Law on Retirement Age Angers Older Employees
In 2006, the government introduced the default retirement age, which had led charitable organisations dealing with the cause of the elderly to fear that employers across the country would use this to force people at the age of 65 or above to retire.
Charities like Help the Aged and Age Concern say that the reality has surpassed their fears. Apparently over four times the number of people that the charities thought would be affected have been forced to retire. A survey on about 1000 persons between the ages of 60 and 70, found that an alarming number of those surveyed said that they personally knew someone of 65 ears or more who had been forcibly retired under the default retirement age.
Concerned at this dismal state of affairs, charities are urging the political parties to look into the matter and scrap the law.
The director of these charities, Michelle Mitchell stated that the data received from the survey showed that the retirement age law was being misused by employees as an inexpensive way to get rid of employees during difficult times like the current recession, without offering redundancy benefits.
The law has turned into a weapon for age discrimination. 90% of the people surveyed stated that they were not in favour of the fixed retirement age. Ms. Mitchell also stated this Ms. Mitchell also stated this age limit was prejudicial, as was the age limit on insurance policies. She said that the disrespect to the elderly in all these ways was unacceptable and needed to be tackled.
Employers can keep themselves up to date with HR and personnel developments to enhance the working capability of employers by taking accredited CIPD courses by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development; the professional body for those involved in the management and development of people.
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