Editor’s picks
Latest news from around the world on mature workers for October 2020.
Companies are telling older people not to bother applying in JobMaker job ads. Is that legal?
The Federal Government’s new wage subsidy hasn’t passed Parliament yet, but some employers are already advertising for young workers who will qualify for the program. So how does that sit with Australia’s anti-discrimination laws, and will the scheme make it more difficult for people who don’t qualify to find work? – ABC News, 31 October 2020
Can Recruiting From A ‘Talent Pool’ Be Deemed Indirect Age Discrimination? (UK)
The Employment Appeal Tribunal decision in Ryan v South West Ambulance Services NHS Trust provided a reminder of the risks in relation to inadvertently indirectly discriminatory policies. – Mondaq, 27 October 2020
Your Car Gets An Annual Check-Up, What About Your Life?
Very few companies are (yet) looking at the issue of longevity, let alone managing it. Insurance company Aviva is a rare exception. In 2018, it launched what it called The Mid-Life MOT (in the UK, annual car check-ups are referred to as MOTs). They offered workshops reviewing the ‘3 Ws’ of Work, Wellness and Wealth for employees over 50 (later lowered to 45 by popular demand). It was a confidential review of future plans and financial feasibility. The response was enthusiastic – the programme sold out within hours. This is the third of a 3-part series on The New Majority: Millennials, Perennials and Parents. – Forbes, 28 October 2020
British Airways stewardesses win uniform row after accusing bosses of age discrimination
“Menopausal crew said they have to wear the scarf with the toggle because they get hot flushes when wearing it like a cravat, especially alongside the face mask. They would down tools if necessary.” – The Sun, 27 October 2020
Older Workers Need To Stand Up As Covid-19 Knocks Them Down
Older workers need to stand up and demand more attention from lawmakers on how the Covid-19 disease and lack of a vaccine causes them unique losses which can last a lifetime. Older workers must fight for five policies: more unemployment benefits, better workplace safety protections, protections against age discrimination, better access to healthcare, and higher Social Security Benefits. – Forbes, 26 October 2020
Abbott exec told to ‘manage out’ older workers, 9th Cir. says, reviving suit (USA)
An executive with Abbott Laboratories said she was instructed to “manage out” more senior, higher salaried employees who were usually older by inventing performance problems and assigning unattainable goals. – HR Dive, 26 October 2020
The changing nature of ageing (Malaysia)
Malaysia’s demographic change is a real concern because it is progressing at a much faster pace than that of many other countries. By 2020, those aged 65 and above will represent 7% of its population, and by 2045, Malaysia will become an aged nation — when 14% of its population are aged 65 and above.
To put it another way, it took France 115 years to move from an ageing to an aged nation — it will take Malaysia only 25 years to do so. – The Edge Markets, 24 October 2020
“Shame and rejection”: I’m one of many middle-aged women dealing with blatant ageism at work
Several years, ago, within five months of starting a new role, the HR Manager called me into her office and told me that my contract was being terminated. Apparently, I wasn’t the right fit – a devastating blow to anyone, but especially for a middle-aged woman who has resigned from a secure role and is prone to anxiety. The process wasn’t handled professionally, and I felt like I was doing a walk of shame as the 20-year-old led out of the fishbowl meeting room and through the open plan office, full of staff. – Mama Mia, 24 October 2020
Workplace discrimination complaints increase by 42% (Singapore)
There has been a big jump in workplace discrimination or harassment cases made in 2020 to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep) compared with the previous year.
One in four complaints related to fair consideration for Singaporeans in hiring practices, with one in 10 complaints related to age discrimination, said the Tripartite Alliance Limited in its annual report. – The Straits Times, 21 October 2020
Departure of COVID-19 Expert Raises Questions About Retirement Rules (Hong Kong)
As the leading Anglophone higher education systems have pushed back or abolished mandatory retirement ages in recent decades, the practice has remained relatively entrenched in Asia.
Mainland China, for example, has a retirement policy based on gender: men retire at 60, women at 55. Guidelines produced by India’s University Grants Commission call for a retirement age of 65, but some state institutions have retirement ages as low as late 50s or 60. — Times Higher Education, 23 October 2020
Older Workers Face Higher Unemployment Amid Virus Pandemic (USA)
For the first time in nearly 50 years, older workers face higher unemployment than their midcareer counterparts, according to a study released Tuesday by the New School university in New York City.
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on employment for people of all ages. But researchers found that during its course, workers 55 and older lost jobs sooner, were rehired slower and continue to face higher job losses than their counterparts ages 35 to 54. – NBC News, 21 October 2020
Old Age Is the Next Global Economic Threat
Aging populations are a threat to global economies. Just ask Japan.
While the world wrestles with a deadly pandemic and how to confront climate change, there’s another, long-term global challenge that no one really knows how to deal with: population aging. As the human race transitions from a burgeoning, exploding species to a static or shrinking one, economies around the world will come under significant strain.
Japan is the canary in the coal mine here. Although its birth rate is not as low as that of many other rich countries, it’s been low for a longer time. That’s why Japan is now the world’s oldest major economy. – Bloomberg, 20 October 2020
The Aging of Migrant Domestic Workers (USA)
Letty’s story is emblematic of the emergence of an international division of elder care—a chain in which elderly are paid to care for other elderly. The challenge of retirement for migrant domestic workers such as Letty suggests our need to pay attention to the rise of older migrant caregivers, and the challenge of retirement for domestic workers generally. – The American Prospect, 20 October 2020
A well-told and a fascinating insight into the plight of elderly, migrant, domestic carers who are too poor to retire. —Ed.
