Employing people over retirement age?
Discussion
My best mate runs a small Fabrication company which employs about 15 people. He has a couple of guys in the shop who are getting very close to 65 (both a couple of months off retirement) but are still fit and well and very good at their job, albeit a bit slow now as its heavy work. Both the guys want to continue working.
Work is steady at the moment but if it were to go slack, he would have the dilemma of which staff to let go, the guys who by then would be 65, or one or more of the younger, less experienced (but quicker) guys who have been with him only a couple of years…
How does he stand in this situation, if he keeps the older guys on past retirement? Can he then let them go if work goes slack? Can he keep them on, perhaps on a rolling 3 month contract?
Work is steady at the moment but if it were to go slack, he would have the dilemma of which staff to let go, the guys who by then would be 65, or one or more of the younger, less experienced (but quicker) guys who have been with him only a couple of years…
How does he stand in this situation, if he keeps the older guys on past retirement? Can he then let them go if work goes slack? Can he keep them on, perhaps on a rolling 3 month contract?
What do you mean 'if he keeps the guys on past retirement'? I take it all of the employees are permanent.
He has no choice unless they resign themselves. If there is a downturn in work then he will have to go through a normal redundancy selection process.
Really, the fact these guys are approaching state retirement age is irrelevant to the business.
He has no choice unless they resign themselves. If there is a downturn in work then he will have to go through a normal redundancy selection process.
Really, the fact these guys are approaching state retirement age is irrelevant to the business.
edc said:
What do you mean 'if he keeps the guys on past retirement'? I take it all of the employees are permanent.
He has no choice unless they resign themselves. If there is a downturn in work then he will have to go through a normal redundancy selection process.
Really, the fact these guys are approaching state retirement age is irrelevant to the business.
So I take it that if they want to continue to work, there is no forced retirement at 65 like there used to be?He has no choice unless they resign themselves. If there is a downturn in work then he will have to go through a normal redundancy selection process.
Really, the fact these guys are approaching state retirement age is irrelevant to the business.
There is little need for "expert and insured" and presumably costly advice. This area of employment law is well documented, easy to understand and anyone with the nous to build up a business employing 15 should easily be able to understand it.
Start with the Equality Act 2010 and if you really want to spend money, it might be best employed in an ACAS Training course.
Start with the Equality Act 2010 and if you really want to spend money, it might be best employed in an ACAS Training course.
I´ve been hearing it a lot lately.
"We´re looking for a younger age structure on board"
I work in the private yachting industry, I´m 52 and have been doing my job well for the 20 years I´ve been in the industry.
I´m fit, have lots of experience, good references, and proven longevity in my jobs. coming up to 11 years in my current position, and six in the last one. (virtually unheard of in this business)
I can tell you, every time I hear it, it´s a kick in the b
ks! So all my skill and experience amounts to nothing. I don´t feel old! 
Time to start thinking of something else to do I think.
"We´re looking for a younger age structure on board"
I work in the private yachting industry, I´m 52 and have been doing my job well for the 20 years I´ve been in the industry.
I´m fit, have lots of experience, good references, and proven longevity in my jobs. coming up to 11 years in my current position, and six in the last one. (virtually unheard of in this business)
I can tell you, every time I hear it, it´s a kick in the b
ks! So all my skill and experience amounts to nothing. I don´t feel old! Time to start thinking of something else to do I think.
Silver993tt said:
we take on quite a few people over the age of 60. They have the best experience and much better with customers that someone half their age. I'm in the IT industry.
I found this. I had no problem in getting a job when I was 50. When I was working I had a team of 40 project managers (IT industry), with a real mix of ages, I always felt it good to have that balance in the team. I never felt there was any ageism in the company I worked for, (large multinational) you were judged on your merits, as it should be. When I retired at 55, Job offers still came in, and even now at 57 I still think I could get a job without a problem, not as I want to!
As Mickrick puts it, I was made redundant in 2010 and have not had any work since. I am now 50, feel very much like employers do not want to know about older potential employees. I have to agree that what work area you are in helps, IT etc is specialist and 'being' known in the industry must help.
So if anyone wants a former Customs Officer, I am open to offers.
So if anyone wants a former Customs Officer, I am open to offers.
mickrick said:
Every man and his dog seem to work in IT these days! Does anyone actually make or mend anything besides computers?
I work in IT and make things. I make software. That software is sold around the world and brings in revenue to the UK. The concept that you need to wield spanners and get covered in oil to do anything useful is very out of date.WhereamI said:
mickrick said:
Every man and his dog seem to work in IT these days! Does anyone actually make or mend anything besides computers?
I work in IT and make things. I make software. That software is sold around the world and brings in revenue to the UK. The concept that you need to wield spanners and get covered in oil to do anything useful is very out of date.I do occasionally "wield" a spanner, but I can also use a lathe, milling machine, shaper, I can weld with gas or MIG, fill & fair, paint and varnish, work with wood, keep accounts and deal with contractors and procurement of materials.
I hire and teach young crew members marlinspike seamanship and basic navigation, and even though I say so myself, I´m a pretty good boat master.
It´s a wonderful thing to see the young lads face, when you tell him to come up to the bridge, and tell him to "Take her out" for the first time
I don´t want to take the OP off topic. I´m nowhere near retirement age, but it makes me sad to hear someone tell me they´re looking for a younger person. It´s their loss as much as mine.
Oh, and you won´t get covered in oil in my engine room
If it helps make you feel better, I have a nice recording of one of my old managers saying exactly the same thing about reducing the age profile in my industry as well. The really "funny" thing is that most of the consultancy was around trusted advisory consultancy, i.e. those who know what they are doing, having done it before, and he wanted to bring in fresh faced youngsters with erm, little experience.
I suppose it's because experience costs money, simple as that.
I suppose it's because experience costs money, simple as that.
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