law exemptions could protect employers who turn away older applicants

Employers who tell older workers not to apply for jobs they intend to create with jobmaker wage subsidies for young employees may be protected from discrimination law, according to the Treasury.

Officials told a Senate inquiry into the jobmaker hiring credits bill on Monday that exemptions in the Age Discrimination Act could protect employers in such cases, a position supported by the Australian Human Rights Commission, although both said employers needed to seek their own legal advice.

But employers who cut the hours of older workers to hire younger staff could be in breach of general rules to stop the scheme being exploited, the Treasury warned. – The Guardian, 2 November 2020

New York Judges Sue Over Forced Retirements

A group of judges have sued the New York court system, alleging it engaged in age discrimination after denying them a certification that would have allowed them to work beyond the age of 70.  – Wall Street Journal, 5 November 2020