Transcript Document

Patrick Grattan, Chief Executive,
TAEN - The Age and Employment Network
Sept 2006. IDS
© TAEN
TAEN – Experts on Age and Employment
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Committed to promoting an effective job
market which works for people in mid and
later life, for employers and for the economy.
250 member organisations. (2007
membership: £200)
Communicating expertise.
Creating contacts & networks.
Influencing and advancing public policy.
Age and Employment: a broad agenda
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Changing life stages.
Stereotypes and barriers.
Individual career management.
Employer career management.
Work & learning & health.
Pensions, savings and retirement.
Role of Government. Legislation.
Working lives: the demographic context
Starting work later; debt:
21
Children + mortgages later:
30+
Life expectancy rising:
80+
Fewer children:
1.8
Retiring earlier:
63
Life Stages: “good” work, “bad” work.
Employment rates: a success story
1997-2006 employment record:
Under 50
+0.6m
Over 50
+1.3m
25-49
50-SPA
Govt aim, working age
Requires:
82%
71%
80% (75% now)
+1m over 50s in work
+1m welfare to work
Success story but – age barriers to tackle (1)
Employers
• Quality of work opportunities: few occupations and
business sectors
• Employer attitudes / myths & stereotypes
• Corporate hierarchies and culture
Government
• Age a low priority
• Limited pension reform
• Public sector employment
‘Welfare to Work: Tackling the Barriers to the Employment of Older Workers’
National Audit Office : 2004. Am I still needed? TAEN/CeGS 2005; DWP Research
Age barriers to tackle (2)
Employees/jobseekers
• Fewer qualifications and basic skills but much
experience
• Absences from the workforce
• Personal aspirations and confidence
• Caring responsibilities
• Health condition or disability
‘Welfare to Work: Tackling the Barriers to the Employment of Older Workers’
National Audit Office : 2004. Am I still needed? TAEN/CeGS 2005; DWP Research
Drivers of change
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Fairness and opportunity
Careers of women
Retirement economics: pension values
Death of final salary pensions
Longevity increases
Health improvements
Skills needs
Reversing benefit dependency
The EU Lisbon Agenda
Legislation
Government action
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Employment target 80%
Legislation.
Lifelong advice services.
Lifelong learning services.
Public health – prevention policies.
Incentives to work/save.
Welfare to Work reform.
Pensions: saving incentives
Public sector employment. 25%.
Age regulations: exemptions for employers
1. Any age-based action which can be
‘objectively justified’ as a proportionate way
of achieving a ‘legitimate aim’.
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[Health & Safety, employment/succession
planning, payback on training costs, reasonable
period prior to retirement age, minimum levels of
experience / seniority.]
Employer action under a ‘public policy’
exemption.
Genuine Occupational Requirements
Positive Action
Age Regulations Exemptions for Government
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National Default Retirement Age of 65.
Service related pay and benefits
National Minimum Wage (3 age bands)
Statutory Redundancy Pay (3 age bands)
State pensions.
Age-based pension rules.
Other statutory age based rules.
Age limits on Vocational Training funding
Age Regulations: The hot spots (1)
1. Fixed Retirement Ages and unfair dismissal:
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defining employers normal retirement age.
Candidates for under 65 NRAs
following the procedure.
giving reasons.
2. Young workers:
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experience thresholds
funding of training
minimum wages
health and safety
Age Regulations: The hot spots (2)
3. Proving discrimination in recruitment and
workplace decisions.
The evidence. Comparator age pools
4. Legitimate aims:
Succession planning; job blocking; business costs.
5. Length of service benefits over 5 years
6. Redundancy schemes not matching the state
minimum.
Age Regulations: The hot spots (3)
7. Scope for positive action
8. Occupational pensions
9. Harassment
10 Recruitment agencies
Age and Employment. Calendar
Nov 05
Feb 06
Mar 06
Apr 06
May 06
Jun 06
Oct 06
Dec 06
2007
2007
2011
Report of the Pensions Commission
Equality Act (CEHR)
Age Regulations through Parliament
Pension reforms/simplification
Health, Work and Wellbeing Programme
Welfare Reform Bill tabled
Age legislation in force
Leitch Review on Skills
Equality Reviews
Commission on Equality and Human Rights
Review of Default Retirement Age
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.taen.org.uk © TAEN 2006
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