Hiring older workers

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that by 2024 the labor force will grow to about 164 million people. That number includes about 41 million people who will be ages 55 and older—of whom about 13 million are expected to be ages 65 and older.

The problem is, many of those who are 55 or older have experienced or perceived discrimination when trying to land a job.

Some employers have concerns about the difficulty in training older workers once they are hired, or their ability to grasp and grow with advances of technology.

Forget those stereotypes. Surveys show a vast majority of those workers are reliable, thorough, not prone to turnover and not afraid of change or to learn new tasks, digital or otherwise. Older workers are not necessarily slower or apt to take more sick days. Often, you’ll find they have decades of experience, a good work ethic and gratitude for giving them a chance to show what they can do.

The law: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects applicants and employees 40 years of age and older from discrimination on the basis of age in hiring, promotion, discharge and pay.