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AARP Honors Best Employers for Workers Over 50

By: Source: AARP The Magizine Date Posted: 2006-09-05 15:00:29.144379-04:00

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AARP Kentucky congratulates the University of Kentucky in Lexington on being honored in the AARP Best Employers Program for Workers Over 50 for 2006.

The AARP Best Employers Program for Workers Over 50 is an annual recognition program that acknowledges 50 companies and organizations whose best practices and policies for addressing aging workforce issues are roadmaps for the workplaces of tomorrow.

This university exemplifies the qualities that AARP looks for in the AARP Best Employers Program by having programs and policies in place geared to the needs of older workers.

• The University of Kentucky has revised their phased retirement program by lowering the age limit to 60 instead of 65, and added a "surviving spouse health credit" which allows surviving spouses of retirees to receive half of the University's retiree contribution to the costs of their surviving spouse health plan. The University of Kentucky Temporary Employment Agency recruits retirees via job fairs and coordinates with the University of Kentucky Benefits Office to recruit University retirees to work in short-term positions.

AARP recognizes that a growing number of American employers are developing progressive workplace policies and practices that are meeting the needs of an aging workforce. AARP seeks to share employer best practices with the business community and strive for employment opportunities for older workers.

AARP invites employers to apply for the designation by submitting an application describing their exemplary practices toward 50 and over workers.

Key areas of consideration are:

• Recruiting practices
• Opportunities for training
• Education and career development
• Workplace accommodations
• Alternative work options such as flexible scheduling, job sharing, and phased retirement employee health and pension benefits
• Retiree benefits
• Age diversity of the workforce

Across the country, 60% of the winners in the search come from the healthcare sector, including hospitals, and 64% are either private, non-profit or not-for-profit organizations.