JobMaker sees older workers dumped by employers
Older workers are already being laid off by employers eager to take on younger people eligible for the $200 JobMaker subsidy. – Bega Times, 19 October 2020
Amazon, T-Mobile can’t blame ‘big bad Facebook’ for targeted job ads – judge
A federal judge in California on Thursday sounded skeptical of claims by Amazon.com Inc and T-Mobile US Inc that they cannot be held liable in an age discrimination lawsuit for the manner in which Facebook displayed and targeted their job advertisements to its users. – Reuters, 16 October 2020
Older workers face unemployment crisis exacerbated by JobMaker, experts warn
The barriers facing mature-age job seekers could get bigger, with concerns that a scheme announced in the Federal Budget to subsidise the hiring of younger people out of work could come at the cost of jobs for older Australians. – ABC News, 15 October 2020
Oxford University needs to look at its age policy
Oxford University is one of the most venerable academic institutions in the world but its legal battle against a Belfast-born professor in an age discrimination case does little for its reputation. – Belfast Telegraph, 15 October 2020
Health equals wealth: The global longevity dividend
A new report from the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC-UK) has analysed the social and economic impact of older people in nations of the G20, including Australia. Some interesting findings include:
- “In countries that spend more in health, older people work, volunteer and spend more.
- People who report being in good rather than poor health are over four times more likely to be in work between the ages of 50 and 65, and over 10 times more likely between 65 and 74.
- Increasing preventative health spend by just 0.1% can unlock a 9% increase in annual spending by people aged 60+ and an additional 10 hours of volunteering.”
The Report and its Appendix can be downloaded from the ILC-UK website.
Over-65s among worst casualties of jobs crisis as 122,000 out of work since March (UK)
One in 10 of the oldest and most experienced workers have been squeezed out of their jobs as the labour market cracks under the strain of the economic damage caused by the pandemic…. – The Telegraph (paywall), 14 October 2020
How older Aussies can get a job in Covid-19
SEEK head of customer insights and strategy Elyssia Clark said older workers need to understand they have an edge that they, or others, may not have appreciated. “They’re experienced, reliable, have a strong work ethic, have potential to mentor younger colleagues, have existing credibility with customers, and are statistically less likely to take a day off sick,” Clark said. – Yahoo Finance, 12 October 2020
Oxford University forced to re-employ professor who was illegally forced out before his 70th birthday
The university has been ordered to pay Prof Paul Ewart £30,000 in compensation and forced to re-employ him even though his former role no longer exists, after he won a landmark age discrimination battle. – The Telegraph, 12 October 2020
Plummeting workforce, aging population to hurt China’s economy
China’s economic bubble that saw extraordinary growth in the past few decades is set to burst. The Asian giant faces a ‘timebomb’ of aging population as the number of young adults is plummeting, thanks to strict birth control policies especially the 1979’s One Child Policy (OCP). – The Borneo Post, 11 October 2020
3 in 5 older workers could retire in poverty due to pandemic (USA)
The majority of older workers could end up poor in retirement because of the economic fallout from the pandemic, according to a recent study from the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at The New School, up from 56% if no recession occurred this year. About 3.1 million workers will be forced to leave the labour force and into involuntary retirement because of the COVID-19 outbreak, another analysis from the centre found. – Yahoo Money, 10 October 2020
Out with the old: JobMaker’s ‘serious flaws’ could fuel age discrimination
The federal government’s JobMaker subsidy has come under fire over fears it will encourage unscrupulous companies to sack experienced workers in favour of publicly funded younger ones. “There are many flaws in it that haven’t been thought through,” Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O’Neil said. – The New Daily, 8 October 2020
JobMaker incentive in Federal Budget 2020 is leaving people aged over 35 worried — here’s why
Melanie Olsen, a 43-year-old mother of two who is looking for work, said even before the Federal Budget she was worried about competing with younger job applicants. But after the Budget she is even more nervous. – ABC News, 8 October 2020
‘Once they see your grey hair, that’s it’: How the federal budget ignored women
Women, particularly those aged over 35, were big losers in the federal budget, which labour market experts said had bypassed the childcare needs of women wanting to return to the workforce. University of NSW professor of economics Richard Holden said it was “striking there was so little in the budget for women”. – Sydney Morning Herald, 7 October 2020
7 phrases people think are ok to say at work but are actually ageist against your co-workers
Sometimes ageism comes out in the form of microaggressions, which are indirect, often unintentional expressions of prejudice. They can make your colleagues feel undervalued, excluded, or harassed. – Business Insider Australia, 2 October 2020
These 6 masterpieces were created by people aged 60 or older
In 2017, Tanzanian-born artist Lubaina Himid won the Turner Prize, the most prestigious contemporary art prize in Britain. It was remarkable for two reasons: firstly, because she was the first woman of colour to win the prize and secondly, because at 63, she was the oldest person ever to win it. Until the year before, eligibility had been capped at age 50. – World Economic Forum, 1 October 2020
Why improving women’s lives is the key to healthy ageing
Let us consider a woman in her 70s in the small village where she was born and raised. As with so many of her generation, she was made to marry early, with minimum education. She had children early, pregnancies were unplanned, childbirth was risky. Her husband, many years older, died a long while ago, leaving her a widow, unprepared to enter the workforce or properly fend for herself. Her children left the village for the city, adding to her isolation. This is the scenario many older women now face – with the added risks, burdens and effects of COVID-19.
But imagine if, as an adolescent, this woman had been able to take that other branch of the road: completing school and higher education; achieving gainful employment; marrying as an adult and of her own choice; having healthy children and being able to invest in their well-being; and, ultimately, enjoying a secure old age. – World Economic Forum, 1 October 2020