Modified:
16 Mar 2010
by Admin
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DEBATE: THE EU SHOULD PROHIBIT ITS MEMBER STATES FROM IMPOSING A MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE ON WORKERS.
Posted by: samantha neville
Karma:
200
Many EU countries have mandatory retirement ages for their country’s workers. Is this a necessary part of employment, or an outdated and discriminatory practice? And should the EU be legislating on it?
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All the No points
THE EU SHOULD PROHIBIT ITS MEMBER STATES FROM IMPOSING A MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE ON WORKERS.
They are discriminatory
Whether or not someone carries on working should be based on their ability to do the job, and whether they want to carry on working. Introducing a mandatory retirement age will always discriminate against those who are wiling and able to carry on working beyond that age. Whilst it is the case that some people will be less able at the retirement age, this should be considered on a case by case basis. It is arbitrary and wrong to assume that someone will be bad at their job just because they have reached a particular age.
Retirement age is not a judgement about someone's ability to do their job. It has to be seen in the wider societal context of balancing labour market supply and demand of people of all ages.
Another reason why the EU should not prohibit a mandatory retirement age is that the definition of working age links to the pensions systems of individual nation states. However, it's notable that many OECD countries are moving towards similar definitions of working age.
However, retirement age should not be about consigning people of a certain age to the scrap heap, but offering opportunities for them to participate in society depending on their capabilities and wishes, whether through paid or non-paid activities.
What do you think? Vote on this point below.
THE EU SHOULD PROHIBIT ITS MEMBER STATES FROM IMPOSING A MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE ON WORKERS.
EU and discrimination
The EU is committed to furthering certain values in its member states, and freedom from discrimination is one of these values. It has legislated on sexual discrimination because it has recognised that gender is not a suitable basis to determine competency. Age is the same, and the EU should treat it as such.
Gender and age discrimination in the workplace should be considered along different lines. For certain roles, there is a correlation between workers growing older and a deterioration in their performance. If it can be shown that employees over a certain age are statistically less efficient in such positions then it is unfair and economically backward to expect employers to have to continue employing them.
What do you think? Vote on this point below.
THE EU SHOULD PROHIBIT ITS MEMBER STATES FROM IMPOSING A MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE ON WORKERS.
A matter for national governments
Retirement ages are appropriate in some countries and not in others, and it is up to the individual governments to decide what is best for their economies. Particularly in the case of public sector employees, the government has a vested interest in ensuring that the jobs are being done by the best possible employees. If they feel that mandatory retirement ages are a way to achieve this, the EU should not stop them.
THE EU SHOULD PROHIBIT ITS MEMBER STATES FROM IMPOSING A MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE ON WORKERS.
Good for employers
The prohibition of a mandatory retirement age would serve to highlight the value of experienced workers to employers. Having more mature members on a workforce in mentoring roles helps to set an example to younger members of staff which can help to reduce time and money spent on training. Many of the stereotypes regarding older workers also need to be challenged. For example, whilst it is argued that as workers become older they face physical deterioration and therefore more days off sick, research has shown that older workers are more honest with regard to not taking days off unnecessarily. According to a 2007 study of around 1,000 workers, 99% of 56 to 64 year-olds in full-time employment claimed that they had not taken a single day off sick unnecessarily in the previous 12 months. By contrast, a quarter (25%) of 16 to 24 year-old and 17% of 25 to 34 year-old workers admit they have taken at least one day off sick when they could have worked.[1]1. ^ Older Workers 'Take Less Sickies', Health Insurance and Protection, 01 October 2007, http://www.hi-mag.com/healthinsurance/article.do?articleid=20000101063
As people get older they deteriorate physically and mentally so they are less able to be productive employees. Having an employee who is just a bit slower or not quite as strong as they once were impacts upon productivity, and is thus bad for business. It is difficult because of unfair dismissal, and just generally not very nice, to sack someone because they are getting a bit slow. It is better for all concerned if there is a mandatory retirement age as this removes less effective employees from the system in a fair way which they can anticipate and plan for.
What do you think? Vote on this point below.
THE EU SHOULD PROHIBIT ITS MEMBER STATES FROM IMPOSING A MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE ON WORKERS.
The needs of retirees should be considered
I wished to comment on the point made that a mandatory retirement age is good for companies simply by making a counter argument. Companies that are considering mandatory retirement age on its workers (or States for that matter) must consider two things:1) Have invested in employees for a long time (i.e. 30-35 years) is it worth giving up and releasing all of that wonderful knowledge?2) Trading work experience for youth is not always a profitable business model (and consider that this author is under 30).
Once a person ahs worked the largest part of their life they should be free to choose how they spend their later years. They have already contributed to society in the work they have done through their lives, possibly by raising a family as well. Without a mandatory or standard retirement age there will always be a large section of the community that do not have enough income or savings (or whose pensions have been eroded by poor government or big business fiscal planning) and so will have no choice but to continue to work. A mandatory retirement age coupled with sensible national retirement provision supports these valued members of our communities who deserve their retirement.
What do you think? Vote on this point below.
Vote on the overall debate: The EU should prohibit its member states from imposing a mandatory retirement age on workers.
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admin
|11:36, 11 May 09
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|11:36, 11 May 09
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|11:37, 11 May 09
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jackbolter
|12:11, 16 March 10
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admin
|12:03, 11 May 09
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|12:03, 11 May 09
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jackbolter
|11:44, 16 March 10
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mjltigger
|05:31, 31 May 09
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David1
|01:51, 18 February 10
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