Matthias Knuth Peer Review: PES and Older Workers Presentation
at the Headquarters of the German Federal Employment Agency,
Nuremberg, May 10, 2012
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Employment Rates, EU 27, 2001-2010 2
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Employment Rates 55-64 3 Quelle: Eurostat
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Female Employment Rates 2001 / 2008 / 2010 4
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Male Employment Rates 2001 / 2008 / 2010 5
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Institutional factors relevant to older workers' probabilities
of taking up employment (stronger) legal employment protection
setting in at a specific age seniority wage differentials (if tied
to age) age-specific exemption from job search / from definition of
being unemployed age-specific extension of UB eligibility early
retirement / disability schemes low statutory retirement age notion
of 'old' starts early signalling effect of statutory pension age
thresholds UK has recently abolished the Default Retirement Age
6
Slide 7
'Ideal Retirement Age' (European Social Survey 2006) 7 Author:
Andreas Jansen
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Typical challenges age stereotypes on both sides, employers and
jobseekers scepticism even among PES staff lack of occupational and
geographical mobility lack of qualifications, outdated
qualifications, or qualifications not recognized (migrants)
'life-long learning' not really embraced, neither by workers nor by
employers 8
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Services for Employers employer-oriented services not
specialised by age groups primary concern for jobseekers, not
employed workers special services and provisions in cases of
restructuring in many countries age-specific rules for
restructuring only in Belgium wage cost subsidies largely used and
promoted, also for older workers compensation offered for training
costs or days of sickness (in some countries) counselling services
for employers in their role as users of labour are rare and not
age-specific Austria: 'flexibility counselling' Germany: pilot
models for counselling SME's 9
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Preventive Measures and Services / Awareness Raising few
preventive measures for older employees 'fast track' services and
priority activation for older jobseekers in some countries
campaigns and action plans aim at raising public and employers'
awareness networking with the business community liaising with
civil society organisations representing senior citizens 10
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Services and Measures for Unemployed Older Workers few
age-specificities in services concern only timing, priority or
intensity: initial interview or Individual Action Plan earlier for
older jobseekers tendency towards abolishing age specific measures
or programmes (Germany, UK) exemption Netherlands: 55-plus
networking ( 'senior job club') division of frontline services by
age and 'target group approaches' rejected by most participating
countries Poland just now training frontline workers and coaches
how will they be deployed? wage supplements compensating for taking
up a lower-paid job (France,Belgium; recently abandoned in Germany)
direct job creation ('public works') 11
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Monitoring and Evaluation no age-specific monitoring or
evaluation programmes in general, proper monitoring systems and
independent evaluation of net outcomes of ALMPs still in need of
development in many countries measures highlighted as successful
(based on practical experience or evaluation): combinations of work
practice and training hiring subsidies networking groups / group
counselling / job search coaching 12
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Practical conclusions PES staff information, training and
experience sharing: giving employment assistance for older workers
credibility supporting older jobseekers' self-confidence
identifying the type of enterprise more likely to hire older
jobseekers perhaps not the 'age-friendly' ones already employing a
high proportion of older workers training investment also for
'older' workers firm-specificity perhaps less of a problem where
older workers concerned counselling employers with regard to more
sustainable HR practices: a suitable role for the PES? 13
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Outlook What works for older jobseekers will probably also work
for younger ones. Some problems may cumulate with age: impairments
of health, outdated qualifications Main problem not (calendrical,
biological) age as such but subjective life-course positioning
(self-perception and perception by others). Age stereotypes will
probably remain but calendrical age associated with notion of being
'old' will shift upwards with the institutional framework for
retirement. 14