Employers set to push for retirement age flexibility

Most
employers want to see flexible retirement provisions included in forthcoming
age discrimination legislation, claims exclusive research by the Employers
Forum on Age.

The
study shows that 75 per cent of employers are in favour of flexible retirement
arrangements – that would allow workers freedom to retire at any time during a
10-year period – in preference to a mandatory fixed date.

The
Government is reviewing age discrimination a head of new legislation in 2006.

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Sam
Mercer, campaign director at the EFA, explained that some employers favour a
set retirement date because it makes manpower planning easier and bypasses the
need to sack older members of staff for poor performance. But she said a
flexible approach would promote knowledge retention and a positive culture
change on age.

BT
Group employment policy consultant Beck Mason, said the company improved skills
retention through flexible retirement.